1963-1985. Karstens joined the Globetrotters in 1943, when Reece "Goose" Tatum was drafted into the Army Air Corp during World War II. Right out of college he played with the barnstorming team for a single year. B.J. Gip Gipson. Honorable mention (and some earned their nicknames before becoming Trotters): Shagari "Skyscraper" Alleyne, Greg "Cadillac" Anderson, Wilt "The Stilt" Chamberlain, Nat "Sweetwater" Clifton F 6-7 Xavier, Charlie "Cobra" Coley, Herbert "Moo Moo" Evans, William "Plunk" Ford, Seth "Hot 'N Fresh" Franco, "Wee" Willie 50), Marques Haynes (No. In 1940, the Globetrotters. He was the first non-Globetrotter to receive the "Legends" award, when he was presented with the honor on March 10, 2007, at the Liacouras Center, during the Globetrotters annual visit to Philadelphia. Legendary Harlem Globetrotter Marques Haynes considered by many to be the greatest basketball dribbler of all-time passed away in Plano, Texas, on May 22, 2015, at the age of 89. Lockhart received his Legends Ring during a special ceremony at Target Center in Minneapolis on March 30, 2019. Meadow Meadowlark Lemon: His birth was Meadow Lemon III and he changed his name to Meadowlark in the late 1950s. Highlighting the year was his 100-point effort against the New York Knicks on March 2, 1962. Outside candidates. In the 2001-2002 season, Jackson directly contributed $100,000 to the American Red Cross for the Disaster Relief Fund to help victims of the Sept. 11 tragedy. Career: Harlem Globetrotters, professional basketball player, 1950; Boston Celtics, professional basketball player, 1950-54; Milwaukee (later St. Louis) Hawks, professional basketball player, 1954-55; Fort Wayne Pistons, professional basketball player, 1955-56; Harlem Magicians, professional basketball player, 1956-57. At 5-foot-4 . Curly is also a recipient of the Harlem Globetrotters' prestigious "Legends" ring, presented to those who have made a major contribution to the success and the development of the Globetrotters organization. Dr. John "Jumpin' Johnny" Kline was a standout basketball leader on and off the court. Harlem Globetrotters employees earn $73,000 annually on average, or $35 per hour, which is 10% higher than the national salary average of $66,000 per year. A former Oklahoma sports writer of the year, I have written books about former OU coach Barry Switzer and former OSU coach Pat Jones. During his tenure with the Globetrotters, he was named MVP of the 1962 College Series and was a part of the popular television series "Harlem Globetrotter Popcorn Machine." The 6-5 forward starred at the University of Memphis, playing in the 1995 and 1996 NCAA Tournaments. Meadowlark was part of an extremely popular period in Globetrotters history, appearing on several popular television programs and specials, including "ABC's Wide World of Sports," "CBS Sports Spectacular," "The Ed Sullivan Show" and "The Harlem Globetrotters Popcorn Machine." Lynette Woodard became the first woman to ever play for a men's professional basketball team when she signed with the Harlem Globetrotters in October 1985, and she played with the Globetrotters until 1987. The acrobatic Haynes caught the attention of Harlem Globetrotters owner Abe Saperstein in 1946, during a game in which Langston University defeated the Globetrotters, 74-70. "Big" Frank Washington, a high-flying 6-foot-5-inch center, was a member of the first Harlem Globetrotter team to trek around the world in 1952. The Harlem Globetrotters were a rag-tag basketball team who started barnstorming other teams because of racial discrimination and Jim Crow Laws . 32 Guard Hot Shot Swanson 9 Guard Torch George 10 Guard TNT Lister 18 Guard Cheese Chisholm 11 Forward Bounce Moody 57 Guard X-Over Tompkins 0 Forward Spider Sharpless 42 Guard Too Tall Winston 51 Guard Speedy Artis 3 Forward Jammin London 49 Forward Buckets Barrera 12 Forward Airport Kirk 27 Forward Crash McClure 55 Forward Prime Time Moore 25 In a 2002 article by Darren Ivy in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Marques Haynes the first player inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a Globetrotter said of his teammate, "Goose was responsible for creating great interest in basketball in this country and around the worldId say Michael Jordan is the Goose Tatum of today.". Perfect. Mannie Jackson, a former player, purchased the team in 1993. His son Ross, a defensive tackle, was drafted by the Houston Texans in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. In honor of Woodys pending appearance in Tulsa, here are 10 cool nicknames in Globetrotters history: Fred Curly