George "Meadowlark" Lemon, the basketball star who entertained millions of fans around the world with his antics as a longtime member of the Harlem Globetrotters, died Sunday in Scottsdale, Arizona. He was 83.
Lemon played 24 seasons and more than 16,000 games with the Globetrotters, the touring exhibition basketball team known for its slick ball-handling, practical jokes, red-white-and-blue uniforms and multiyear winning streaks against overmatched opponents.
He also was one of a handful of Globetrotters whose fame transcended sports, especially among children during the team's heyday in the 1960s and 1970s. Lemon was immortalized in a Harlem Globetrotters cartoon series and appeared on "The Ed Sullivan Show," episodes of "Scooby Doo" and many national TV commercials.
A gifted player whose basketball skills were sometimes overshadowed by his on-court high jinks, Lemon was known for sinking half-court hook shots, throwing behind-the-back passes and pretending to spy on his opponents' huddles.
Nicknamed the "clown prince" of basketball, he also pioneered a trademark routine in which he doused a referee with a bucket of water and then pranked fans by heaving another bucket -- filled with confetti, not water -- into the stands as people scrambled to get out of the way.
"For a generation of fans, the name Meadowlark Lemon was synonymous with the Harlem Globetrotters," Globetrotters CEO Kurt Schneider said. "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."
Born in Wilmington, North Carolina, Lemon joined the Globetrotters in 1954 after serving two years in the Army. Over the next quarter-century, he and the team played before popes, kings, queens and presidents in almost 100 countries.
Lemon left the Globetrotters in 1979 to form his own comedic basketball teams, which performed under the names Meadowlark Lemon's Bucketeers, the Shooting Stars and Meadowlark Lemon's Harlem All Stars.
He returned to the Harlem Globetrotters for a 50-game "comeback" tour in 1993.
Lemon was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003. He spent the last several years of his life serving as an ordained minister and motivational speaker.
His death follows that of early Globetrotter player and teammate Marques Haynes, who died in May.
Monday, December 28, 2015
Wednesday, December 09, 2015
2015 Rainbow Warriors Football
1/1/16 - Kevin Lempa hired as defensive coordinator
12/20/15 - Legi Suiaunoa hired as defensive line coach
12/11/15 - Zak Hill hired as offensive coordinator
12/9/15 - Fred Ulu-Perry and Brian Smith expected to join Warriors
12/8/15 - Rolovich to retain Jake Cookus
12/6/15 - Stephen Tsai's coaching staff suggestions
12/5/15 - Dino Babers hired as Syracuse head coach
12/2/15 - Rolovich hires Naeole and Elimimiam
12/1/15 - A bold statement?
12/1/15 - Rolovich recalls awful days / Chow gets an assist
11/30/15 - Rolovich will be the lowest paid coach in the MWC
11/30/15 - UH football awards
11/29/15 - Looking forward to Rolo
11/28/15 - Hawaii 28, Louisiana Monroe 26
11/28/15 - Hawaii to open 2016 in Australia against Cal
11/27/15 - Nick Rolovich hired as the next University of Hawaii head coach
11/27/15 - BFFs to play their final college game
11/25/15 - defensive coordinator Tom Mason re-assigned to non-coaching job / Mason shocked
11/24/15 - PFOWY8 / no. 9 vs. no. 4
11/21/15 - Hawaii 23, San Jose State 42 (attendance: 11,625)
11/19/15 - Uptown Funk
11/14/15 - Hawaii 14, Fresno State 42
11/09/15 - Ivan Jasper may be an option (Reardon)
11/08/15 - no fun for Naeole
11/07/15 - UNLV 41, Hawaii 21
11/04/15 - next UH coach? survey says / Jones to apply
11/04/15 - Chris Naeole: tough love
11/03/15 - New coach must get it (Ferd Lewis)
11/03/15 - UH won't be lacking for applicants
11/02/15 - Three loud claps / Dave Matlin became physically ill
11/02/15 - You can't please everyone (Reardon)
11/02/15 - Chris Naeole is not afraid to speak his mind
11/01/15 - Norm Chow relieved of duties (comments)
11/01/15 - That (crap) gets old (Reardon)
11/01/15 - number of fans disturbing (Ferd Lewis)
11/01/15 - Warriors mum and glum
10/31/15 - Hawaii 7, Air Force 58
10/28/15 - BYU vs. Hawaii 25 years ago (page 54)
10/25/15 - Reardon: Chow should be let go, if
10/24/15 - Nevada 30, Hawaii 20
10/23/15 - No doubt for Makani Kema-Kaleiwahea
10/21/15 - A brief history of canned coaches (Bob Hogue, page 57)
10/18/15 - Ferd Lewis: has Hawaii hit the bottom?
