almost kin to a Globetrotter

- Who? You?

No, Sam Johnson. One of his sisters dated a Globetrotter for a while, back in high school.

- The Harlem type or from that short at last year's film festival?

The Harlem Globetrotters, not the dancers. Although they were known to dance around a bit on the court...
(smile)

***** ***** *****

The t-shirt is a memento from the July 27th, 2008, basketball game I attended with Sam. Meadowlark Lemon's Harlem All-Stars were coming to to town to play an afternoon game to raise funds for the victims of the fiery explosion at the Imperial Sugar Refinery here in Savannah.
You see, several of the players have ties to Savannah.
TyRone "Hollywood" Brown, Larry "Gator" Rivers, Matt "Showbiz" Jackson, and Bruce "Sugar Bear" Capers are all graduates of Beach High School. Some of their relatives and classmates who worked at the refinery had been injured in the blast.
So, Hollywood Brown had set the wheels in motion for the fundraiser. The basketball game would celebrate the lives of the 13 workers who died as well as honor many of the first responders to the tragedy.
The date was set for Meadowlark Lemon, renowned "Clown Prince of Basketball", and his Harlem All-Stars to play against local TV and radio personalities, clergymen, firefighters and emergency medical technicians.
Brown said, "The last time Meadowlark played here was back in '79. I'm hoping people will come out because this might be the last time they get to see him."
The legendary man was already 76 years old.
What prophetic words those were, as it turned out. That was the last appearance of Meadowlark Lemon here in Savannah. Last year, he passed away, so there will be no future engagements.

What brought all of that to mind?

Funny how the memory works.
I was reading an article in today's paper about "Gator" Rivers. He's been keeping occupied these days with the renovation of playground basketball courts in his hometown... which is Savannah.
How about that?
And I found myself wondering...was he the one Sam's sister had dated?