Harlem Globetrotters

From ArticleWorld

The Harlem Globetrotters are a franchise basketball team that is comprised of star athletes who combine comedy and athleticism to put on a great show for people worldwide. The Globetrotters began in 1927 in Chicago, Illinois and took on the name Harlem because of its relationship with the mainly Africa-American community. It tours in over 100 different countries and has played in over 20,000 exhibition games.

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Beginnings

When they were founded in 1927, the Globetrotters were a serious competetive team. They started at the "Giles Post" and played in the Negro American Legion League. Things began changing in the 1950’s after the first African-American was drafted into the NBA, Chuck Cooper. From then on the Globetrotters had problems recruiting and keeping overly talented players.

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Success

Eventually, the Globetrotters worked on comic routines to add to their games for show, and they soon were known for their entertainment quality rather than their sports and basketball abilities. Globetrotters perform acts and skills that take the utmost coordination, such as spinning balls on fingertips, handling more than one ball, player interaction, and taking strange and very difficult shots. The Globetrotters were placed in the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002, and have amazing winning streaks against various college and professional teams.

The Globetrotters have been criticized for not playing "real basketball" and have began scheduling games with colleges and pick up teams. While they have had their occasional losses, the Globetrotters have had winning streaks of 8,829, and another of 1,270 games.

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