10/17/15 - New Mexico 28, Hawaii 27
10/16/15 - Norm Chow: Bust-A-Move
10/15/15 - Isaiah Bernard outran a dog when he was 7
10/15/15 - Julian Gener came off the deck
10/13/15 - What? Aloha Stadium pays University of Hawaii?
10/12/15 - Don Bailey thought we were getting there
10/11/15 - Reardon's friends have five words for you
10/11/15 - Chow's chances now highly unlikely
10/10/15 - Hawaii 14, San Diego State 28
10/9/15 - Russell Williams, Jr. has seven in his heart
10/3/15 - Boise State 55, Hawaii 0
9/26/15 - Wisconsin 28, Hawaii 0
9/24/15 - Leo and Meffy were at the fork
9/19/15 - Hawaii surges past UC Davis 47-27
9/18/15 - RJ Hollis appreciates life
9/17/15 - UC Davis coaches double as teachers
9/17/15 - Jahlani Tavai went from Chow to Chow
9/16/15 - Trey Hoskins and Adarrus Wilson commit to Hawaii
9/12/15 - Ohio State 38, Hawaii 0
9/10/15 - Ohio State is the haves
9/8/15 - Lance Williams will play for his grandfather
9/7/15 - Makani Kema-Kaleiwahea feels like Mega Man
9/6/15 - Paul Harris has come a long way
9/5/15 - let's check the team rankings. Hawaii ranked 94 (out of 128), Colorado ranked 83, before the game (9/3/15), Colorado was ranked 76 and Hawaii 101 / Ohio State is no. 1, Eastern Michigan is 128.
9/3/15 - Hawaii holds off Colorado 28-20
9/3/15 - Warriors ready to go
9/3/15 - Must-win for Hawaii and Colorado?
9/3/15 - MacIntyre looking for a different result
9/3/15 - Game Day: Hawaii vs. Colorado
9/2/15 - Colorado-Hawaii preview (video)
9/2/15 - Ferd Lewis says 7-6
9/2/15 - Norm Chow is fretting
9/2/15 - Coaching staff covers the bases
9/2/15 - Schedule doesn't give Warriors a break
9/2/15 - How was Asotui Eli taping his hands?
