Globetrotters legend Meadowlark Lemon, 83, dies

During his time with the team, he appeared on several television shows and specials, including “ABC’s Wide World of Sports” and “The Harlem Globetrotters Popcorn Machine”; an animated version of Lemon also appeared on “The Harlem Globetrotters” cartoon series and on episodes of “Scooby Doo”.

According to the New York Times, Lemon was dismissed from the Globetrotters following a salary dispute. He earned the “Clown Prince” moniker while playing more than 16,000 games with the basketball troupe.

“They seemed to make that ball talk”, Lemon said when inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003.

The Harlem Globetrotters are actually in Cleveland Monday, bringing their family show to Quicken Loans Arena. Wilt Chamberlain, one of the greatest basketball players of all time, spent one year with the team before joining the NBA in 1959.

“For a generation of fans, the name Meadowlark Lemon was synonymous with the Harlem Globetrotters”, said Globetrotters CEO Kurt Schneider.

During his 24 seasons with the Globetrotters, Lemon played in more than 7,500 consecutive games, performing for popes, kings, queens, presidents and innumerable fans in almost 100 countries around the world.

“I feel if I can touch a kid in youth prison, he won’t go to the adult prison”, Lemon said in 2003.

Once the game began, Lemon was a grinning, always-chatting ringmaster, harassing referees and mocking opponents, who by then were stooge teams whose primary job was not to get in the way as the Globetrotters put on their show. “For me, it would be Meadowlark Lemon”. His specialty was the long-handed hook. He joined the team in 1954 and played with the ‘Trotters until 1978. He recalled his dream in his speech when he was inducted into the Hall of Fame. Later in his years in 1986, he became an ordained Christian minister. He was 83 years old.

In addition to Cynthia, Lemeon is survived by his ten children.