The Harlem Globetrotters played their first game on this day in 1927. The team started as a scrappy small-time operation out of Chicago but quickly became a reputable team after winning 101 out of 117 games in their first season. They toured parts of the Midwest for years before making their debut in a national championship game in 1939. That same year, the team started to lighten the mood with some silly antics on the court, a first step in their transition to the comedic play they're known for today.
The "Harlem" in the name had nothing to do with geography; it was a branding choice, referencing the large Black community in the New York City borough in an era when Black players were prohibited from playing in professional leagues. In 1948 they beat the Minneapolis Lakers, the best team in the NBA at the time, foreshadowing the end of segregation in basketball two years later. When the color line was broken, Black players started opting for professional play instead of exhibition teams like the Globetrotters. Around that time, the team pivoted from its serious-yet-lighthearted style to the comedic show games they still play today.
You can learn more about the Harlem Globetrotters' history in this PBS article.