9/2/15 - Record small crowd expected for opener
9/1/15 - Quinton Pedroza has overcome adversity
9/1/15 - Chris Naeole keeps watch of the offensive line
9/1/15 - RJ Hollis is a hype man
9/1/15 - Jake Cookus speaks with a living room voice
9/1/15 - Mauro Bondi departed the Red Sea
8/31/15 - The receivers
8/31/15 - Dylan Collie has a new mission
8/31/15 - Metuisela Unga has stepped into the spotlight
8/31/15 - The defensive backs
8/31/15 - Trayvon Henderson doesn't celebrate
8/30/15 - Position-by-position outlook / media guide
8/29/15 - Kory Rasmussen is on the clock
8/29/15 - Lance Williams speaks three languages
8/28/15 - Don Bailey tries to make it simple
8/28/15 - Max Wittig just wanted to blend in
8/28/15 - the poi dogs of the dog pound
8/27/15 - Melvin Davis gets a second chance
8/26/15 - Bob Hogue predicts 5-8, but Wayne Coito predicts 9-4! (page 63)
8/26/15 - Reardon predicts 6-7 (after opening 1-5 and 2-7)
8/23/15 - Warriors celebrate end of spring training with shave ice
8/23/15 - Penitito Faalologo prays for strength
8/11/15 - Pereese Joas finds a home
8/11/15 - Keelan Ewaliko has taken a lot of strides
8/11/15 - Ka'u Gifford bused it to Kamehameha
8/9/15 - Harold Moleni worked on his routes
8/7/15 - Saint Juste gets up to speed
8/7/15 - Filling the center hole
8/7/15 - Tight ends can catch the ball
8/7/15 - Wittek and Pedroza made the connection
8/5/15 - Norm Chow remains positive
8/2/15 - Dennis McKnight, David Maeva now coaching for Kamehameha
8/2/15 - Coach Chow felt right for Wittek
8/2/15 - 2015 Story: Mountain West Conference
7/29/15 - Don Bailey is wide open
7/28/15 - Warriors have hopeful optimism
7/28/15 - Warriors picked 5th out of 6th in Mountain West West
7/27/15 - Dave Matlin and Don Bailey at Downtown Athletic Club
7/22/15 - Luke Clements, OL, to join Warriors from Blinn College
7/14/15 - Norm Chow tied for third among coaches in the MWC
7/12/15 - Gary Beemer has learned to adapt
7/11/15 - UH will open 2016 home season with Tennessee-Martin
7/11/15 - Jordan Wynn to Fresno State, Phil Rauscher to Denver Broncos
7/10/15 - Jerry Scanlan 1957-2015
7/10/15 - Hugh Yoshida named chairman of Koa Anuenue
7/5/15 - Student attendance less than 1000 per game
7/2/15 - Ramson Golpashin joins Warriors as graduate assistant
7/2/15 - Solomon Matautia gets a haircut
7/1/15 - Former walk-on now on scholarship
6/29/15 - Dalton Gouveia to join Warriors
6/28/15 - Samiuela Akoteo, NT, Serra High (Gardena, CA) commits.
6/24/15 - UH millions behind competitors
6/13/15 - Placekicker Rigoberto “Rigo” Sanchez of Butte College (Oroville, Calif.) is joining the Warriors
6/11/15 - Davasyia Hagger, TE, Orange Coast College accepts scholarship offer
6/5/15 - Chow's cost per win less than Jim McElwain and Urban Meyer
6/4/15 - Hawaii picked to finished 5th out of 6th in Mountain West West Division
5/26/15 - 2015 schedule not to Matlin's liking
5/24/15 - Aaron Zwahlen knew where he was supposed to go
5/24/15 - '09 O-line update
5/15/15 - Brian Kajiyama brought them together
5/3/15 - Final practice featured big plays
4/29/15 - Ben Clarke was challenged by organic chemistry
4/25/15 - Warrior scrimmage wasn't terrible
4/24/15 - Grayshirts: Dayton Furata, Manly Williams, D.J. Riggins
4/22/15 - Gener, Lakalaka, Garcia-Williams, Stubblefield rehabbing to get ready for training camp
4/16/15 - Beau Reilly had a test of faith
4/15/15 - Max Wittek is paying his dues
4/14/15 - Nikko Taylor, NT, accepts scholarship to play this season
4/13/15 - Abraham Elimimian returns as coach (video)
4/11/15 - Season ticket sales have been sliding (i.e. good seats available!)
