Globetrotters’ hoop high jinks a slam dunk for all

Amazing basketball players, hilarious entertainers. They’ve been around for 88 years and multiple generations of people are fans.

When the Harlem Globetrotters take the basketball court at 2 p.m. Feb. 16 at Comcast Arena, Everett, the audience is sure to include those who remember the Globetrotter George “Meadowlark” Lemon, others who watched “Flight Time” Lang and “Big Easy” Lofton on two seasons of the TV show “The Amazing Race” and some of the children who met Tay “Firefly” Fisher this past week at the Imagine Children’s Museum in Everett.

Fisher was in the area to promote the Harlem Globetrotters’s current “Fans Rule” World Tour, which also includes a stop on Feb. 17 in Seattle. Fisher talked to local school groups about the prevention of bullying, but he came by the museum to sign autographs and pose for photos with preschool children.

From Kingston, N.Y., Fisher, now 27, once scored 61 points in a single high school basketball game. At Siena College in New York, the guard led his team to an NCAA tournament victory, going six-for-six at the three-point line to beat Vanderbilt University. The Globetrotters organization calls Fisher, who’s in his fifth year, one of its finest shooters and ball handlers.

And, man, can he make a basketball spin.

Each child who greeted Fisher at Imagine Childrens Museum had a shot at spinning the ball.

Fisher got it started. Then he placed the orbiting ball on the fingers of any who wanted to try. He enjoyed their reactions as much as the kids enjoyed watching that ball spin on their own fingers.

When Fisher called forward Lilian Harris, 5, to try some ball handling moves, her sister Annabelle, 2, tagged along.

“You sisters?” Fisher asked. “So I gotta take you both? Uh, oh.”

Lillian did a good job handling the around-the-back, under-the-leg, pass-it-over moves and Annabelle gave it a good try.

“Let’s give it up for these two,” said Fisher, who kept the adults laughing and the kids smiling throughout the hourlong event.

Twins Braylon and Bryson Yarwood, 5, of Everett, said they liked talking with Fisher.

“It was fun because I had never tried basketball before,” Braylon said.

Friends Max “Danger” Carson, 5, of Lake Stevens and Maxwell Hamlot, 5, of Bothell talked excitedly over each other about the skill that it takes to spin a basketball.

“It takes perfect balance,” Maxwell said.

It takes balance to dance, too, and that’s something that’s in store for the Globetrotters audience on Feb. 16. This season, the Globetrotters will incorporate the “Trotter Bounce” into their show. The new dance was created by choreographer Mark Ballas of TV’s “Dancing With the Stars.”

Known as the “Ambassadors of Goodwill,” the Globetrotters also are on a tourlong campaign to promote their partnership with World Vision, a Christian humanitarian organization working to fight poverty.

Tickets are $20 to $125, available online at www.comcastarenaeverett.com or by calling the box office at 866-332-8499.

Gale Fiege: 425-339-3427; gfiege@heraldnet.com.

Talk to us

More in Life

Daniella Beccaria / for The Herald

15-month-old Kantu attempts to climb a pumpkin at Stocker Farms in Snohomish on Sunday, September 20th, 2015. Stocker Farms offers a U-pick patch, farm animals and a corn maze.
Best pumpkin patch in Snohomish County

You voted, we tallied, here are the results.

Everett comedian Taylor Clark performs stand-up in 2023 at The Triple Door in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Mike Bryk)
Comedian Taylor Clark to film first special Friday in Everett

The skateboarding funny-man will record an hour of his stand-up at the Historic Everett Theater.

Local musician Alex Johnston, whose newest album "Daylight Fooldream" pairs with short film he made with help from his partner Mikaela Henderson, sits with his morning coffee on Friday, Sept. 15, 2023, at Narrative Coffee in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Folktronica musician shoots 37-minute visual album on iPhone in Everett

Alex Johnston, 31, describes his music as ”if Coldplay and Bon Iver had a love child.”

Death of parent with child. Piece of paper with parents and children is torn in half.
Helping children cope with the hard realities of divorce

I’s important to set aside one’s feelings and find a way to make this challenging transition as comfortable for children as you can.

In Belgium, each type of beer has its own glass – whether wide, tall, or fluted – to show off its distinct qualities.
Rick Steves’ Europe: Bruges brews lift a weary traveler’s spirits

The Belgian city is a mecca for beer lovers from around the world.

Children’s author Barbara Herkert to lead Story Time at Edmonds Bookshop, Friday September 29th, 9:30-10:00 am!
Author to read her new kids book at Edmonds bookstore

Author Barbara Herkert will read “This Old Madrone Tree” Friday at Edmonds Bookshop.

Flowering knotweed Persicaria amplexicaulis firetail in the morning light.
Save for one infamous variety, fleece flowers are easy to fall in love with

This long-blooming, easy-to-grow perennial comes in many desirable varieties. But watch out: One is an invasive knotweed.

A view of King Street Station in Seattle, Washington from an Amtrak Cascades train to Portland, Oregon from Everett, Washington on Wednesday, May 24, 2023. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
Ride the rails on Amtrak Cascades from Everett to Portland

Make new friends and let Amtrak do the driving on this 5-hour trip past sea, city and forest.

Can he get the fare difference refunded after he was downgraded?

American Airlines downgrades Thomas Sennett and his family to economy class on their flights from Boston to Phoenix. Why isn’t it refunding the fare difference?

Most Read