Harlem Globetrotters to play exhibition games in Romania

BUCHAREST, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Harlem Globetrotters basketball team arrives in Bucharest on Saturday, on a tour in several cities in Romania.

The delegation numbers 22 people and comes from Germany where it is to return after the demo plays in Romania.

The first play is scheduled in Bucharest on March 17, the next in the central city of Sibiu on March 18, in northwestern Cluj Napoca on March 19 and in southwestern Timuisoara on March 20.

"The Globetrotters combine tradition and culture with North American basketball. I have convinced them to play in Romania although as a rule they do not come to halls of less than 15,000 seats. The show is for children firstly," said Carmen Tocala, President of the Romanian Basketball Foundation which organize the tour of Harlem Globetrotters in Romania.

The Globetrotters operation in Romania will cost around 250,000U.S. dollars to be paid by the federation and its partners.

The team previously came to Romania four decades ago, when they played on Republica Stadium in Bucharest.

The Harlem Globetrotters is an exhibition basketball team that combines athleticism and comedy. Created by Abe Saperstein in 1926in Chicago, Illinois, the team adopted the name Harlem because of its connotations as a major African-American community. Over the years they have played more than 20,000 exhibition games in over 100 countries and regions.