Harlem Globetrotters to Honor Former Players

Three Former Globetrotters to Receive Prestigious "Legends" Ring

            In 1993, the world-famous Harlem Globetrotters created the “Legends” award, and until now, only 29 players from the team’s 93-year history have been given the award. Last week, the Globetrotters announced they will add three more greats to that list during their 2019 Fan Powered North American Tour.

            Michael “Wild Thing” Wilson, Matthew “Showbiz” Jackson, and Osborne “Goose” Lockhart will each be presented with a “Globetrotters Legends” ring at upcoming tour stops. Wilson will be honored at the team’s show Friday in Memphis, Jackson will be honored in Atlanta on Sunday, and Lockhart in Minneapolis on March 30.

The “Legends” ring is presented to retired Globetrotters who have made a major contribution to the success and development of the Hall of Fame organization. Each honoree exemplifies the Harlem Globetrotters’ humanitarian contributions.

“Being a Globetrotter carries responsibilities that go far beyond basketball,” said Globetrotters President Howard Smith, in a press release. “Our stars have not only introduced the sport of basketball to thousands of children around the world, but they bring goodwill to every country, and every culture, they visit. Wild Thing, Showbiz and Goose have each truly earned the distinction to be called Globetrotter Legends, and we look forward to honoring them as part of this tour.”

As a longtime friend of all three of these players, I called each of them to congratulate them and get their comments.

Michael “Wild Thing” Wilson holds the Guinness World Record for the highest slam dunk

Michael "Wild Thing" Wilson with my kids,

Alyssa and Joshua, Jan. 2003

ever recorded, setting the mark at 12-feet during Final Four Weekend in April of 2000. There’s an exhibit at the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame depicting this accomplishment. Wilson played 11 seasons with the Globetrotters and traveled to nearly 60 countries during his career. He was a two-time slam dunk champion at the NABC College All-Star Game, and led the University of Memphis to the 1995 and 1996 NCAA Tournaments. Wilson lives in Washington, D.C., with his wife and three children, where he works as Recreation Specialist for D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation.

“I can’t believe I’m mentioned in the same sentence with so many great Globetrotters, Wilson said. “I just tried to make myself as valuable to the team as I could. I was willing to be the showman, the finisher, the dunker. I took the attitude, I don’t care who’s out here, I wanted to make sure people remembered me for something when they left the game.”

My funniest memory of Wilson was when he did the football routine. He’d pull his shorts up around his chest and tip-toe behind the line of scrimmage to get in his position at wide receiver.

“We had so much fun doing those things, a lot of it we would see on television and then try to imitate it,” he said. “So much of what came off great wasn’t even planned. I remember the first time I did the football routine, I looked at the bench and coach Tex Harrison was laughing. If you could make him laugh you know you’re doing good.”

Wilson enjoyed his time with the Globetrotters, but knew when it was time to leave the team and was glad he was able to do it on his terms, he said.

"I retired in 2006 when my wife called me and said she was pregnant with our second son," Wilson said. "I was only 32 years old and could have given it three or four more years, but we already had one son and I wanted to be at home with my boys. I enjoyed the ride, it was amazing, it made me realize that nothing lasts forever."

Wilson said, when he joined the team, current Globetrotters coach Barry Hardy was a veteran on the team and quickly befriended him.

"Barry Hardy was my mentor and showed me the ropes," he said. "He and Herb Lang told me one day, 'you're going to be a great Globetrotter,' and that meant a lot to me. Barry became like a brother to me, and we still talk all the time on the phone. That's the thing, once you've been a Globetrotter, you have this bond. Even if I haven't seen some of the guys in many years, when we get together it's like we just saw each other last week. I still talk with a lot of the guys I played with."

Wilson said being around with Jackson would always keep him laughing.

"Showbiz was one of the funniest guys I’ve ever met in my life, not just on the court but off the court, as well," he said. "Whenever we were just sitting around talking, he’d crack me up. He was just always funny."

Going back to Memphis to receive his Legends ring has some mixed feelings for Wilson.

"The last time I was down there was when I went back to get my degree a few years ago, and someone broke into my car and stole my "Sweet 16" ring," Wilson said. "Now I’m going back to Memphis get to get a Legends ring."

