Lakeview in Chicago in Cook County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Abe Saperstein
Basketball promoter (1902-1966)
| — | Chicago Tribute | — |
Photographed by Sean Flynn, October 13, 2023
1. Abe Saperstein Marker
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.
Erected
this page online
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Sports. In addition, it is included in the Chicago Tribute series list. A significant historical date for this entry is January 7, 1927.
Location. 41° 57.091′ N, 87° 40.361′ W. Marker is unreadable. Marker is in Chicago, Illinois, in Cook County. It is in Lakeview. It is on North Hermitage Avenue 0.2 miles north of West Grace Street, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3828 North Hermitage Avenue, Chicago IL 60613, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the American Midwest and on the Great Lakes. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, and the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this location: Lake View High School (approx. 0.3 miles away); Calaboose (approx. 0.6 miles away); Colonel Marcus M. Spiegel (approx. 0.6 miles away); (Former) Marshfield Trust and Savings Bank (approx. 0.7 miles away); Joseph R. Scott (approx. 0.7 miles away); Graves Family Monument (approx. 0.7 miles away); Allan Pinkerton (approx. ¾ mile away); Ferguson Jenkins (approx. 0.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Chicago.
More about this marker. The marker, in front of Saperstein's brown-brick bungalow at 3828 N. Hermitage, shows severe signs of wear. The plastic laminate has rolled off the bottom portion of the marker, part of which is unreadable as a result. Likewise, the back side
Photographed by Sean Flynn, October 13, 2023
2. Abe Saperstein home and Chicago Tribute marker
Regarding Abe Saperstein. Saperstein was born in London but raised on Chicago's north side. He attended Ravenswood Elementary School, which is about a mile north of this marker, and Lake View High School, a half-mile northeast.
An inductee into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Abe Saperstein was, among many other things, the founder and first coach of the Harlem Globetrotters, and he is also credited with inventing the three-point shot.
Also see . . .
1. Abraham M. "Abe" Saperstein. Saperstein's page on the Basketball Hall of Fame website (Submitted on October 15, 2023, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)
2. Abe Saperstein. This article from the Society of American Baseball Research looks at Saperstein's influence on Negro League baseball. (Submitted on October 15, 2023, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)
Additional keywords. harlem globetrotters promoter
Sport Magazine archives (via Wikimedia Commons), circa 1950
3. Abe Saperstein (1902-1966)
Courtesy of National Museum of American History, circa 1964
4. “Abe Saperstein’s Fabulous Harlem Globetrotters, ‘Magicians of Basketball’”
The cover of the Globetrotters’ 1964 team yearbook
Credits. This page was last revised on September 29, 2025. It was originally submitted on October 15, 2023, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. This page has been viewed 867 times since then and 88 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 15, 2023, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. 3. submitted on April 15, 2024, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. 4. submitted on October 15, 2023, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
