Here Come the Harlem Globetrotters âčđŸââïž
Om avsnittet
All-Black basketball team the Harlem Globetrotters travelled to Hinckley, Illinois on 7th January, 1927 - setting them on a barnstorming journey through the Midwest, the nation, and eventually the worldâŠÂ
Their manager, Abe Saperstein, was obsessed with basketball, stitching together tours at a time when Black athletes were locked out of most professional leagues. His re-brand of the team to the âHarlem Globetrottersâ symbolised Black culture and creativity at a time of sports segregation, even though the team were actually from Chicago.
In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly compare contrasting stories of how âthe Savoy Big Fiveâ evolved into the Globetrotters; explain why showboating, humour and spectacle were always part of the groupâs demonstrations, despite their immense talent; and examine how the team helped introduce America to Black sporting excellenceâŠÂ Â
Further Reading:
âą âThe Harlem Globetrotters: 99 years of basketball, variety and âShowtimeââ (The Athletic, 2025): https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6118506/2025/02/10/harlem-globetrotters-black-history-month-99-years/
âą âHow Harlem Globetrotters founder Abe Saperstein shaped basketball as we know it todayâ (The Times of Israel, 2024): https://www.timesofisrael.com/how-harlem-globetrotters-founder-abe-saperstein-shaped-basketball-as-we-know-it-today/
âą âBest of the Harlem Globetrottersâ (Guinness World Records, 2020): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDQLhK-flVE
#Sport #20s #Black #Racism #US
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The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.
Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart
Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2026
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