View source for Meadowlark Lemon

{{About|the American basketball player, actor, and minister who was given the nickname "The Clown Prince"|the Batman supervillain nicknamed "The Clown Prince of Crime"|Joker (character)}}

{{Short description|American basketball player, actor, and minister (1932–2015)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2016}}

{{Infobox person
| name        = Meadowlark Lemon
| image       = Meadowlark lemon in 1975.jpg
| caption     = Lemon with the Harlem Globetrotters in 1975 
| birth_name  = Meadow Lemon III<ref name=Official>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20140522195031/http://www.meadowlarklemon.org/biography/ "Meadowlark Lemon Biography."]}} ''www.meadowlarklemon.org.'' Retrieved May 8, 2017.</ref>
| birth_date  = {{Birth date|1932|04|25|mf=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Wilmington, North Carolina]], U.S.
| death_date  = {{Death date and age|2015|12|27|1932|04|25|mf=yes}}
| death_place = [[Scottsdale, Arizona]], U.S.
| known_for   = The [[Harlem Globetrotters]]
| children    = 10
| spouse      = {{marriage|Cynthia Lemon|1994|2015}}
| occupation  = Basketball player, actor, minister
}}

'''Meadowlark Lemon''' (born '''Meadow Lemon III''';<ref name=Official/> April 25, 1932&nbsp;– December 27, 2015)<ref name=name>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20010923101906/http://meadowlarklemon.org/ "Meadowlark Lemon: The Clown Prince Of Basketball (1932-2015)."]}} ''www.meadowlarklemon.org.'' Retrieved May 8, 2017.</ref> was an American [[basketball]] player, actor, and [[Christianity|Christian]] [[Minister (Christianity)|minister]]. For 22 years, he was known as the "Clown Prince" of the touring [[Harlem Globetrotters]] basketball team.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.cbsnews.com/news/meadowlark-lemon-clown-prince-of-harlem-globetrotters-dead-at-83/|title = Meadowlark Lemon, "Clown Prince" of Harlem Globetrotters, dead at 83|date = December 28, 2015|publisher = CBS News}}</ref> He was a 2003 inductee into the [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]]. Ordained in 1986, in 1994 he started Meadowlark Lemon Ministries in [[Scottsdale, Arizona]].<ref name="nj.com">Miller, Randy. [http://www.nj.com/sixers/index.ssf/2015/12/meadowlark_lemon_harlem_globetrotters_legend_dies.html "Meadowlark Lemon, late Harlem Globetrotters legend, was Michael Jordan of his day."] [[NJ.com]], December 28, 2015. Retrieved May 7, 2017.</ref><ref name=ministry>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20200219001050/http://www.meadowlarklemon.org/ministry/ "Meadowlark Lemon Ministries."]}} ''www.meadowlarklemon.org.'' Retrieved May 8, 2017.</ref>

In one of his final interviews, basketball legend [[Wilt Chamberlain]] described Lemon as "the most sensational, awesome, incredible basketball player I've ever seen."<ref name="espn">[[Associated Press]]. [http://static.espn.go.com/nba/news/1999/1012/110905.html "Wilt spoke of regrets, women and Meadowlark."] [[ESPN.com]], October 13, 1999. Retrieved May 8, 2017.</ref> Fellow Wilmington great [[Michael Jordan]] called Lemon a "true national treasure" and a personal inspiration in Jordan's youth.<ref name="nj.com"/>

==Early life==
Lemon was born in [[Wilmington, North Carolina]] and attended [[Williston School|Williston Industrial School]], graduating in 1952.<ref name=AANB>{{citation |pages=[https://archive.org/details/africanamericann00henr/page/214 214–215] |title=African American National Biography |volume=1 |editor=Henry Louis Gates |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2008 |isbn=9780195160192 |chapter=Lemon, Meadowlark |chapter-url-access=registration |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/africanamericann00henr/page/214 }}</ref><ref>{{citation |page=200 |title=Historical Dictionary of Basketball |author=John Grasso |publisher=Scarecrow Press |year=2010 |isbn=9780810875067}}</ref> He then matriculated at [[Florida A&M University]], but was soon drafted into the [[United States Army]] and served for two years in Austria and West Germany.<ref name=AANB/><ref name=AAiS>{{citation |pages=203–25 |title=African Americans in Sports |author=David K. Wiggins |publisher=Routledge |year=2015 |isbn=9781317477440}}</ref>

