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Tag: Harlem Globetrotters

  • Harlem Globetrotters Star Meadowlark Lemon Dies at 83.

    Harlem Globetrotters star Meadowlark Lemon has died in Scottsdale, Arizona, of undisclosed causes. He was 83.

    A longtime member of comedy basketball team, Lemon helped make the team become a pop cultural phenomenon of the 1970s and 80s. On the court, Lemon was famous for his unbelievably long hook shots, no-look behind-the-back passes and his clownish antics, which included surprising fans with buckets of confetti.

    “We are deeply saddened by the passing of our beloved Meadowlark Lemon. He was 83. #RIPMeadowlark,” the team tweeted.

    Known as the “Clown Prince of Basketball,” Lemon joined the world-renowned Globetrotters in 1954 when he was just 22 years old. According to NBC Sports, he played in more than 16,000 games in 97 countries until leaving the team in 1978 over a contract dispute. He later formed several comedy basketball teams, including the Meadowlark Lemon’s Bucketeers, the Shooting Stars and Meadowlark Lemon’s Harlem All-Stars. He continued to play into his 70s.

    According to the Associated Press, Lemon starred in the NBC comedy series Hello, Larry from 1979-1980 and appeared as a guest star on shows like Alice, Diff’rent Strokes, Here’s Boomer and Scooby Doo, as well as many Harlem Globetrotters TV specials. He also appeared on the big screed in the 1979 comedy The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh, about a hapless basketball team, and appeared in 1981’s Modern Romance.

    Lemon like to give back to the community. An ordained minister and motivational speaker, Lemon enjoyed working with youth, promoting a message of clean living and hard work as the keys to success.

    Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003, Lemon was one of only five Harlem Globetrotters to have their numbers retired.

    “For a generation of fans, the name Meadowlark Lemon was synonymous with the Harlem Globetrotters,” said Globetrotters CEO Kurt Schneider. “He was an incredible entertainer and brought happiness and lifelong memories to millions around the world. We have lost a great ambassador of the game.”

    Lemon is survived by his wife, Cynthia, and 10 children.

  • Globetrotter Dunk Breaks Backboard

    Globetrotter Dunk Breaks Backboard

    William “Bull” Bullard, who plays for the Harlem Globetrotters, is a lucky man! While performing at the Nacional de Ingenieros Coliseum in Tegucigalpa, Bullard went for an alley-oop dunk that went terribly wrong. He pushed his feet against the backboard, like he normally does, bringing the entire backboard crashing down on top of him. The glass board fell to the floor shattering and leaving pieces of glass covering the hardwood. Bullard could have received a serious injury, but was able to walk away with only a gash on his forehead and a dislocated shoulder.

    Bullard says he was just doing his normal routine when he realized the rim was starting to come down. “When I dunk, I put my feet on the backboard, put the ball through my legs and dunk it again, so that’s the motion I was going with,” he told the New York Daily News. “By the time I realized that the rim was coming down, it was too late, and it crashed down on me.”

    After the doctors at the game bandaged him up and popped his shoulder back into place, Bullard walked back onto the floor and gave is fans a thumbs up. However, he did not play the rest of the game.

    “My main thing was to get up … get cleaned up, come back out and wave to them and show them I was good. It was a nice crowd.” he said. “The injuries aren’t too major. That’s a blessing.”

    Post by Bull Bullard.

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