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Savoy Big Five play their first game.
Abe Saperstein, age 24, organizes and coaches a new basketball team, "Savoy Big Five," named after famous Chicago's Savoy Ballroom. -
Harlem New York Globetrotters
The team name is changed to the Harlem New York Globetrotters, arriving in a Model "T" Ford in Hinckley, Illinois, for their debut game in front of 300 fans. The total game payout is $75. They tour Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa, playing night in and night out against any and all comers. -
Professional Basketball Tournement
The Globetrotters are defeated in their first professional championship basketball tournement. After this first professional tournement the Globetrotters began to attract attention and got more well known. -
Reece "Goose" Tatum
Reece "Goose" Tatum signs with the Globetrotters and develops most of the teams classic comedy routines. Before becoming the Harlem Globetrotter legend that we know today, Reece “Goose” Tatum played in the Negro Baseball League. Born in El Dorado, Arkansas, May 31, 1921 Tatum showed extreme athletic ability and fell in love with the game of baseball. It wasn’t until he worked his way into Negro Baseball League that he was recognized by the Harlem Globetrotters. -
Bob Karstens
Bob Karstens from Dubuque, Iowa becomes the first Caucasian player under contract with the team. Abe Saperstein was the first white player to play with the team, but Karstens was the first under contract. Bob Karstens also creates many ball handling moves used in the "magic circle". -
The “Game of the Century"
On February 20, 1948, the Globetrotters defeated George Mikan’s World Champion Minneapolis Lakers 61-59 on Ermer Robinson’s last second shot. -
Re-match: Globetrotters vs. Lakers
On Feb. 28, the highly anticipated re-match takes place between the Harlem Globetrotters and the Minneapolis Lakers. While the Globetrotters enter the game riding an 113 game win streak it is a hard fought game that ends in favor of globetrotters with the final score of 49-45. -
Nathaniel "Sweetwater" Clifton signs NBA contact
the Globetrotters were eclipsed by the rise of the National Basketball Association, particularly when NBA teams began fielding African-American players in the 1950s. The Globetrotters gradually worked comic routines into their act until they became known more for entertainment than sports. -
Harlem Globetrotters play their first in another country
In 1951, the Globetrotters were called upon by the US State Department to help counteract a communist youth rally in East Germany. They played in the Allied section of Berlin to an enthusiastic crowd. This was not the first time the team had played over seas (they played in hawaii in 1946) but it was the first time they had played in another country. -
Sweet Gorgia Brown
Sweet Gorgia Brown becomes the theme song for the Harlem globetrotters. -
Meadowlark Lemon
Legendary Meadowlark Lemon begins his 24 years with the Globetrotters. As a little boy Meadowlark grew up dreaming about one day becoming a Globetrotter and his dream had come true. -
Wilt "The Stilt" Chamberlain
Wilt "The Stilt" Chamberlain, one of basketballs greatest offensive forces, joins Harlem Globetrotters. Although only playing with the Globetrotters for one year he still says that when he played with them it was the best time of his life. With Chamberlain helped the Globetrotters win 9 straight World Series of Basketball title against College All-Americans. -
Tour of U.S.S.R. and Eastern Europe
Team begins sold-out tour of U.S.S.R. and Eastern Europe, with Russian Premier Nikita Khrushchev greeting players at Kremlin in Moscow. Globetrotters perform famous "Magic Circle" in front of Pope John XXII. With this tour the Globtrotters broke cultural and social boundaries. -
Fred “Curly” Neal
Fred “Curly” Neal begins his 22-season career with Globetrotters and becomes world-wide icon. After an outstanding career at James B. Dudley High School in Greensboro, N.C., Curly moved on to Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, N.C., where he averaged over 23 points per game and led his team to the CIAA title his senior year. He was then recognized by the Globetrotters and became a world-wide icon. -
The death of Abe Saperstein
Abe Saperstein dies at age 63 on March 15 during year of the Globetrotters 40th anniversary. At this point in history the Globetrotters have played 8,945 games with only 330 losses in over 1,200 cities and 83 countries and territories. In honor of Abe Saperstein the Globetrotters finish tour with a game on April 13 in the town it all began, Hinckley, Illinois. -
Team plays their first "home game"
Globetrotters play first game ever in Harlem, NY. -
Globetrotters begin 24-year winning streak.
Globetrotters begin 24-year winning streak. -
first ever female player, Olympic Gold Medalist Lynette Woodard
Harlem Globetrotters signing the first ever female player, Olympic Gold Medalist Lynette Woodard. The Smithsonian Institute's National Museum of American Social History honors the Globetrotters with their own exhibit on permanent display. -
1997 - "Magic" Johnson signs with Globetrotters
"Magic" Johnson signs with Globetrotters and they defeat College All-Stars team with 9 NBA Draft picks 126-114. -
Retired Number: Wilt Chamberlain
Wilt Chamberlain get his number retired as one of the five players who include Marques Haynes, Meadow Lemon, Reece Tatum, and Fred Neal as well. March 9, 2000. After his junior year of college Chamberlain joined the Globetrotters in 1958 and continued playing with them in subsequent years during the NBA offseason. He was part of the legendary team that played in Moscow, Russia as a gesture of goodwill. -
Retired number: Meadow "Meadowlark" Lemon
Harlem Globetrotters for 24 seasons, Meadowlark Lemon played in more than 7,500 consecutive games for the red, white, and blue. He played before popes, kings, queens and presidents in more than 94 countries around the world and in more than 1,500 North American cities. As a kid Meadowlark grew up dreaming about becoming a Harlem Globetrotter. -
Retired Number: Marques Haynes
The acrobatic Haynes caught the attention of Harlem Globetrotters owner Abe Saperstein in 1946, during a game in which Langston defeated the Globetrotters, 74-70. Following graduation, Haynes joined the Globetrotters and starred for the team. In a four-decade career, Haynes played in more than 12,000 games, traveled more than four million miles and entertained fans in nearly 100 countries around the globe. -
Retired Number: Reece "Goose" Tatum
Tatum started his athletic career in the late 1930s as a baseball player, where, as a standout first baseman, he would entertain the crowd with quick routines after put-outs. It was during this time that his outstanding all-around athletic ability and comedic timing caught the eye of Globetrotters' founder Abe Saperstein. Once signed to the Globetrotters by Saperstein, Tatum quickly became an unstoppable basketball force. -
Retired Number: Fred "Curly" Neal
Fred "Curly" Neal gets his number retired and is the final one to do so. Fred "Curly" Neal played 22 years with the Globetrotters and was honored by getting his number retired. Curly is also a recipient of the Harlem Globetrotters' prestigious "Legends" ring, presented to those who have made a major contribution to the success and the development of the Globetrotters organization.
