When I was a kid, the Harlem Globetrotters were magical, maybe even mythical. Their games were only seen on ABC’s Wide World of Sports; and when they were on, I was glued to the television. I loved the antics of Meadowlark Lemon, Curly Neal and the rest. Of course, the Globetrotters were legitimately great basketball players. This combination made the entertainment unbeatable.

© Harlem Globetrotters

Originating on the south side of Chicago in 1926, the Globetrotters grew into an international phenomenon. They have played more than 26,000 games in more than 400 cities across the globe. They are also pretty much unbeatable in games, having only lost a few games in their history. Reports differ on the exact total, but their last loss was in 1971. Fortunately, yesterday’s game was not one of those rare losses. As unique as that would be, I wouldn’t want to actually see them lose.

© Harlem Globetrotters

Dubbed “Ambassadors of Goodwill,” the Globetrotters combine comedy routines with elite basketball skills. The Globetrotters are definitely great players, though. The comedy wouldn’t work alone if the players were bad. That’s the beauty of the experience.

© Harlem Globetrotters

The team mixed comedy routines and real basketball playing. The mascot, Globie, entertained all. They did the usual bits like spinning the ball on their fingertips, dribbling multiple balls, hiding the ball from the opponent and the speedy passing drill. Lest people think they are strictly comedy, the Globetrotters hit several half-court shots, which they called four-point shots, along with a few long-range hook shots.

© Harlem Globetrotters

On the other side are the Washington Generals, solid players in their own right. The Generals go along with the comedy routines, but they also play to win. Although they almost always lose, they usually keep it very close. It wouldn’t be fun if the Globetrotters squashed them every game.

Like any act, the Globetrotters keep things fresh, adding bits every year. One of the newer gimmicks is the Game Changer. At various points in the game, a “new rule” is added. The first time this happened yesterday, a young fan became a temporary Globetrotter and made a basket that counted.

The Generals led midway through the first quarter, but the lead didn’t last long. A few 30-foot shots and some chicanery put the Globetrotters back on top. Of course, the Globies went on to win. I don’t even remember the score, but the score never matters. I will always remember the fun I had.

Watching the Globetrotters is something special. If the 10-year-old me had a bucket list, this would have definitely been on it. It took me a while to finally see the Trotters live, but maybe I appreciated it even more now.

The Globetrotters play virtually every day in 2024, including multiple games some days (due to split rosters). Games are scheduled all across North America as well as the rest of the world. Chances are there is a game scheduled near you sometime next year.

While at the arena, I checked out the huge wall of musicians who performed at the arena. While I have seen several of these acts, there is only one I’ve seen multiple times, and I made sure to find his picture.

— John Wroblewski, online writer