The History of the Washington Generals and their Futility Against the Harlem Globetrotters

TLDR The Washington Generals, formed in 1952 as a regular opponent for the Harlem Globetrotters, have consistently lost to the Globetrotters in over 16,000 games played between 1952 and 2015, winning only three games. Despite their futility, the Generals played a crucial role in allowing the Globetrotters to put on their comedic basketball performances.

Timestamped Summary

00:00 The Washington Generals are the worst professional sports team in history, being paid to lose games.
01:53 The Washington Generals are the basketball equivalent of the Coyote to the Harlem Globetrotters Roadrunner, and to understand their futility, you must first understand the history of the Globetrotters.
03:10 The Harlem Globetrotters, despite not being from Harlem and not playing there until 40 years after their founding, were a successful and legitimate basketball team in the 1940s, regularly beating the best white basketball teams in exhibition games.
04:18 In 1952, the Washington Generals were formed as a regular opponent for the Harlem Globetrotters, making it easier for the Globetrotters to put on their comedic basketball performances.
05:29 The Washington Generals, a separate team from the Harlem Globetrotters, consistently lost to the Globetrotters in over 16,000 games played between 1952 and 2015.
06:43 The Washington Generals won only three games out of over 16,000 played against the Harlem Globetrotters, with their most famous win occurring in 1971 when they beat the Globetrotters 100-99 as the New Jersey Reds.
08:07 The host thanks listeners for leaving reviews and recommends the podcast as a short and daily listen, but suggests it should be a weekday podcast to avoid potential backup if the host is unable to produce episodes.
Categories: History Education

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