They’re the team—the team that everyone has come to see.
Sure, watching a competitive, high-action NBA game can be fun, but there’s no denying that watching this team will guarantee an irresistible environment full of laughs and spirit. Whether they are showcasing their undeniable athleticism through high-flying dunks and acrobatics or comically dribbling through defenders, the Harlem Globetrotters never fail to put on a show.
Now, how many of you have noticed that the Globetrotters played the same team again and again? I won’t lie: I had watched the Globetrotters before, but I had never heard of their opponent, the Washington Generals, until recently. Like for many other basketball fans, I only remembered the events of the games from the Globetrotters’ perspective. I had not paid any specific attention to the opponents.
By learning about the Washington Generals, I learned two things: the Generals are the biggest losers in basketball history and they are the reason for the Globetrotters’ world success.
Yes, it’s true that the Generals are the worst basketball team from a statistical standpoint—in 63 years as opponents, the Generals lost to the Globetrotters over 16,000 times. How many times have they won? The highest reported number is 6 times from the score sheets that could be found, the last win dating back to 1971.
I know what some of you may be thinking: if the Generals lost so much, were they a rec league or amateur level team? The answer is short and sweet: no. All of the Generals players were athletes who had played basketball at some level in college. Only a team of a decent level would be able to truly complement the Globetrotters as the Generals had. In another effort to showcase their true talent, the Generals decided to play in a professional tournament, The Basketball Tournament. Although they lost in the first round, they demonstrated that they could compete at a high level if they fully wanted to.
In another sense, the Generals are the truest winners; without them, the Globetrotters would not be the same attraction as they are today. What other team would allow themselves to be dribbled around and pantsed for comedy? What other team would put up with being paid for an eternity of losing? Sure, the Generals founder, Red Klotz, has said that the Generals were never asked to lose. They just let the Globetrotters perform their tricks and entertain the fans. However, after their win in 1971, Klotz commented that the fans seemed as though the Generals had “killed Santa Claus” with their win. The fans definitely didn’t like when they won; it sure seems like they were obliged to lose.
It’s pretty evident that the Generals were crucial for the Globetrotters, working away from the media spotlight to promote the Globetrotter success. Now, you might be asking, “was the role that the Generals for the Globetrotters unique to them?” Definitely not—the Generals are living proof that behind every success, there are people functioning behind the scenes focusing on bringing out the best in others.
One place in which this role is present is in stories like the Harry Potter series (if you haven’t read this series and want to, now would be the time to skip this paragraph and its spoilers). As many of you most likely know, all of a story’s characters have a specific function. In the context of Harry Potter, Severus Snape was a character that Harry—the protagonist—suspected as evil throughout the beginning, and who later certified this suspicion when he embraced his role as a Death Eater. However, Snape’s true intentions were revealed to the audience and to the rest of the characters only after his demise. He was previously viewed as a villain, but he was driven by love: as a double agent, Snape truly valued Harry’s safety and interests and helped Harry in many ways, but he chose to live without the recognition of his efforts.
I’m sure that many of us have had a role similar to that of the Generals at some point in our lives. In my own life, my similar role was that of a benchwarmer. Yes, during my sophomore year, I found myself keeping the bench company as I watched my basketball teammates compete from the sidelines.
When many people think of benchwarmers, they may scoff and complain: “they don’t contribute directly to the game’s outcome. They get to cruise along on their teammates’ successes without any labor.” However, I learned the importance of benchwarmers: by pushing their teammates to improve themselves in practice and cheering during games, these benchwarmers are the backbone of the team spirit and drive that can be conducive to success. If you want to learn more about the integral role of benchwarmers, Eric Chen’s “Kinda Lit Blog” post on bench warming would be a great read.
Without the role of the Generals—or of other losers, winners, villains, or benchwarmers—the successes around them would not be possible. Those who work away from the spotlight can have the greatest and most positive effects. So with this knowledge, what can you do? Simply, recognize and appreciate the role of the Generals and of all others who contribute to a cause, regardless of if they are widely known for their efforts. In a positive environment, everyone present can continue to thrive and succeed both as a group and individually.
And how are the Washington Generals today? Although they are no longer the Globetrotter’s perennial opponent, they now hold their own drafts for fun, continuing to show their spirit and openness to comedy—the singer Drake and the teen basketball prodigy LaMelo Ball are two of the most recent draftees.
Who knows? Today, the Generals may be forming the next superteam: they might become the team to look out for.
Works Cited
Branch, John. “When the Generals Lose to the Globetrotters, Everyone Wins.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 13 Feb. 2009, www.nytimes.com/2009/02/13/sports/basketball/13generals.html.
Generals, Washington. “Washington Generals Select Drake And LaMelo Ball As Part Of 2019 Draft Class.” PR Newswire: Press Release Distribution, Targeting, Monitoring and Marketing, 18 June 2019, www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/washington-generals-select-drake-and-lamelo-ball-as-part-of-2019-draft-class-300870696.html.
Rovell, Darren. “After 63 Years, Globetrotters Drop Rival Generals as Primary Opponent.” ABC News, ABC News Network, 13 Aug. 2015, abcnews.go.com/Sports/63-years-globetrotters-drop-rival-generals-primary-opponent/story?id=33075373.
