The Globetrotters (Part 2)
In 1939, the Globetrotters accepted their invitation to take part in the “World Professional Basketball Tournament”, where they faced off against the New York Rens. This match was known as the first clash of two of the “world’s
greatest all black professional basketball teams”. The Globetrotters lost the match and the Rens went on to win the championship. After facing this loss, Saperstein decided to overhaul the team by getting rid of Rock Anderson, Bill Ford, and Harry Rusan. At
the same time, he hired Sonny Boswell, Roscoe “Duke” Cunningham, Marvin Freeman, Everett “Ziggy” Marcel and Chuck Brown. Now that he had a bigger and stronger team, Saperstein played the Globetrotters against the Rens once again, this time to return as the
victor. As war arrived to the United States of America, most of the team members joined the war effort.
“Goose” Tatum became part of the Globetrotters team in November, 1941. He was meant to serve as a replacement for Sonny Boswell. During the 1942-1943 season, Tatum was beginning to get noticed for his awesome ability to jump. His
inner clown was also starting to come out, as Tatum became more comfortable with the team. In 1946, the team would see one of its best dribblers in the history of the basketball game. That dribbler was Marques Haynes. Haynes was initially placed in the Kansas
City Stars, but after Saperstein saw him in action, Haynes was brought up into the Globetrotters in February, 1947. The Globetrotters managed to defeat the Minneapolis Lakers (a premier professional team led by George Mikan) twice in a row. 1948 was an epic
year for the history of basketball since this was the first time the Globetrotters won against the Lakers, making them the very first All-African American team to beat an All-White team, proving that they were on equal terms. It was during this same time,
that Saperstein lost Nat Clifton to the New York Knicks. Clifton was one of the team’s main players. After he left, the team had a hard time getting more talented people.
There were a lot of “trotters” who were very well known. The Globetrotters included people from all over the place. From proper NBA legends to Baseball hall of famers, everyone wanted to be part of the action. Some of the famous
Globetrotters included NBA legends such as Wilt Chamberlain and Connie Hawkins, as well as the best Globetrotter team (which included Tatum, Haynes, Lemon, Clifton and John Chaney). Bob Gibson, Ferguson Jenkins and Lou Brock (all of them were baseball hall
of famers) were also part of the Globetrotters. The list did not end at sports; Politician Henry Kissinger, Comedian Bob Hope, Actor Whoopi Goldberg, Former South African President Nelson Mandela, Pope John Paul II, and Civil Rights Activist Jesse Jackson
were all given honorary membership to the Globetrotter team.
Not only are the Globetrotters famous on the court, but they are also famous on the big screen. The Globetrotters started their debut on television in 1951. The movie was called “The Harlem Globetrotters”. It starred Marques Haynes
and the other globetrotters. The Globetrotters also had a cartoon animated by the name of “Go-Go Globetrotters”, as well as appearing on the Hanna-Barbara cartoon, “The New s****. Doo Movies” as guest stars.
Nowadays, the Globetrotters still travel around the world entertaining the masses by doing their tricks and stunts. The Globetrotters are the team that puts the fun in watching basketball. They take a serious game and turn it into
something funny and worth watching too. One thing that the Globetrotters are really good at is bringing people together. From short to tall, from black to white, young and old, all are brought together by the laughter and amazement they share when the Globetrotters
take the stage.
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