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American Morning
Talk with Owner of Harlem Globetrotters
Aired September 26, 2002 - 09:51 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, ANCHOR: We are pleased and privileged to welcome the Harlem Globetrotters, 75 years entertaining millions of people around the world. And this weekend, in fact, this weekend they get inducted into the Hall of Fame. Only five teams in the history of the sport have ever done anything like that. And Mannie Jackson is the guy who runs the show now.
How are you, my friend?
MANNIE JACKSON, CEO/OWNER, HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS: I am the proud papa of this organization. I played with them at one time. And I think it's the most thrilling event we have had to be inducted in the Hall of Fame. The highest honor you can get in the sport of basketball.
HEMMER: I have to think that you guys must be so amazed about the progress of this organization, going back to what, 1927?
JACKSON: Well, actually, in 1926, Abe Saberstein (ph) took the team over from a guy on the South Side of Chicago named Nick Hudson. First game was played in 1927. Now we play 20,000, 23,000 games around the year, the most ever played by any team.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: There was a period of time when the team went almost went belly up, and you were the guy that rescued it.
JACKSON: You remember that?
ZAHN: I remember that. I remember talking to you.
JACKSON: In 91-92, I bought the company in '93, put some partners together, and we bought it with the idea of really retiring it and going to license product business, like the Negro Baseball League. And suddenly, the fans around the world said let's have the Globetrotter back the way as when we were kids, and the last eight or nine years have been just phenomenal.
ZAHN: They are back. You know how hard it is to talk to you and have all this wonderful action going on behind you. Can we see it?
HEMMER: And it's a beautiful day for basketball, too.
ZAHN: Yes, it's raining.
HEMMER: Why don't we step out of the way here, and we'll let these guys give us a little bit of what they're made of.
Good morning, gentlemen.
HEMMER: Sweet Georgia Brown. Hey, great nicknames. Where's The Shot? Where's The Glide? Who's Boo? Where did you get a name like Boo.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I didn't want it scare anybody.
HEMMER: That's true. Wild Thing, where are you? Nice. Sweet Pea and String Bean. You guys are wonderful. And thanks for joining us today.
ZAHN: Can I check out that fingertip. Is there any glue on that fingertip? How do you do that? It's amazing.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In the wrist.
ZAHN: You want to help me? Can you do it with me?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'll try.
HEMMER: Hold it. Hold it.
ZAHN: We tried.
You guys are terrific. Congratulations to all of you. What an achievement. Mannie.
HEMMER: have a great time this weekend.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired September 26, 2002 - 09:51 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, ANCHOR: We are pleased and privileged to welcome the Harlem Globetrotters, 75 years entertaining millions of people around the world. And this weekend, in fact, this weekend they get inducted into the Hall of Fame. Only five teams in the history of the sport have ever done anything like that. And Mannie Jackson is the guy who runs the show now.
How are you, my friend?
MANNIE JACKSON, CEO/OWNER, HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS: I am the proud papa of this organization. I played with them at one time. And I think it's the most thrilling event we have had to be inducted in the Hall of Fame. The highest honor you can get in the sport of basketball.
HEMMER: I have to think that you guys must be so amazed about the progress of this organization, going back to what, 1927?
JACKSON: Well, actually, in 1926, Abe Saberstein (ph) took the team over from a guy on the South Side of Chicago named Nick Hudson. First game was played in 1927. Now we play 20,000, 23,000 games around the year, the most ever played by any team.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: There was a period of time when the team went almost went belly up, and you were the guy that rescued it.
JACKSON: You remember that?
ZAHN: I remember that. I remember talking to you.
JACKSON: In 91-92, I bought the company in '93, put some partners together, and we bought it with the idea of really retiring it and going to license product business, like the Negro Baseball League. And suddenly, the fans around the world said let's have the Globetrotter back the way as when we were kids, and the last eight or nine years have been just phenomenal.
ZAHN: They are back. You know how hard it is to talk to you and have all this wonderful action going on behind you. Can we see it?
HEMMER: And it's a beautiful day for basketball, too.
ZAHN: Yes, it's raining.
HEMMER: Why don't we step out of the way here, and we'll let these guys give us a little bit of what they're made of.
Good morning, gentlemen.
HEMMER: Sweet Georgia Brown. Hey, great nicknames. Where's The Shot? Where's The Glide? Who's Boo? Where did you get a name like Boo.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I didn't want it scare anybody.
HEMMER: That's true. Wild Thing, where are you? Nice. Sweet Pea and String Bean. You guys are wonderful. And thanks for joining us today.
ZAHN: Can I check out that fingertip. Is there any glue on that fingertip? How do you do that? It's amazing.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In the wrist.
ZAHN: You want to help me? Can you do it with me?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'll try.
HEMMER: Hold it. Hold it.
ZAHN: We tried.
You guys are terrific. Congratulations to all of you. What an achievement. Mannie.
HEMMER: have a great time this weekend.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
