# Meadowlark Lemon has died **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 28, 2015, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meadowlark-lemon-has-died/741567 "2015-12-28T15:24:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2015, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meadowlark-lemon-has-died/741567/1 "2015-12-28T15:24:23Z")
[Obituary](http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/29/sports/basketball/meadowlark-lemon-harlem-globetrotter-who-played-basketball-and-pranks-with-virtuosity-dies-at-83.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=second-column-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news). I’m not sure which forum this belongs in. He played sports, but was more of an entertainer. I saw him when I was a kid and the team came to Anchorage. I had no idea that Wilt Chamberlain played for them also. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2015, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meadowlark-lemon-has-died/741567/2 "2015-12-28T15:25:25Z")
That is sad. He was a hell of an entertainer. ---
**Author:** ![stillownedbysetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@stillownedbysetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stillownedbysetters)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2015, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meadowlark-lemon-has-died/741567/3 "2015-12-28T16:56:29Z")
The Globetrotters came to town once a year, usually right on or near my dad’s birthday. My mom would always buy tickets for dad and I to go. It was our yearly father-daughter ‘date’. Although all the 'trotters were excellent, it was clearly Lemon who was the star. His skills were truly amazing but his ability to entertain was even better. Thank you for years of wonderful memories, Mr. Lemon. Rest in peace. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2015, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meadowlark-lemon-has-died/741567/4 "2015-12-28T17:18:51Z")
Saw them in the Superdome in the mid-Eighties, long after he had separated from the team but his influence could still be seen. The bucket of confetti routine was one of his standards, if not outright created by him. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2015, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meadowlark-lemon-has-died/741567/5 "2015-12-28T17:50:14Z")
It’s interesting that because of the skill of those players (and the fact that they beat the pants off almost any comers), the NBA took notice and began integrating their all-white teams. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2015, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meadowlark-lemon-has-died/741567/6 "2015-12-28T17:50:15Z")
- whistles “Sweet Georgia Brown” in his memory. R.I.P., Meadowlark. You were indeed a great entertainer and ambassador for the game of basketball. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2015, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meadowlark-lemon-has-died/741567/7 "2015-12-28T18:47:06Z")
Great athlete and entertainer. He was the face of the US version of the Globetrotters, sort of the top banana for the team. He also toured with the Harlem Bucketeers, one of my elementary school teachers got to be one of the schmucks on the opposing team against them for a charity event. If you hear a laugh from the sky tonight it’s St. Peter getting doused with a bucketful of confetti. ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2015, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meadowlark-lemon-has-died/741567/8 "2015-12-28T19:04:33Z")
Damn. Another piece of my childhood is gone forever. RIP, Meadowlark Lemon. You had the greatest hook shot I ever saw. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2015, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meadowlark-lemon-has-died/741567/9 "2015-12-28T20:48:42Z")
> [@The Times](#): > > He chased referees with a bucket and surprised them with a shower of confetti instead of water. They got this wrong. The refs got the water and the audience got the confetti. ---
**Author:** ![minlokwat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minlokwat/32/2844_2.png) [@minlokwat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minlokwat)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2015, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meadowlark-lemon-has-died/741567/10 "2015-12-28T21:24:08Z")
I never saw the Globetrotters in person but as a kid, I always kept an eye out for them when they were featured on **ABC’s Wide World of Sports.** I remember one game during which Meadowlark went for his trademark hook shot from half court. He shot it and just missed as the ball caught the rim. He asked for the ball again, took a second shot and Swish! Right in. I remember thinking why doesn’t he play in the NBA? How do you defend _that_ shot? ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2015, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meadowlark-lemon-has-died/741567/11 "2015-12-28T23:27:50Z")
Darn. It is like the sports version of Santa Clause died. You knew it wasn’t exactly real but you still believed anyway. He was a good person who had a good run. Guess when push comes to shove that is about the best you can hope for. Dang, now I have something in my eye. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2015, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meadowlark-lemon-has-died/741567/12 "2015-12-28T23:56:21Z")
Never heard of the guy, but that was an awesome name he had. RIP. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2015, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meadowlark-lemon-has-died/741567/13 "2015-12-29T00:01:42Z")
> [@minlokwat](#): > > I never saw the Globetrotters in person but as a kid, I always kept an eye out for them when they were featured on **ABC’s Wide World of Sports.** > > I remember one game during which Meadowlark went for his trademark hook shot from half court. He shot it and just missed as the ball caught the rim. He asked for the ball again, took a second shot and Swish! Right in. > > I remember thinking why doesn’t he play in the NBA? How do you defend _that_ shot? Same here. RIP, Meadowlark. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2015, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meadowlark-lemon-has-died/741567/14 "2015-12-29T00:50:10Z")
I haven’t found any references to Meadowlark playing high school or even college basketball. Wikipedia just says he applied for a job with the Globetrotters after he left the army. > **[Meadowlark Lemon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meadowlark_Lemon)** > > Meadow Lemon III (April 25, 1932 – December 27, 2015), known professionally as Meadowlark Lemon, was an American basketball player, actor, and Christian minister. Ordained in 1986, in 1994 he started Meadowlark Lemon Ministries in Scottsdale, Arizona. For 22 years, he was known as the "Clown Prince" of the touring Harlem Globetrotters basketball team. He played in more than 16,000 games for the Globetrotters and was a 2003 inductee into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame In his final... He was quite a entertainer and great shooter. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2015, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meadowlark-lemon-has-died/741567/15 "2015-12-29T01:35:57Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > **I haven’t found any references to Meadowlark playing high school or even college basketball. Wikipedia just says he applied for a job with the Globetrotters after he left the army.** > > [Meadowlark Lemon - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meadowlark_Lemon) > > He was quite a entertainer and great shooter. emphasis mine ??? The wiki link says > [@](#): > > George Lemon was born in Wilmington, North Carolina, and attended Williston Industrial School, graduating in 1952.[3][4] He then matriculated into Florida A&M University, but was soon drafted into the United States Army, serving for two years.[3][5] RIP Meadowlark. I too remember him on ABC Wide World of Sports ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2015, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meadowlark-lemon-has-died/741567/16 "2015-12-29T01:56:56Z")
He attended college. No mention is made of him playing basketball. Usually a college player would have stats listed, who coached them and the teams rankings. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2015, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meadowlark-lemon-has-died/741567/17 "2015-12-29T18:00:36Z")
From [the Meadowlark’s mouth](http://www.courant.com/sports/basketball/hc-meadowlark-lemon-jacobs-column-1228-20151228-story.html): > [@](#): > > I took a Carnation milkcan for a basket, took a coat hanger and an old onion sack. I put it up on the tree across the street from my house. > > The next time I saw the Harlem Globetrotters, I was playing for them in 1957. My high school coach had written to them. At the same time, they already had heard about me. > > I had gone to Florida A&M for two weeks. My heart wasn’t in it. The Globetrotters had imbedded itself in me. And to do comedy at the level I wanted, I knew I had to work very hard.