Some Sports Entertainment History -
The Harlem Globetrotters played their first game as the Harlem Globetrotters on January 7, 1927, in Hinckley, Illinois, a pivotal event where the all-Black team, then known as the Savoy Big Five, traveled from Chicago for their first road game, facing the Hinckley Merchants and starting their legendary journey despite losing that initial matchup.
Key Details:
Date: January 7, 1927.
Location: Hinckley, Illinois, a small town west of Chicago.
Team Name: They were initially called the "Savoy Big Five," named after the Savoy Ballroom in Chicago, but adopted the "Harlem Globetrotters" name to highlight their Black identity.
Founder: The team was the brainchild of Abe Saperstein, who coached and promoted them.
Significance: This was the first of countless road games, launching them from a local exhibition team into a global phenomenon, even though they lost to the local Hinckley Merchants 43-34 that night.
The Globetrotters originated on the south side of...