Even if you’re not a basketball fan, the world-famous Original Harlem Globetrotters are quite the team. Known for their athleticism, theater and comedy this family-friendly act is so much more than a sport.
So, mark your calendar because this weekend the Globetrotters are performing at The Schottenstein Center on Dec. 30.
Watch the Harlem Globetrotters as they start their 2018-19 World Tour. And this tour is going to be big – they’re setting new standards to basketball with ball handling magic, rim-rattling dunks and famed trick shots. Additionally, don’t miss the showcase of basketball’s first known four-point line, which is 30 feet from the hoop.
Doors are scheduled to open one hour before each game, with one starting at 1 p.m. and the other at 6 p.m. It is encouraged to arrive early, as there are increased security measures put into place. The players will stay after the game for photographs, autographs and high-fives with fans.
Tickets for this eccentric and original show are available now at the Schottenstein Center Ticket Office, at ticketmaster.com or at 1-800-745-3000. Prices start at $22.
History Lesson
The Globetrotters, who have been entertaining fans all over the world for 92 years, originated in the south side of Chicago during the 1920s. Originally, the group was named the Savoy Big Five and played exhibitions before dances at the Savoy Ballroom, once located Harlem and opened in 1928.
Later that year, the group changed their name to “The Harlem Globe Trotters,” since Harlem was considered the hub of black American culture and the out of town name “would give the team more of a mystique.” Ironically, the team didn’t even play in Harlem until 1968.
Through the years, the name would merge into one word. In 1948 the Globetrotters gained supporters and attention worldwide after beating one of the best basketball teams in the country, the Minneapolis Lakers (now known as the Los Angeles Lakers). The win was monumental since the Lakers were an all-white team and Globetrotters were an all-black team, proving they were on equal footing.
As the NBA started recruiting more black American players in the 1950s, Globetrotters started getting signed as some of the first black players to ever play on NBA teams.
After gradually working comical acts into their games, credited to Reece “Goose” Tatum, the team began traveling worldwide for their entertainment rather than purely sports.
More events at the Schottenstein Center include:
- Ohio State Men’s Ice Hockey vs. Mercyhurst (Dec. 28-29)
- Ohio State Men’s Basketball vs. High Point (Dec. 29)
- Ohio State Women’s Basketball vs. Nebraska (Dec. 31)
- Winter Jam 2019 (Jan. 19)
- Ohio State Wrestling vs. Michigan (Jan. 25)