Wilson helped lead Memphis to the NCAA Tournament "Sweet 16" his junior year in 1995. His team made it to the NCAA Tournament again his senior year, but they were upset in the first round.

Matthew “Showbiz” Jackson served as one of the team’s top showmen, and visited more than 75 countries during his 20-year career. Jackson appeared in several ESPN broadcasts and television commercials for the team, and was known for his behind-the-back half-court shot that he sank with remarkable accuracy. Jackson and his wife live in Buford, Ga.

Matthew "Showbiz" Jackson with my

kids, Alyssa and Joshua, Jan. 2002

“This is so special, and what a great honor,” Jackson told me. “When I played with the Globetrotters, I put my heart and soul into it every night. I worked hard at what I did, and for them to recognize me after playing for the team 20 seasons, makes me feel special and truly honored.”

Jackson said being named to the Legends list means you’re in great company.

“It means that you stood out amongst your peers and dedicated your life to something that has been around since 1926,” he said. “To be named to a list with players like Meadowlark Lemon, Curly Neal and others that came before them is amazing. Those guys gave us the blueprint of what it means to be a Globetrotter, and I was really honored to be able to do it for as many years as I did.”

Jackson played with Lockhart and Wilson and said it was real special to be named a Legend in the same year as two of his teammates.

“When I first joined the team, Ozzie was one of the veterans and he gave me my nickname “Showbiz.” Seeing how the older guys dedicated themselves to this every day and practiced hard, that work ethic was something that meant a lot to me and how I was able to keep going. Mike was one of the best high-flying leapers of all time, and a great teammate. These guys put in the hard work, night in and night out, and it showed.”

I never had the privilege of seeing Meadowlark Lemon in person with the Globetrotters, only on television, but I have seen every showmen that has performed with the team in the past 40 years and can honestly say Showbiz is the best and funniest I've ever seen.

            Osborne “Goose” Lockhart was a superior ball handler and shooter during his 17-year career with the Globetrotters, and served two seasons as a coach for the team. Lockhart was selected in the sixth round of the 1978 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers after a standout career at the University of Minnesota, where he was a three-year starter, scoring more than 1,100 points during his college career. A native of Nassau, Bahamas, Lockhart was also an outstanding soccer player, and at the age of 15 played for the Bahamas National Team in the 1971 Pan American games. Lockhart was inducted into the Bahamas Hall of Fame in 2013 and resides with his wife in Ft. Lauderdale, where he serves as a coach and mentor at the Harmony Development Center.

Me backstage with Osborne "The Wiz" Lockhart, Feb. 1986

            “It’s really an honor to get in that group, out of everyone that has ever played with the Globetrotters there’s only 32 that have been named Legends,” Lockhart told me. “It’s amazing to think I’m in the same group with Globetrotter greats like Goose Tatum, Curly Neal, Sweet Lou Dunbar, Meadowlark Lemon, and all those guys.”

            Lockhart (64) has two sons, Osborne Jr. who lives in Tulsa, and Kevin who lives in Florida. Both will be in Minneapolis when Lockhart is honored by the Globetrotters. Even his former coach at the University of Minnesota, 86 year old Jim Dutcher, will be there.

            “I’ll probably see friends and teammates who I haven’t seen in 40 years,” he said.

            Lockhart has had a couple nicknames during his career, but doesn’t know exactly how he stated calling Matthew Jackson, “Showbiz.”

            “All throughout growing up in the Bahamas, in high school and even in college, everyone knew me as 'Goose,' but when I got with the Globetrotters, they attached 'Wizard' to my name,” he said. “To tell you the truth I don’t remember how I gave 'Showbiz' his nickname, or how that all happened. We were just sitting around and everyone had a nickname, and Matt was so funny all the time; I knew he'd be a great showman. He was actually one of the best showmen that I’ve ever seen, he was naturally funny. Showbiz came in [to the team] when he had people around him doing it right like; Sweet Lou, Twiggy Sanders, Geese Ausbie. So, he learned from some of the great Globetrotter showmen. I was fortunate to come in and learn from Curly Neal, who was still playing, and Marquis Haynes was my coach for a couple years.”

            Lockhart is certainly in great company as one of the greatest Globetrotters of all-time.

            The Harlem Globetrotters will bring their 2019 tour to the BOK Center in Tulsa, Feb. 7 at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are available at the BOK Center box office.