Harlem Globetrotters bring laughter, athleticism to audiences
Photos: Courtesy of the Harlem Globetrotters
Harlem Globetrotters games are known for their hijinks.
Courtesy of Harlem Globetrotters
Shane “Scooter” Christensen has been with the Harlem Globetrotters for more than 10 years.
Photos: Courtesy of the Harlem Globetrotters
The Harlem Globetrotters have played in just about every arena in the United States.
Courtesy of the Harlem Globetrotters
Shane “Scooter” Christensen is a veteran member of the Harlem Globetrotters.
When Shane “Scooter” Christensen graduated from the University of Montana in 2002, he hoped to embark on a career in professional basketball after being a standout on the school’s team.
It didn’t quite work out that way. But Christensen ended up landing a job on the court that’s been more enduring than probably anything he could have attained in the NBA.
Christensen was recruited for the Harlem Globetrotters, the long-running basketball squad that combines athleticism, showmanship, comedy and family-friendly fun. Formed almost a century ago not in Harlem but in Chicago to play exhibition games before dances, the Globetrotters have evolved into a beloved global brand. The Globetrotters have appeared in movies, had a regular presence in Saturday morning children’s television programming, and are the subject of a video game. Basketball greats like Wilt Chamberlain and Meadowlark Lemon have passed through the Globetrotters, and honorary members have included the likes of Nelson Mandela, Pope Francis and Henry Kissinger.
And, living up to their names, the Globetrotters have dribbled, passed and shot in just about every corner of the world, touching down in more than 100 countries. They will be at PPG Paints Arena Dec. 26 for a traditional post-Christmas stop in Pittsburgh, replacing the strains of “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” with “Sweet Georgia Brown,” the standard that has become the Globetrotters’ signature tune.
“It’s the perfect Christmas gift for yourself, your friends, your loved ones,” said Christensen, who is 44 and has been with the Globetrotters for more than a decade. “There’s somebody out there who hasn’t seen the Globetrotters, or hasn’t heard of us, or they’ve heard of us and they haven’t seen us play.”
Aside from being in Pittsburgh that day, the Harlem Globetrotters will also be in Albany, N.Y. and Fort Wayne, Ind. That’s because the whole Globetrotters squad splits itself into three units for touring, and the team covers an immense amount of ground by doing so. It appears in both the biggest markets and smaller ones, too – New York and Boston see the Globetrotters, and so does Moline, Ill., and Regina, Saskatchewan.
In their appearances, the Globetrotters will go head-to-head with the Washington Generals, the hapless team they have faced for years on the court. It’s been said that perhaps a quarter of the game is “real,” but the rest is played for fun, with the Globetrotters engaging in their trademark hijinks and skits. Aside from visiting sports arenas, individual Globetrotters also stop at elementary schools to offer students messages about hope, hard work and perseverance. The Globetrotters’ ranks now also includes women, with two female players in the current Globetrotters lineup.
“You’ve got to be a good basketball players and a Globetrotter second,” Christensen said. “It’s a combination of both. Each one of us does something very special with that basketball.”
He added, “Being a Globetrotter is having the right attitude and helping to change somebody’s life with laughter and a smile. But, at the same time, we know what to do with that basketball.”
Tickets or additional information on the Harlem Globetrotters is available at harlemglobetrotters.com.