Neal: Its a great nickname because he was bald. Chamberlain, who passed away on Oct. 12, 1999, at the age of 63, was posthumously honored by the Globetrotters on March 9, 2000, when the team retired his jersey (#13) and inducted him into the Legends Ring. Supertrotter Billy Ray Hobley: Whats better than a Globetrotter? He continued his education and basketball career at Johnson C. Smith University, earning a spot on the CIAA All-Tournament team his junior and senior year. Nicknamed "Supertrotter," he was known for his rim-jarring dunks, blazing ball handling and effervescent personality. Tatum created Globetrotters basketball as we know it today. He played with the Globetrotters from 1946 to 1960 and traveled on six world tours with such historic Globetrotters as William "Pop" Gates, Marques Haynes, Nat "Sweetwater" Clifton and Reece "Goose" Tatum. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Not counting the semi-serious 1951 sports drama The Harlem Globetrotters (starring "Pop" Gates, "Babe" Pressley, and "Goose" Tatum as themselves), the squad stormed onto screens with its fun and wacky vibe intact on the 1970-73 CBS Saturday morning cartoon Harlem Globetrotters. Haynes then starred collegiately at Langston University in Langston, Okla. (1942-46), where he was a four-time All-Conference selection and team MVP. "The game of basketball has lost one of its most iconic figures," said Globetrotters CEO Kurt Schneider on the day of Haynes' passing. For some odd reason, probably the same one that kept Willy Gilligan's name confined to only "Gilligan," Skipper's real name was never ever said again. Harlem Globetrotter TNT Lister joined a very elite group in the fall of 2011, becoming the first woman to don the red, white, and blue since 1993 and her success opened the door for other female players to join the team in recent years. Off the floor, he served as a team spokesman and had an unbelievable relationship with children of all ages from around the world. It gave them better exposure and a bigger location to triple their beer production. Harlem Globetrotters. "He continues to live his life in the true spirit of a Harlem Globetrotter, always thinking of others and giving back to the community every chance he gets. The 21-game series attracted an attendance of 277,393 as the Globetrotters posted a 15-6 record and Gardner was named Most Valuable Player. Pittston's own Mia Hopkins, AKA "Mighty Mia Hopkins" per her Globetrotter nickname, will be hitting the hardwood in our area with the world-famous basketball team. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Mason was honored on Jan. 4 and 5, 2003, when the Ambassadors of Goodwill played in Springfield and in Peoria, Ill. Mason passed away on July 4, 2006. 1. Curly played 22 seasons for the Globetrotters, wearing #22 for all of those years. More than 7 feet (2.1 metres) tall, Chamberlain was an outstanding centre . Vaughn has received several community service awards for tutoring in the Detroit Public School System, coordinating and directing United Way drives, and counseling other youth organizations.The Edwardsville, Ill., native was honored by the Harlem Globetrotters with his "Legends" Ring on Jan. 4, 2004, at the Savvis Center in St. Louis. The ceremony, which marked the first-ever jersey retirement by the Globetrotters, took place at Chamberlain's high school in Philadelphia, Overbrook High School Gymnasium. "The nickname Supertrotter fit him perfectly.". During his career, Tex had tea with Queen Elizabeth, caviar with Nikita Khrushchev, and an audience with three Popes. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. He goes by the nickname of Woody. He didnt choose the name. Explore 10 surprising facts about the famous barnstorming basketball team. Included in the class are 10 exciting new players, including " Sweet Lou II" Dunbar, the sharp-shooting son of Globetrotters legend Sweet Lou Dunbar, and Lili "Champ" Thompson, a member of. He was a three-year starter at Minnesota, scoring over 1,100 points during his college career and was team captain for the Gophers during his senior campaign. His father was Meadow Peanut Lemon, Jr., and his grandpa was the original Meadow Lemon. In a four-decade career, Haynes played in more than 12,000 games, traveled more than four million miles and entertained fans in nearly 100 countries during two stints with the Globetrotters (1947-53, 1972-79). Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. The Studebakers were the pioneers of racial integration, as nine of the 13 players on the roster in 1942-43 were African Americans. Hall is 5 feet 2 inches tall, which seems far too slight for his chosen occupation as. Selected as the city's "Prep Player of the Year," Gipson was flooded with college offers but elected to sign a contract with the Globetrotters. During 24 seasons as the "Clown Prince" of the Harlem Globetrotters, Meadowlark Lemon - who passed away in Scottsdale, Ariz., on Dec. 27, 2015, at the age of 83 - played in more than 7,500 consecutive games for the red, white, and blue. Gipson was one of six Globetrotters animated in the popular Saturday morning Hanna-Barbera cartoon series in the 1970s. Stream Latest Episodes JOIN THE SQUAD Come ball with us on and off the court. A current Globetrotter head coach, former point guard great Jimmy Blacklock played in over 2,500 games for the Ambassadors of Goodwill, visiting 62 countries during his standout playing career. He was ahead of his time in the promotion business and created nicknames for himself and his dunks. In the team's 83 seasons, there has been. "Tex passed on Nov. 20, 2014, in Houston, at the age of 81. The Globetrotters were the creation of Abe Saperstein of Chicago, who took over coaching duties for a team of African American players originally known as the Savoy Big Five (after the famous Chicago ballroom where they played their early games). Jackson sold 80 percent of the team to Shamrock Capital Growth Fund in Sept. 2005 and stepped away from his day-to-day operations of the team when the Globetrotters announced the appointment of Kurt Schneider as the organizations new Chief Executive Officer in May 2007. He played before popes, kings, queens and presidents in nearly 100 countries around the world. The former Miller High School star filled the dual role of court comedian and coach beginning in 1968, holding that role until he retired in 1974. You can cancel at any time. 36), and Wilt Chamberlain (No. The six-foot guard was a four-time All-American (1978-81) at the University of Kansas, where she averaged 26.3 points per game during her college career. Players such as Meadowlark Lemon and Curly Neal gained. Darryl Chocolate Thunder Dawkins: Chocolate Thunder got his nickname before joining the Globetrotters. He was given a look, and after serving two years in the Army, was signed to a contract. Harlem Globetrotters Rumors. Now he is passing that love and considerable knowledge on to a new generation of Globetrotters as the teams director of player personnel. He moved on to Tennessee State University and topped his team in scoring as a freshman and twice earned All-Midwest honors during his three-year career. Wilt Chamberlain (13), Marques Haynes (20), Curly Neal (22), Tex Harrison (34), Geese Ausbie (35), Meadowlark Lemon (36), Goose Tatum (50), Hallie Bryant (32) Posted in . In the years to come, they would gain fame as . Harlem Globetrotters 'Clown Prince' Meadowlark Lemon known for his jaw-dropping half-court shots and game pranks dies aged 83. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". "Showboat" Hall could do more with his feet than most players did with their hands, and he had the court sense that belonged to only a few legendary athletes of the game.Hall passed away in Detroit on Dec. 24, 2014, at the age of 87. Join the Globetrotters as they go head-to-head against the Washington Generals who will stop at . David "Smokey" Gaines, who traveled the world from 1963-1967 as a standout guard with the Harlem Globetrotters, was the 24th person in team history to be honored with the prestigious "Legends" RIng. Following his Globetrotter career, Sanders continued to be involved in the game he loved, but this time as a coach. Blacklock was presented with his Globetrotters Legends Ring on February 28, 2020, in Austin, Texas, at the Frank Erwin Center on the campus of the University of Texas. Nat Clifton Nathaniel "Sweetwater" Clifton He got the nickname Sweetwater for his love of soda pop, but the moniker might just as well have described his sugary-sweet skills on the basketball court. Please subscribe to keep reading. Members of the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team. Bob Karstens was the third Caucasian to play for the Harlem Globetrotters (the others were founder Abe Saperstein and Bunny Leavitt), but Karstens had the rare distinction of being the first Caucasian player to be under contract with the team. The 76ers also kept a separate column on the stat sheet for Dawkins's self-created nicknames: "Sir Slam", "Dr. Dunkenstein", and "Chocolate Thunder." Dawkins also wore gold chain necklaces during games until the end of the 1980 NBA Finals when the NBA banned players from wearing them on court. They don't even hail from Harlem. Lemon, Meadowlark. Hawkins was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992. 