GLOBETROTTERS ARE COMING; YOUTH WINS INTERVIEW WITH PLAYER

Curley "Boo" Johnson credits lots of practice, perseverance and parental guidance to his success in life and as a member of the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team.

"I never let anything negative discourage me or sidetrack me from my objective," said Johnson, who is in his 11th season with the world-renown team. "A large part of my attitude comes from my parents."

Johnson, dubbed "Mr. Basketball" by his teammates last year for his dedication to the team's spirit, swapped stories Tuesday during an interview with Michael Porter, 7. Porter was the winner of a recent contest sponsored by the Southeast Missourian and the Harlem Globetrotters. He received four tickets to see the Globetrotters when they perform at the Show Me Center Monday.

Johnson encouraged the Washington Elementary School student to continue playing basketball with his father and older boys on his team and to heed any advice he receives from his parents. Things that parents value like hard work and a good education are difficult for children to understand until they become adults, he said.

"My dad would always challenge me, make me compete with him and keep score," said Johnson. "He made me read road signs all the time. I just couldn't sit there, because he always wanted me reading or doing something."

Although he disliked the life lessons he received, Johnson said he is glad his father pushed him to study and practice harder than others around him. He said the two shared an enthusiasm for professional sports and for the Globetrotters in particular that helped him gain membership on the team.

"My dad played against the Harlem Globetrotters briefly, and he would take me to see them whenever they were in town," said Johnson. "My dad wanted me to be a professional athlete, and I always admired them. My playing style was reminiscent of the Globetrotters, so this was my destiny."

As a star player at Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, Johnson broke school scoring records and often thrilled crowds with fancy ball-handling, accurate shooting and an animated presence on the basketball court. His antics caught the attention of Globetrotter talent scouts, who attended a game without Johnson's knowledge.

"Flashy, flamboyant, cocky, 'hotdog,' you name it: I was all those things," he said. "My typical game was what most people think of when they think of the Globetrotters. I gave the scout a show."

Although often lauded for their entertainment value, Johnson said the Globetrotters are professional athletes who work hard at their skills. The abilities of those on the team are demonstrated in the number of team members who have played in the National Basketball Association.

Former Globetrotters who gained fame in the NBA are many, including Wilt Chamberlain, Magic Johnson, Connie Hawkins and Darrell Dawkins. When the NBA lockout ends, team member Jerome James will return to his job with the Sacramento Kings.

The Globetrotters also were the first professional team to include females on its roster, a fact Johnson believes prompted the creation of the Women's National Basketball League.

"I think we're largely responsible for the formation of that league," he said. "We're missing female players now from our roster because they're playing in the WNBA."

Johnson said his stint as a Globetrotter may appear short compared to others from the team's 70-year history but is noteworthy by today's standards. A professional athlete with an extended career is remarkable in a time when others are being permanently sidelined with injuries and fatigue after two or three years, he said.

At 32, Johnson said he has no plans of giving up his father's dream and his enjoyment of the game in the near future.

"You had a time when guys would play X-amount of years, but now, as athletic and as physical as the game is, it's tough on the body," he said. "My goal initially was to play for 10 years, but I think I'm in my prime. I don't know when I'll stop."