Harlem Globetrotters: What's the deal?

[Morrison_s_Lament]

*Originally posted by Mr. Cynical *
**The Globetrotters will be on ESPN Classic January 7th. Enjoy the show, and determine the skills they posess from the demonstration.

Secondly, every baby born in the year 2000 is entitled to a lifetime pass to Harlem Globetrotters shows. Free, even. I picked one up for Mini Cyni, and plan to use it when he’s older. **

ARGH!!! DAMNIT!!! I missed that kind of a chance???

I mean, even though I’m kinda young, being only 20 years old, and I am living and studying in China, and I have no girlfriend, nor do I have any wishes for children and no means at all to support them… I COULD HAVE OVERCOME THOSE THINGS IF SOMEONE HAD TOLD ME EARLIER!!!

Now I’m gonna have to father some poor 2001 bastard that’ll probably just get me tickets to see the Generals solo performance…

— G. Raven

[sdimbert]

FWIW, the Generals have won more than once. Not many, many times, but certainly more than once.

In this thread, Mojo quotes from harlemglobetrotters.com:

Have the Globetrotters ever lost a game?

Yes. In fact, the Globetrotters have lost 332 games over the course of 74 years. However, with over 20,000 wins, the Globetrotters do own the best winning percentage in the history of professional sports. The last time the team lost was Sept. 12, 1995, in Vienna, Austria, when Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s Legendary All-Stars upset the Globetrotters 91-85 and made headlines around the world.

I tried to search Cecil’s collumns, but the server is wacky.

[Ogre]

…and damned fine athletes, as well. This is from http://www.harlemglobetrotters.com:

For over seven decades, the Harlem Globetrotters have impacted the sport of basketball around the world. The Globetrotters were instrumental in the development of the fast-break offense, the slam dunk, the development of a scouting system to recruit players, and introduced the figure-eight “weave” offense. Recently, the Globetrotters have amazed fans by setting world records in the vertical slam dunk, climbing to seemingly impossible heights. Listed below are the incredible heights the Harlem Globetrotters have reached in the vertical dunk. Keep in mind that a regulation basketball hoop stands at 10-feet.

APRIL 1, 2000:
During halftime of the NABC All-Star Game, Michael “Wild Thing” Wilson breaks his own world record in the vertical slam dunk by successfully dunking on a 12-foot basket. The event, which took place at Indianapolis’ Conseco Fieldhouse, marked the Harlem Globetrotters’ first-ever appearance at Final Four Weekend. Wilson’s record dunk was captured and televised nationally on Fox Sports Net.

FEBRUARY 16, 1997:

Sean “Elevator” Williams and Fred “Preacher” Smith successfully dunked at 12 feet at New York’s Madison Square Garden, however it was an unofficial attempt at the world record.

JANUARY 25, 1997:

At Minneapolis’ Target Center, Michael “Wild Thing” Wilson and Sean “Elevator” Williams successfully dunked at 12 feet, however it was an unofficial attempt at the world record.

SEPTEMBER 16, 1996:

Michael “Wild Thing” Wilson and Sean “Elevator” Williams establish new record of 11 feet, 8 inches at Walt Disney World near Orlando, Fla. The old mark was 11 feet, 7 inches, held by former Arizona State University guard Joey Johnson.

12 feet! :eek:

[note: copyrighted material redacted. -manhattan]

[Edited by manhattan on 01-04-2001 at 05:59 PM]

[sdimbert]

*Originally posted by TheMadHun *
Have they ever been a professional basketball team?

Just to be a stinker:

According to http://www.m-w-com (underlining is mine):

Main Entry: 1pro·fes·sion·al
Pronunciation: pr&-'fesh-n&l, -'fe-sh&-n&l
Function: adjective
Date: circa 1748
1 a : participating for gain or livelihood in an activity or field of endeavor often engaged in by amateurs <a professional golfer>

Main Entry: team
Pronunciation: 'tEm
Function: noun
Date: before 12th century
1 : a number of persons associated together in work or activity: as a : a group on one side (as in football or a debate)

So, since the Globetrotters play basketball, for “gain or livelihood” as “a group on one side,” they must be a professional basketball team.

So there.