The Greatest ‘Trotters’ in the Globe: Profiling the Harlem Globetrotters (Part 1)
The Harlem Globetrotters, known for their antics on the courts, are perhaps one of the most entertaining basketball teams. The team combines athleticism with comedy, and brings out the best in sport as entertainment. It is an iconic
team in more ways than one: the team adopted the name ‘Harlem’ because it represented a huge leap for the African American community at the time of its inception, and is still giving back to the community that gave so much to the team. Known as the “ambassadors
of goodwill”, the Globetrotters go around the world trying to make it a better place through the use of humour, the key ingredient that characterizes their wacky playing style. The Globetrotters included many famous players throughout their existence.
For all their originality and status as a cultural icon, as the years go by, the “Trotters” are unfortunately very easy to forget. They are like that one item you always forget to pack in your suitcase, even though it is at the
back of your mind. Everyone remembers the name of the team, but what they don’t recall is who the Trotters really were and what they did. In truth, there is a long line of very famous Trotter veterans throughout the history of the team. The purpose of this
article is to refresh your memory of who they were.
Wilt Chamberlain
Wilt Chamberlain was one of the many prominent members to have played on the Harlem Globetrotters. Born on August 21, 1936 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Chamberlain was one of nine siblings. In his early years, Chamberlain considered
basketball as a sport for “sissies” and was more interested in track and field. However, since basketball was the more dominant sport in Philadelphia, his eventual acquaintance with the sport was inevitable. Due to his height (6 feet, 10 inches), Chamberlain
was given numerous nicknames, including “Wilt the Stilt”, “Goliath”, and his personal favorite “The Big Dipper”. Chamberlain was discovered by Red Auerbach, coach of the Boston Celtics, when Auerbach met him at the hotel where Chamberlain worked as a bellhop.
Seeing talent, Auerbach pitted him one-on-one against B.H. Born, who was the MVP of the 1953 NCAA Finals. Chamberlain crushed Born by 15 points. The defeat hurt Born’s ego so badly that he gave up a very promising career in the NBA and went on the work as
a tractor engineer. Chamberlain was only in high school at the time.
Due to the fact that Chamberlain had not finished his last year at college, the NBA did not recruit him. In 1958, he decided to join the Globetrotters. This was the beginning of an immensely enjoyable period in his life. He felt
relieved that no one here made fun of him, nor expected him to immediately start breaking records. The team was basically just a bunch of people having fun and showing the crowds a good time.
1959 was a good year for the Big Dipper: he was finally drafted by the Philadelphia Warriors and could begin his fruitful career in the NBA. He quickly became the highest paid player of his time. He went on to play for the Philadelphia
76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers, and also performed a stint as a coach for the San Diego Conquistadors – which wasn’t quite as successful as his playing career. After this experience, Chamberlain retired from professional basketball. He died on October 12,
1999 leaving behind a legacy of greatness.
Connie Hawkins
Another great basketball player to have played in the Harlem Globetrotters was Cornelius L. Hawkins (known as “the Hawk”). Hawkins was born on the 17th of July, 1942 in Brooklyn, New York. During his freshman year at
the University of Iowa, where he received a scholarship to play basketball, Hawkins fell victim to a “point-shaving” scandal that had started in New York. Although Hawkins was not involved in the conspiracy – he was never charged or arrested – the scandal
sullied his name and had a devastating effect on his career. He was expelled from the University of Iowa, and no other college would offer him a scholarship. NBA Commissioner J. Walter Kennedy declared he would never approve any contract for Hawkins to play
in the league.
Hawkins started playing in the American Basketball League (ABL), but when that collapsed in 1962, he joined the Harlem Globetrotters. He stayed with them for three years. While he was playing with the Trotters, Hawkins sued the
NBA for unfair treatment and by 1969, the NBA settled with him. He then began playing for the Phoenix Suns, before being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in 1974. The Hawk fluffed his feathers and retired from basketball after his seventh season due to problems
with his knees.
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