Harlem Globetrotters to play Feb. 21 in Kennewick
The Harlem Globetrotters will once again bring their high-flying slam dunks, their mind-boggling trick shots and their elite ball handling skills to Kennewick.
They’ll bring laughs too.
And a spirit of fun.
This year, “it’s a show like no other show,” Globetrotter Chris “Handles” Franklin told the Herald last week. “It’s a must-see show.”
The game is at 3 p.m. Feb. 21 at the Toyota Center.
The Globetrotters are celebrating their 90th anniversary this year.
The legendary exhibition basketball team got its start in 1926 in Chicago as the Savoy Big Five, created to promote a nightclub.
But within a few years, the team was playing around the country as the Harlem Globetrotters.
“In 1941, the Globetrotters signed Reece ‘Goose’ Tatum, an all-time great who developed amazing comedy moves and changed the direction of the team,” the Globetrotters website says.
In the years since, the team has literally traveled the globe, from a sold-out tour of the Soviet Union in 1959, during the Cold War, to entertaining troops during the Iraq War.
Franklin, who visited the Tri-Cities last week ahead of the Feb. 21 game, has played in 77 countries as a Globetrotter.
“We cross generations. We’re able to connect with every generation of the family,” he said. “We stand for unity, bringing people together. It doesn’t matter what race, culture, ethnicity, gender you are — we believe in unity and bringing people together for smiles and having fun.”
Tickets to the Feb. 21 game start at $25.50. They’re available at the Toyota Center box office and through Ticketmaster. Tickets bought from the box office avoid service charges.
The Globetrotters are in the midst of a Great Assist campaign to leave their mark on communities through “acts of kindness and goodwill.” To nominate a deserving person or learn more, go to www.harlemglobetrotters.com/greatassist.
This story was originally published February 17, 2016 at 4:29 PM with the headline "Harlem Globetrotters to play Feb. 21 in Kennewick."