By Jay Whipple, Trend Magazine Online™

Growing up to be a member of the world famous Harlem Globetrotters is probably on most athletic male’s – and now female’s – list of endeavors, me included. And there is a high probability that attending this historic event is on the list of most non-athletic males and females as well. As a former athletic-- and now non-athletic -- male I can now cross at least one of those endeavors off my bucket list as of Friday March 23, 2012, as I was present to watch the 86th Annual 2012 Globetrotter Season get under way at the Joel “Veterans” Coliseum in Winston-Salem, NC.

This year’s roster is billed as the most extraordinary class of talented rookies in team history which includes Paul “Tiny” Sturgess – at 7’8” is the world’s tallest pro basketball player – Jonte “Too Tall” Hall – at 5’ 2” is the shortest Globetrotter ever – and Fatima “TNT” Maddox – the first female player since 1993, and the 9th in team history. This year’s roster also includes the top three finishers from the 2011 College Slam Dunk Contest – Jacob “Hops” Tucker , John “Jet” Williams, and Darnell “Spider” Wilks – and two additional seven footers – Jermaine “Stretch” Middleton (7’ 4”), and Anthony “Biggie” McClain (7’ 8”).

Before continuing with this year’s event, I would be remised if I did not pay proper homage and respect to my Globetrotters idols from the late 1960’s and early 1970’s and they are Mr. Fred “Curly” Neal (1963 – 1995), Marcus Haynes (1972 – 1979), “Geese” Ausbie (1961 – 1985), and the second Clown Prince of Basketball himself Mr. Meadowlark Lemon (1954 – 1980; 1994), to name a few. You guys certainly deserve your place in the Harlem Globetrotters Hall of Fame and I really miss your Saturday morning cartoon (1970 – 1972). By the way, Mr. Neal attended Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, NC, and we had a lady on one of our Charlotte Black/African-American Heritage Tours™ that insisted that her mother dated the future star before he became famous.

The team was actually founded by 25 year-old Abe Saperstein (1901 - 1966) in 1926 as the Savoy Five in Chicago, IL, and featured all Black players. A year later, in 1927, the original team spilt and Mr. Saperstein renamed his half the Harlem Globetrotters who actually played serious ball until 1939. In 1941/42 Reece “Goose” Tatum (1921 – 1967) joined the team and developed most of its original comedy routines. Before that he played first base for the Negro League’s Louisville Black Colonels. In 1958 Wilt “The Stilt” Chamberlain signed on to play one season for the team. The Harlem Globetrotters did not actually play in Harlem, New York until 1968, and has gone on to entertain and thrill fans of all ages all over the United States, in 120 countries and territories, and six continents, while breaking down cultural and societal barriers in the process.

This year’s stars include Special K Daley, Big Easy Lofton, Flight Time Lang, Dizzy Grant, Scooter Christensen, and many others who will team up with the world class rookies for nearly 270 games in North America covering over 230 cities in 46 states, the District of Columbia, and five Canadian provinces.

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