4/11/15 - Warrior QBs are rotating
4/10/15 - Damien Packer runs for Maka
4/8/15 - Vasquez Haynes is back
4/7/15 - Malachi Mageo defied doctor's orders
4/5/15 - Samuseva and Elimimian are familiar names
4/5/15 - Dylan Collie broke family tradition
4/2/15 - Warrior football excited to go
2/27/15 - Norm Chow completes coaching staff with additions of Samuseva, Cookus, Elimimian
2/25/15 - Lance Samuseva in the process of joining staff
2/25/15 - Elimimian is a great fit
2/18/15 - Abraham Elimimian and Jack Cookus awaiting final approval to join staff
2/15/15 - Tom Mason can hardly wait
2/14/15 - Don Bailey pushes the tempo, Lewis Powell leaving for Utah
2/13/15 - Tom Mason and Don Bailey reach one-year agreements with Hawaii
2/12/15 - Cutting football would cost $2 million
2/11/15 - Dick Tomey takes Associate Athletic Director job at South Florida
2/8/15 - UH close to naming Tom Mason and Don Bailey as their new coordinators
2/5/15 - Chris Demerest leaving UH
2/4/15 - Maybe Reinbold would like another go-round? (Reardon)
1/23/15 - Hawaii moves up Colorado opener to Thursday, September 3
1/17/15 - Defensive Coordinator Kevin Clune leaving Hawaii to return to Utah State
1/15/15 - Daronte Jones leaves Hawaii for Wisconsin
1/9/15 - Lou Holtz and Bill Snyder support Norm Chow
12/20/15 - Legi Suiaunoa hired as defensive line coach
12/11/15 - Zak Hill hired as offensive coordinator
12/9/15 - Fred Ulu-Perry and Brian Smith expected to join Warriors
12/8/15 - Rolovich to retain Jake Cookus
12/6/15 - Stephen Tsai's coaching staff suggestions
12/5/15 - Dino Babers hired as Syracuse head coach
12/2/15 - Rolovich hires Naeole and Elimimiam
12/1/15 - A bold statement?
12/1/15 - Rolovich recalls awful days / Chow gets an assist
11/30/15 - Rolovich will be the lowest paid coach in the MWC
11/30/15 - UH football awards
11/29/15 - Looking forward to Rolo
11/28/15 - Hawaii 28, Louisiana Monroe 26
11/28/15 - Hawaii to open 2016 in Australia against Cal
11/27/15 - Nick Rolovich hired as the next University of Hawaii head coach
11/27/15 - BFFs to play their final college game
11/25/15 - defensive coordinator Tom Mason re-assigned to non-coaching job / Mason shocked
11/24/15 - PFOWY8 / no. 9 vs. no. 4
11/21/15 - Hawaii 23, San Jose State 42 (attendance: 11,625)
11/19/15 - Uptown Funk
11/14/15 - Hawaii 14, Fresno State 42
11/09/15 - Ivan Jasper may be an option (Reardon)
11/08/15 - no fun for Naeole
11/07/15 - UNLV 41, Hawaii 21
11/04/15 - next UH coach? survey says / Jones to apply
11/04/15 - Chris Naeole: tough love
11/03/15 - New coach must get it (Ferd Lewis)
11/03/15 - UH won't be lacking for applicants
11/02/15 - Three loud claps / Dave Matlin became physically ill
11/02/15 - You can't please everyone (Reardon)
11/02/15 - Chris Naeole is not afraid to speak his mind
11/01/15 - Norm Chow relieved of duties (comments)
11/01/15 - That (crap) gets old (Reardon)
11/01/15 - number of fans disturbing (Ferd Lewis)
11/01/15 - Warriors mum and glum
10/31/15 - Hawaii 7, Air Force 58
10/28/15 - BYU vs. Hawaii 25 years ago (page 54)
10/25/15 - Reardon: Chow should be let go, if
10/24/15 - Nevada 30, Hawaii 20
10/23/15 - No doubt for Makani Kema-Kaleiwahea
10/21/15 - A brief history of canned coaches (Bob Hogue, page 57)
10/18/15 - Ferd Lewis: has Hawaii hit the bottom?
10/17/15 - New Mexico 28, Hawaii 27
10/16/15 - Norm Chow: Bust-A-Move
10/15/15 - Isaiah Bernard outran a dog when he was 7
10/15/15 - Julian Gener came off the deck
10/13/15 - What? Aloha Stadium pays University of Hawaii?
