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Markers of Distinction

Abe Saperstein
1902–1966
Basketball promoter

Born in London, Abe Saperstein grew up in
Chicago and began coaching basketball in college.
He went on to become the owner, promoter, coach,
and occasionally, at 5'3", substitute player of the
world-famous Harlem Globetrotters.

Saperstein had coached many local basketball
teams in Chicago, including the Giles Post
American Legion Quintet, an African- American
semi-pro team, and the Savoy Big Five, which
played at the famous Savoy Ballroom. When the
Big Five lost its sponsorship, Saperstein renamed
them the Globetrotters and took the team on the road.

Saperstein lived at 3828 North Hermitage Avenue when the
Globetrotters debuted on January 7, 1927 in Hinckley, Illinois, before a crowd
of 300. Inman Jackson, Lester Johnson and Walter Wright formed the nucleus
of the first Globetrotters, who won 101 of 117 games in their first season.

The Globetrotters played regular, competitive basketball until 1929, when,
fearing that fans would tire of their predictable victories, they began clowning
on the court for pure entertainment.

Saperstein guided and promoted the all-black team for 39 years, providing
opportunities for black players who were excluded by professional leagues. At
the time of his death in 1966, the Globetrotters had played in 87 countries.