Sherman, Rodger. “A Requiem for the Washington Generals.” SBNation.com, SBNation, 14 Aug. 2015, www.sbnation.com/2015/8/14/9152971/washington-generals-harlem-globetrotters-losing-all-the-time.
Washington Generals PR Staff. “Washington Generals Return to Basketball in TBT2017.” The Basketball Tournament (TBT), 25 May 2017, www.thetournament.com/news/washington-generals-return-basketball-tbt2017.
Hi Josh! This was a really interesting read about the existence of Washington Generals. Most people only know the Harlem Globetrotters. I think that you brought up an interesting point about the role of Washington Generals. They lose again and again to the Harlem Globetrotters, yet losing to them also benefits the Washington Generals. I especially like the quote from Red Klotz where the Generals beat the Globetrotters and that took the joy out of basketball. They know their role and don’t mind losing so that basketball fans can appreciate the sport more. Your comparison with Snape was also spot on. Coming from a team sports background, I can appreciate how everyone on a team has a role, even if they are a benchwarmer. Sometimes averaging 2.6 points per game can have a significant impact 😉
Hi Albert,
Thanks for your commentary. I agree that when everyone understands their role and accepts it, then more people overall can benefit together. In my bench-warming experience, I did get to learn the value of the bench-warmers, or the role players, and I made sure that I made an impact in any way possible by embracing my role. I agree that though minimal, my 2.6 points per game were definitely 2.6 points towards that role.
WOW. Let me start off by saying I had no idea this was even happening with the Globetrotters. Honestly, I don’t watch a lot of basketball, but I know the name Globetrotters very well since they’re a team that everyone talks about. It’s interesting to see how the Generals are losing on purpose, but, it’s not a bad losing. It’s like a losing that helps the other team, like you said in your blog. I think it was very interesting to read more about the Generals because to be honest, I’ve never heard of them. I love that you brought Snape in (I’m a huge Harry Potter fan) and how you connected him to the Generals and how they’re actually in very similar situations: they’re helping another person succeed, even if it means risking their own reputations. I like how you talked about the benchwarmers and shared your story/how you saw being benched, it really tied together the story and your thoughts. I can definitely relate because I was also benched during school volleyball. I never knew why and whenever I asked my coach she would just give a lame excuse and blow me off. Although I was not playing, I did find a way to contribute to my team’s success, and that was by helping out some my teammates when they were feeling down or upset that we lost or they weren’t having a good day. That to me was one of my best times of the season: helping my teammates, even if I couldn’t be on the court with them. I loved you blog, I thought it was so much fun to read and I learned a lot that I hadn’t previously learned. Great blog!! 🙂
Thanks Ana! I also enjoyed learning more about the Generals, as I mentioned that I had learned about them recently but wanted to learn more by writing about them. I think it was also interesting how the Generals and Snape both managed to retain part of their identities even while they were losing or acting for the benefit of others. The Generals still had that competitive spirit at times, and Snape still expressed his anger at Harry’s father through his demeanor with Harry. Also, while the Generals sacrifice the existence of their reputation altogether by masking themselves behind the Globetrotters, Snape exposed his reputation, tarnishing it completely to achieve his hidden goals.
I can relate to the experiences you had with your most enjoyable parts of your volleyball season. Sometimes the most fun I had was when I was on the sidelines, cheering on and encouraging my teammates with my other teammates through their successes and failures, helping build and promote our team unity and spirit.
Hey Joshua Tennyson – very eye-opening post.
After our short chat with Brian Zheng on the bus back from the play, I truly had no idea about the sacrificial and “take-one-for-the-team” attitude this destined-to-lose team had. I’ve seen countless highlight clips of the Harlem Globetrotters, but this post made me realize those working from in the shadows.
Having also read Eric Chen’s post on bench warming, I think that your points are valid. While the spotlight is often fixated on the stars of the show, the show, in many cases, could not run if it were not for the work of those on the bench, behind the scenes, etc. However, I’d say that it is important to act in your self-interest once in a while, as fighting to gain status/ranking in a friendly sense of competition can truly be the most helpful to improve yourself and those around you (like you did at Science Bowl today – good job!).
Hi Jason Gu,
I also learned a lot from that bus conversation. When the prospect of a single team always playing the Globetrotters was brought up, I was shocked. I, too, had watched countless Globetrotters clips, yet I had never noticed this fact. Interested, I aimed to learn more about this new discovery by writing this post.
When you say a person should act in one’s own self interest once in a while, I would like to qualify your statement with respect to bench-warmers and say that bench-warmers must have this feeling more than just once in a while, especially in practice. When these bench-warmers push themselves to go harder and improve themselves for the possibility of play time in the next game, they are also driving their teammates to work hard and improve as well. When everyone is trying to play the best that they can to a point, everyone can thrive. However, playing too much for yourself in a team sport is detrimental; a balance must be achieved between when to stand completely behind your teammates and when to push them with your own efforts.
I enjoyed our matchups in our Science Bowl invite as well, and good job to you and your team as well! I can’t wait for our upcoming friendly competitions at our next Scibowl practice!