Harlem Globetrotters

Up until the late 1930s, the Globetrotters were a serious competitive team. Starting with the acquisition of Inman Jackson, the Globetrotters began to work more light entertainment and comedic routines into their appearances, but could still play with the best of the professional teams. In 1939, the Globetrotters were runners-up to the New York Rens (Hall of Fame, 1963) in the World Professional Basketball Tournament in Chicago.

The team won the tournament in 1940. After World War II, the Globetrotters became real "globetrotters," travelling the world and entertaining thousands. With players such as Geese Ausbie, Goose Tatum, 1998 Hall of Famer Marques Haynes, Curly Neal and Meadowlark Lemon, the Globetrotters quickly became ambassadors of bringing their showmanship to millions. The team has played over 20,000 games in more than 100 countries around the world.

When Mannie Jackson purchased the Harlem Globetrotters in 1993, one of his goals was to return the team to its roots as one of the top professional basketball teams in the world. Within the past 10 years, Jackson’s Globetrotters have entertained millions of fans around the globe and also excelled in highly competitive action. His first step toward reaching the goal was resurrecting the World Series of Basketball in 1997 after a 35-year layoff. The original World Series of Basketball began in 1950 and continued until 1962, pitting the nation’s top college players against the Globetrotters in an annual series.

The rebirth of the World Series of Basketball in 1997 was a one-game format, featuring a team of future first-round NBA Draft picks from the Desert Classic in Phoenix. The Globetrotters defeated the College All-Stars 126-114 at America West Arena, as NBA great Earvin "Magic" Johnson fulfilled a lifetime dream by playing for the Harlem Globetrotters. After a one-year layoff, the Globetrotters completed a three-game sweep of the nation’s top college seniors in the spring of 1999 with games in Oakland, Detroit, and Cincinnati.

In January of 2000, Jackson announced a new partnership with the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC). The deal includes an annual Globetrotters vs. College All-Star Game during the men’s NCAA Final Four Weekend. The annual game, tabbed the "NABC College All-Star Game," continues to grow in popularity during Final Four Weekend. In the inaugural NABC College All-Star Game, the Globetrotters defeated the top college seniors 82-80 at Conseco Fieldhouse on April 1, 2000, in Indianapolis. On March 30, 2001, the Globetrotters defeated the college all-stars again, 75-63, before 15,253 fans at the Target Center in Minneapolis. The turnstile count broke a 30-year NABC attendance record. The Globetrotters win streak against the College All-Stars was snapped in 2002 when they lost 86-76 during Final Four Weekend in Atlanta. The Globetrotters reclaimed their title over the College All-Star Team on April 6, 2003, when more than 14,800 fans were treated to a thrilling game decided in overtime with a Globetrotter victory 87-85 during Final Four Weekend in New Orleans.

The fall of 2000 brought another new element to the Globetrotters schedule, playing games against the nation’s top college teams and national champions. Games in 2000 included stops at Michigan State University, the defending NCAA Division I national champions, at Big Ten power Purdue University, and at Metro State College of Denver, the defending NCAA Division II national champs. The Globetrotters went 2-1, only losing a 72-68 contest at Michigan State and snapping a 1,270 game-winning streak. The 2001 Fall College Tour was expanded from three games to nine games, with the Globetrotters compiling an 8-1 mark, including wins at the University of Iowa, St. John’s University at Madison Square Garden, and the University of Minnesota. The tradition continued during the 2002 Fall College Tour with victories over St. John, Purdue and Western Kentucky. During the 2003 Fall College Tour, the Globetrotters dominated the top college teams, amassing a 7-1 record including wins over two of the top-10 teams in The Associated Press’ preseason poll, Michigan State University (No. 3) and Syracuse University (No. 7).

In addition to the series against the College All-Stars and college teams, the Globetrotters have played other competitive games in recent years. In 1995, the Globetrotters posted a 10-1 mark in a series of games across Europe against Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s Legendary All-Stars. The Globetrotters captured the championship at the 1998 Los Angeles Summer Pro League and cruised to a 120-71 victory over the top four teams from the Pan Arab League during the fall of 1998. Future plans are to play NBA exhibition games and international league champions.