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"Billy Ray could light up any room in the world, and he always had a story to tell you," said Globetrotters Legend Sweet Lou Dunbar, who also came to the Trotters as a rookie in 1977 and was a teammate of Hobleys for over 20 years. Played on first tour of Europe "JUMPIN" JOHNNY WILSON, ANDERSON - College (1952-19??) {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, In a van outside OUs Lloyd Noble Center, Doc Sadler lives out another season in 45 years of coaching, Nebraska cheerleader competes by herself at state competition, but crowd doesn't let her feel alone, Broken Arrow's Tanner Charles making debut on 'American Idol', 'Reservation Dogs' open casting event seeks Indigenous people, Tulsa City Council passes welcoming-city resolution without emphasis on LGBTQ residents, KFC is bringing back a fan favorite after a nearly 10-year hiatus, Gov. Wilsonis the current Guinness World Record holder for the highest slam dunk ever recorded, setting the mark at 12-feet during Final Four Weekend in April of 2000. Frederick "Curly" Neal (May 19, 1942 - March 26, 2020) was an American basketball player who played with the Harlem Globetrotters, instantly recognizable with his shaved bald head. Meets the Harlem Globetrotters is a VHS tape which consists of two episodes from The New Scooby-Doo Movies. Contribute to chinapedia/wikipedia.en development by creating an account on GitHub. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. GitHub export from English Wikipedia. He got his nickname "Big Easy" from his stature he is 6 feet 9 inches tall and . Perhaps it's better to remember these 2 as their nicknames since they seem to stick much better and, at this point, would be almost impossible to forget. He has been enshrined into a total of six Halls of Fame, including NAIA (1985), Jim Thorpe (1993) and Langston University (1995). His dribbling style would confuse and confound opponents and became one of the Globetrotters' most potent offensive weapons. "Hawk" received his Harlem Globetrotters "Legends" Ring on Jan. 22, 1994, during a pregame ceremony at America West Arena in Phoenix. He got his nickname "Big Easy" from his stature he is 6 feet 9 inches tall and . However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Hobley, who passed away on July 31, 2002, at the age of 48, is the 29th person in the Globetrotters storied 85-year history to receive the distinction. Following his Globetrotter career, Helem joined the Ashland Oil & Refining Company, now known as Ashland Inc., and worked for the company for over 35 years until his retirement in 1990. He turned down a pro baseball contract with the Chicago Cubs to pursue a career with the Globetrotters. The Harlem Globetrotters' roster consists of over 30 players, and so only a handful of them appear in the commercial. A standout at Norcom High School in Portsmouth, Va., Kellogg was presented with his "Legends" Ring in New York on Feb. 14, 1998. Did the Harlem Globetrotters change their name? However, the 6-10 center's promising basketball career was cut short at the age of 23, when a car crash in 1954 left him a paraplegic and confined him to a wheelchair. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Originally from Horse Cave, Ky., Helem led Horse Cave High School to consecutive state basketball championships in 1944 and 1945 and was a two-time all-state selection. Neal passed away on March 26, 2020 in his home outside of Houston at the age of 77. He currently resides in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., where he serves as a coach and mentor at the Harmony Development Center. Price joined the National Basketball League (the predecessor to today's NBA) in 1942 as a member of the Chicago Studebakers for one season. He was the consummate Globetrotter.". Jahmani "Hot Shot" Swanson, 32, plays his first team . A Supertrotter. Remaining performances with tickets available include: March 4 at 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, Feb. 26, at 5 p.m. Tickets range from $15 to $30, depending on seating, and are available online at www . In 1950, Harlem Globetrotter Chuck Cooperbecame the first black player to be drafted in the NBA by Boston and teammate Nat "Sweetwater" Cliftonbecame the first black player to sign an NBA contract when the New York Knickspurchased his contract from the Globetrotters for $12,500 (equivalent to $141,000 in 2021),[7]with Harlem getting $10,000 and