REMEMBERING MEADWLARK LEMON ( April 25, 1932 – December 27, 2015)Meadow “Meadowlark” Lemon III is a retired American basketball player, actor, and minister. Meadowlark Lemon played with the Globetrotters for 24 years. Affectionately known to many as the “Clown Prince of Basketball,” Lemon was as famous for his comedic skill on the basketball court as he was for his athletic talent. He later became an ordained minister and served as a preacher in Scottsdale, Arizona, where he divided his time between his work with youth and with his own basketball team, the Harlem All-Stars. His name and patented hook shot are ingrained in the memories of more than one generation. Meadowlark was the most popular member of the most beloved sports team in history – the Harlem Globetrotters. In 2000, Lemon received the John Bunn Award, the highest honor given by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame outside of induction. He was inducted into the Hall three years later as a contributor to the game. On May 18, 2009, Lemon became a partial owner of the Smoky Mountain Jam of the American Basketball Association.
Meadow “Meadowlark” Lemon III, was born in Wilmington, North Carolina, on April 25, 1932. He passed in Scottsdale, Arizona on December 27, 2015. He was 83.