RIP Meadowlark

[Assembly Hall]

America lost a good one.....

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/29/sports/basketball/meadowlark-lemon-harlem-globetrotter-who-played-basketball-and-pranks-with-virtuosity-dies-at-83.html?_r=0

[Kingspoint]

Went to about 20-25 Blazer games each during the '72-'73 and '73-'74 seasons as part of a group of pre-adolescents with mischief on their minds (we never paid to get in, but found ways in nonetheless).

I was an autograph hound those years, and that first season, I was lucky enough to recognize Marques Haynes (it was his first year back with the Globetrotters, this time as player and coach, after having left 19 years earlier because of a split with owner Abe Saperstein), and "Geese" Ausbie and get their autographs. "Curly" Neal was well-recognized, and I got his. "Meadowlark" Lemon was the most recognizable, but didn't run into him at those Blazer games. There were so few people back then at Blazer games, I'd sit in the front row frequently (you can get away with a lot when you're 13).

Always thought of those players I mentioned as "Legends" of basektball,...back then and still do today....on par with "Big O", "Abdul" (as he signed his autograph), Willis Read, Bob Love, Walt Frazier, "Pistol" Pete, West, Russell, Wilkins, Havlicek and Chamberlain.

Never saw them play in person, except for the halftime exhibitions they would give at the Blazer games to drum up ticket sales.

[Kingspoint]

Marques Haynes passed away in May:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marques_Haynes

He was the first former Globetrotter to enter the Naismith Hall-of-Fame as a Globetrotter.

Haynes was considered to be among the greatest ballhandlers who ever lived. Wilt Chamberlain once said, "I could do anything on the basketball court, but I could never do what he did". His game influenced players such as Bob Cousy, Pete Maravich, and Fred "Curly" Neal. He has been described as one of the best basketball players never to compete in the NBA.

Curly Neal did his best to try to emulate Haynes, but he was never as good. Haynes could dribble the ball as many as six times a second.

[Roy Tucker]

"It's my leg!!"

[GAC]

An American institution. Got to see them a couple times in my youth in the late 60s. Will never forget it.

[Sea Ray]

IMO the Globetrotters were never the same w/o Meadowlark. Geese tried to take over his role but they just couldn't replace the personality of Meadowlark

[VR]

One of the greatest entertainers of the 20th century.