Former “Showman” to be honored in Raleigh
The Harlem Globetrotters will pay tribute to one of the best known and greatest Showmen of all time, James “Twiggy” Sanders, on Friday, March 23, during the Globetrotters’ game at the RBC Center in Raleigh, N.C. at 7:00 p.m. Sanders will be the 27th person in the Globetrotters’ 81-year history to receive the “Legends” honor, joining the ranks of other Showmen such as Reece “Goose” Tatum, Hubert “Geese” Ausbie and “Sweet” Lou Dunbar, who helped make the Globetrotters what they are today.
A native of Raleigh, Sanders was a standout at Ligon High School, where he was all-conference, all-state and All-American in 1970, and was also named the Wake County Player of the Year. He continued his education and basketball career at Johnson C. Smith University, earning a spot on the CIAA All-Tournament team his junior and senior year. Nicknamed “Twiggy” for his lean build, Sanders played with the Globetrotters from 1974 until 1991. During his tenure with the Ambassadors of Goodwill, Sanders traveled more than 75,000 miles to over 100 countries on six continents.
“Twiggy was one of a kind,” stated Harlem Globetrotters’ Chairman Mannie Jackson. “As soon as he stepped onto the court he would play an aggressive and thoughtful brand of basketball. His instincts were always right on. But it takes much more than that to be a Globetrotter, and his personality and sense of humor made him a fan favorite.”
Following his Globetrotter career, Sanders continued to be involved in the game he loved, but this time as a coach. He has coached at Bonner Academy in Raleigh, Morris Brown College in Atlanta, the Raleigh Cougars of the United States Basketball League, and with the ABA’s Maryland Nighthawks, a team that he guided to the semi-finals in the 2004-05 season. Sanders was also an assistant men’s basketball coach at Shaw University, three blocks from where he grew up in Raleigh.
Created in 1993, the “Legends” Ring is presented to those who have made a contribution outside of basketball and played a role in the development of the Globetrotters brand. A special advisory board and the alumni select the honorees.
Sponsored by Campbell Soup Company, the Globetrotters will bring their 2007 “Nothing Like It” North American Tour to the RBC Center in Raleigh, N.C., on March 23 at 7:00 p.m. Tickets start at $16.00 and are available at the RBC Center box office, by phone at (919) 834-4000, at Macy's and FYE, or on-line at www.ticketmaster.com.
