Meadowlark Lemon, Harlem Globetrotter, Dead At 83
A thundering loss in the world of basketball and entertainment as news of the death of Meadowlark Lemon at age 83 in the last week of the 2015 year.
Lemon came from humble beginnings but rose to international fame as a Harlem Globetrotter joining the team in 1954.
We lost the crown prince, RIP Meadowlark Lemon, #Globetrotter Who Played Basketball & Pranks With Virtuosity, Dies https://t.co/ZJJD0yvEAT
— Joe Favorito (@joefav) December 28, 2015
The New York Times states that Lemon died on Sunday in Scottsdale, Ariz., where he lived.
The Washington Post wrote that as proud as Lemon was of his performance on the court, he was perhaps prouder of his performance in another arena: He was ordained as a minister in 1986, according to his website.
"I have been called the Clown Prince of Basketball, and an Ambassador of Good Will in Short Pants to the world, which is an honor," he wrote. "To be a child of God is the highest honor anyone could have."
In the end, he laid credit for all he had accomplished on the court and off at the feet of the almighty.
"God planted that dream in my heart as I sat right there in the Ritz Theater," Lemon wrote. "He gave me a relentless desire, determination, energy, and the talent to make my dream come true."