10/12/15 - Don Bailey thought we were getting there
10/11/15 - Reardon's friends have five words for you
10/11/15 - Chow's chances now highly unlikely
10/10/15 - Hawaii 14, San Diego State 28
10/9/15 - Russell Williams, Jr. has seven in his heart
10/3/15 - Boise State 55, Hawaii 0
9/26/15 - Wisconsin 28, Hawaii 0
9/24/15 - Leo and Meffy were at the fork
9/19/15 - Hawaii surges past UC Davis 47-27
9/18/15 - RJ Hollis appreciates life
9/17/15 - UC Davis coaches double as teachers
9/17/15 - Jahlani Tavai went from Chow to Chow
9/16/15 - Trey Hoskins and Adarrus Wilson commit to Hawaii
9/12/15 - Ohio State 38, Hawaii 0
9/10/15 - Ohio State is the haves
9/8/15 - Lance Williams will play for his grandfather
9/7/15 - Makani Kema-Kaleiwahea feels like Mega Man
9/6/15 - Paul Harris has come a long way
9/5/15 - let's check the team rankings. Hawaii ranked 94 (out of 128), Colorado ranked 83, before the game (9/3/15), Colorado was ranked 76 and Hawaii 101 / Ohio State is no. 1, Eastern Michigan is 128.
9/3/15 - Hawaii holds off Colorado 28-20
9/3/15 - Warriors ready to go
9/3/15 - Must-win for Hawaii and Colorado?
9/3/15 - MacIntyre looking for a different result
9/3/15 - Game Day: Hawaii vs. Colorado
9/2/15 - Colorado-Hawaii preview (video)
9/2/15 - Ferd Lewis says 7-6
9/2/15 - Norm Chow is fretting
9/2/15 - Coaching staff covers the bases
9/2/15 - Schedule doesn't give Warriors a break
9/2/15 - How was Asotui Eli taping his hands?
9/2/15 - Record small crowd expected for opener
9/1/15 - Quinton Pedroza has overcome adversity
9/1/15 - Chris Naeole keeps watch of the offensive line
9/1/15 - RJ Hollis is a hype man
9/1/15 - Jake Cookus speaks with a living room voice
9/1/15 - Mauro Bondi departed the Red Sea
8/31/15 - The receivers
8/31/15 - Dylan Collie has a new mission
8/31/15 - Metuisela Unga has stepped into the spotlight
8/31/15 - The defensive backs
8/31/15 - Trayvon Henderson doesn't celebrate
8/30/15 - Position-by-position outlook / media guide
8/29/15 - Kory Rasmussen is on the clock
8/29/15 - Lance Williams speaks three languages
8/28/15 - Don Bailey tries to make it simple
8/28/15 - Max Wittig just wanted to blend in
8/28/15 - the poi dogs of the dog pound
8/27/15 - Melvin Davis gets a second chance
8/26/15 - Bob Hogue predicts 5-8, but Wayne Coito predicts 9-4! (page 63)
8/26/15 - Reardon predicts 6-7 (after opening 1-5 and 2-7)
8/23/15 - Warriors celebrate end of spring training with shave ice
8/23/15 - Penitito Faalologo prays for strength
8/11/15 - Pereese Joas finds a home
8/11/15 - Keelan Ewaliko has taken a lot of strides
8/11/15 - Ka'u Gifford bused it to Kamehameha
8/9/15 - Harold Moleni worked on his routes
8/7/15 - Saint Juste gets up to speed
8/7/15 - Filling the center hole
8/7/15 - Tight ends can catch the ball
8/7/15 - Wittek and Pedroza made the connection
8/5/15 - Norm Chow remains positive
8/2/15 - Dennis McKnight, David Maeva now coaching for Kamehameha
8/2/15 - Coach Chow felt right for Wittek
8/2/15 - 2015 Story: Mountain West Conference
7/29/15 - Don Bailey is wide open
7/28/15 - Warriors have hopeful optimism
7/28/15 - Warriors picked 5th out of 6th in Mountain West West
7/27/15 - Dave Matlin and Don Bailey at Downtown Athletic Club
7/22/15 - Luke Clements, OL, to join Warriors from Blinn College
7/14/15 - Norm Chow tied for third among coaches in the MWC
7/12/15 - Gary Beemer has learned to adapt
7/11/15 - UH will open 2016 home season with Tennessee-Martin
7/11/15 - Jordan Wynn to Fresno State, Phil Rauscher to Denver Broncos
7/10/15 - Jerry Scanlan 1957-2015
7/10/15 - Hugh Yoshida named chairman of Koa Anuenue
7/5/15 - Student attendance less than 1000 per game
7/2/15 - Ramson Golpashin joins Warriors as graduate assistant
7/2/15 - Solomon Matautia gets a haircut
7/1/15 - Former walk-on now on scholarship
6/29/15 - Dalton Gouveia to join Warriors
6/28/15 - Samiuela Akoteo, NT, Serra High (Gardena, CA) commits.
