Thousands of Clarksvillians were able to get a break from the cold weather, snow and ice last weekend, and catch a show at the F&M Bank Arena, as the world-renowned Harlem Globetrotters brought their exciting 100 Year Tour to town.
The team brings a rich history of entertainment that blends incredible skill, rhythm, precision and pure imagination, together with a timeless brand of humor that appeals to all ages. Friday night’s audience was filled with a mix of long-time fans and first-timers.
Dave and Mary Cooper were lining up at the merchandise table with their kids and grandkids, before heading to their courtside seats.
“When I was 8 or 9 my parents took me to see the Globetrotters,” Dave Cooper said. “My wife Mary’s parents took her when she was a little girl. So we took our daughter to see them when she was that age, and now we’re here with the whole family, including our grandchildren.
“I go back to the days of Meadowlark Lemon and Curly Neal. I have such great childhood memories of watching the Globetrotters playing the Washington Generals. And, I’m so glad to be here to see this with my grandkids.”
The crowd went wild as the teams were introduced. The Generals came out onto the floor without much fanfare, but The Globetrotter emerged with smoke and lights and music. J Bell, the Voice of the Globetrotters, welcomed everyone, and introduced the starting line-ups.
The show really started with the Globetrotters team members warming up, taking turns showing off their ball-handling skills. The crowd was instantly fully engrossed in the exhibition of skills by the talented men and women on the court.
Chandler “Bulldog” Mack, in the position of Showman, was wearing a microphone, along with other featured players and the referee. Right from the start, the blend of action and comedy had the audience cheering and laughing.
With every break in the action, mascots, Globie and Big G would entertain the crowd, Bulldog and the referee would exchange words, and occasionally, J Bell would bring out folks from the audience to be part of the show.
Cherelle George, aka “Torch” showed Scotlynn Fuqua how to balance a spinning basketball on her finger. Rick Gibbs got a dance lesson from “Bulldog,” and a group of kids got a chance to steal the ball from Justin Tompkins, aka “X-Over,” a 4-foot-6 guard and the shortest Globetrotter in team history.
Lucius “Too Tall” Winston a 5-10 guard has been with the team for nine years. He currently holds eight Guinness World Records, for things like most layups in three minutes, most two-ball bounces with one hand in one minute, most 3-pointers made by a duo, and a trio in one minute, most consecutive alley-oops without a miss, and most alley-oops made consecutively in one minute, just to name a few.
“Playing with these guys, it’s like a family,” Winston said. “I’ve been on this team nine years, and I’ve been with this unit for seven. It’s my home away from home. Last year we were on the road for eight or nine months. We do 300 shows a year, that’s domestically and internationally. It works out to about four or five games a week. It’s fun, and we get to travel the world and see some amazing places.
“We get to play a game that we love, but more importantly, we get a chance to inspire the kids. Put smiles on people’s faces, and help them make memories.”
Winston admits that it’s not just the kids and players that are smiling. “Really, it’s everybody.” Winston continued. “We love hearing from the older generations about the performances they saw by Curly Neal, Meadowlark Lemon, Lynette Woodard, etc. It’s great to see them pass down their memories and experiences to their kids, who are now seeing us for the first time.
“This is our 100th year, so we want to dedicate this to all the legends who came before us. That’s what we love so much, to hear the generational stories, and to let the younger generation see what we do, and embrace what we do in a great family environment.”
Winston gave praise to all the folks who put this traveling show together, night after night, year after year.
“We’re all under the same umbrella,” Winston said. “The Washington Generals test us every single night. They put in the work in the gym too. Some of these guys have played Division I, Division II basketball, some have played overseas. They need us as much as we need them. We’ve got some great stars now, like ‘Bulldog,’ ‘Torch,’ ‘Jumpin’ Joe,’ ‘X-Over.’ We have a collection of great teammates, dunk artists like ‘Bones,’ and some great rookies like ‘Busy,’ ‘Trouble’ and ‘Hi-Rise.’
“Torch” is in her 10th season. She holds some Guinness records, and she is the first woman to ever be a featured show-woman. “Jumpin’ Joe” has a 52-inch running vertical. “Hi-Rise” was a top 10 rebounder in the Mountain West Conference. The talent runs deep on the 100 Year Team.
“I love having all these great people by my side,” Winston said. “They are the best teammates ever. I want to do this as long as I can. It keeps me young. Being out here, I feel like a kid in a candy store. Thanks, Clarksville, and to anybody who hasn’t been to a Globetrotter show, you’re definitely missing out!”
