By Joe Hadsall

jhadsall@joplinglobe.com

Harold Fortner, of Los Angeles, had never seen the Harlem Globetrotters. A friend’s son had never heard of them.

The two, and more than an estimated 2,700 other people, visited Missouri Southern State University’s Leggett & Platt Athletic Center on Wednesday to see the high-flying jumps and slam dunks of the legendary athletes.

“I likened them to the Blue Angels,” Fortner said. “They’re not military, but they show the best of everything.”

The Globetrotters have been touring since 1926, playing games and performing stunts. They have played more than 20,000 games all over the world.

Some of those games were against real opponents — including a game in 1948 played by some local players.

Called the Tamko Roofers, the team beat the Globetrotters by one point that year. Several of those players were honored at halftime with commemorative jerseys and gifts from the players.

Between dancing, gags, line dancing, running through the stands and spinning basketballs on fingers, the players amazed the crowd with feats of dribbling, shooting and dunking.

“They are crazy,” said Tamerik Branham, an aspiring, 11-year-old basketball player. “I can’t do any of that stuff yet.”

Lisa Branham, Tamerik’s mother, said they missed the Globetrotters’ performance last year, and made it a point to go this year.

“They are amazing,” Branham said. “Watching them just pass the ball is amazing.”

Jacob and Shawna Murphy, of Joplin, got courtside seats for the game. The couple had different ideas of what the show would be.

“I expected a game,” Shawna said. “He expected a lot of stunts. We were both right.”

Jennifer Gent, of Anderson, came with her two sons and mother. Gent ended up being an unwitting participant in the show, when her purse was “stolen” by the athletes.