6/24/15 - UH millions behind competitors
6/13/15 - Placekicker Rigoberto “Rigo” Sanchez of Butte College (Oroville, Calif.) is joining the Warriors
6/11/15 - Davasyia Hagger, TE, Orange Coast College accepts scholarship offer
6/5/15 - Chow's cost per win less than Jim McElwain and Urban Meyer
6/4/15 - Hawaii picked to finished 5th out of 6th in Mountain West West Division
5/26/15 - 2015 schedule not to Matlin's liking
5/24/15 - Aaron Zwahlen knew where he was supposed to go
5/24/15 - '09 O-line update
5/15/15 - Brian Kajiyama brought them together
5/3/15 - Final practice featured big plays
4/29/15 - Ben Clarke was challenged by organic chemistry
4/25/15 - Warrior scrimmage wasn't terrible
4/24/15 - Grayshirts: Dayton Furata, Manly Williams, D.J. Riggins
4/22/15 - Gener, Lakalaka, Garcia-Williams, Stubblefield rehabbing to get ready for training camp
4/16/15 - Beau Reilly had a test of faith
4/15/15 - Max Wittek is paying his dues
4/14/15 - Nikko Taylor, NT, accepts scholarship to play this season
4/13/15 - Abraham Elimimian returns as coach (video)
4/11/15 - Season ticket sales have been sliding (i.e. good seats available!)
4/11/15 - Warrior QBs are rotating
4/10/15 - Damien Packer runs for Maka
4/8/15 - Vasquez Haynes is back
4/7/15 - Malachi Mageo defied doctor's orders
4/5/15 - Samuseva and Elimimian are familiar names
4/5/15 - Dylan Collie broke family tradition
4/2/15 - Warrior football excited to go
2/27/15 - Norm Chow completes coaching staff with additions of Samuseva, Cookus, Elimimian
2/25/15 - Lance Samuseva in the process of joining staff
2/25/15 - Elimimian is a great fit
2/18/15 - Abraham Elimimian and Jack Cookus awaiting final approval to join staff
2/15/15 - Tom Mason can hardly wait
2/14/15 - Don Bailey pushes the tempo, Lewis Powell leaving for Utah
2/13/15 - Tom Mason and Don Bailey reach one-year agreements with Hawaii
2/12/15 - Cutting football would cost $2 million
2/11/15 - Dick Tomey takes Associate Athletic Director job at South Florida
2/8/15 - UH close to naming Tom Mason and Don Bailey as their new coordinators
2/5/15 - Chris Demerest leaving UH
2/4/15 - Maybe Reinbold would like another go-round? (Reardon)
1/23/15 - Hawaii moves up Colorado opener to Thursday, September 3
1/17/15 - Defensive Coordinator Kevin Clune leaving Hawaii to return to Utah State
1/15/15 - Daronte Jones leaves Hawaii for Wisconsin
1/9/15 - Lou Holtz and Bill Snyder support Norm Chow
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