==Career==

===Basketball===
Lemon made his first basketball hoop out of a coat hanger, using an onion sack for a net and an empty [[Carnation (brand)|Carnation]] milk can for a ball, with which he made his first shot.<ref>{{Cite news|url = https://www.foxnews.com/sports/harlem-globetrotters-star-meadowlark-lemon-dies-at-83|title = Harlem Globetrotters star Meadowlark Lemon dies at 83|date = December 28, 2015|via = FoxNews.com}}</ref>

Lemon first applied to the [[Harlem Globetrotters|Globetrotters]] in 1954 at age 22, finally being chosen to play in 1955. In 1980, he left to form one of his Globetrotters imitators, the Bucketeers.<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Brendan |last=Maloy|url=https://www.si.com/extra-mustard/2015/12/28/meadowlark-lemon-wilt-chamberlain-globetrotters-bucketeers-video|title=Watch Meadowlark Lemon performing with Globetrotters, Wilt Chamberlain|magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]]|access-date=2022-06-23}}</ref> He played with that team until 1983, then moved on to play with the Shooting Stars from 1984 to 1987. In 1988, he moved on to "Meadowlark Lemon's Harlem All Stars" team. Despite being with his own touring team, Lemon returned to the Globetrotters, playing 50 games with them in 1994.<ref name="HOF release">{{cite press release |url=http://www.hoophall.com/news/2015/12/28/basketball-hall-of-fame-on-the-passing-of-meadowlark-lemon-c.html |title=Basketball Hall of Fame on the Passing of Meadowlark Lemon, Class of 2003 |publisher=Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame |date=December 28, 2015 |access-date=December 28, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160119135652/http://www.hoophall.com/news/2015/12/28/basketball-hall-of-fame-on-the-passing-of-meadowlark-lemon-c.html |archive-date=January 19, 2016 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

In 2000, Lemon received the [[John Bunn Award]],<ref name="HOF bio">{{cite web |url=http://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/tag/meadowlark-lemon |title=Hall of Famers: Meadowlark Lemon |publisher=Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame |access-date=December 28, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090731101844/http://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/tag/meadowlark-lemon |archive-date=July 31, 2009 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> the highest honor given by the [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]] outside induction.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hoophall.com/john-bunn-award/ |title=The John W. Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award |publisher=Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame |access-date=December 28, 2015 |quote=Outside of Enshrinement, the John Bunn Award is the most prestigious award presented by the Basketball Hall of Fame. |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130319211220/http://www.hoophall.com/john-bunn-award/ |archive-date=March 19, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> He was inducted into the [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]] in 2003.<ref name="HOF bio"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers-index/ |title=Hall of Famers Index |publisher=Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame |access-date=December 28, 2015}} See the "Category" column on the left of the page.</ref>

===Television appearances===
[[Image:Lemon Ford.gif|thumb|150px|Lemon meeting [[Betty Ford]] during a 1974 visit to the [[White House]]]]
[[file:Meadowlark Lemon shooting (cropped).jpg|thumb|170px|Lemon in 1988]]
In the 1970s, an animated version of Lemon, voiced by [[Scatman Crothers]], starred with various other Globetrotters in the [[Hanna-Barbera]] animated cartoon series ''[[Harlem Globetrotters (TV series)|Harlem Globetrotters]]''.<ref>{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnVkCj3l-5Q&list=PLULHdqLrlB0BZH8e9wOzZ3JYsbZbiv-tp|title=Harlem Globe Trotters - S1 Ep1 - The Great Geese Goof Up|date=March 2, 2014|via=YouTube}}</ref> The animated Globetrotters also made three appearances in ''[[The New Scooby-Doo Movies]].''

Lemon appeared alongside [[Fred Neal|Fred "Curly" Neal]], [[Marques Haynes]] and his other fellow Globetrotters in a live-action Saturday-morning television show, ''[[The Harlem Globetrotters Popcorn Machine]],'' in 1974–1975, which also featured [[Rodney Allen Rippy]] and [[Avery Schreiber]].<ref>{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mZf0DBVBhM |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/1mZf0DBVBhM| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|title=Harlem Globetrotters Popcorn Machine (Opening & Closing)|date=May 3, 2007|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

In 1978, Lemon appeared in a memorable [[Burger King]] commercial by making a tower of burgers until he found a double-beef pickles and onions with no-cheese burger.<ref>{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfz9IrK86t0 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/dfz9IrK86t0| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|title=Meadowlark Lemon Burger King Commercial|date=September 14, 2013|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

In 1979, Lemon guest-starred in an episode of the [[NBC]] television [[anthology series]] ''[[Sweepstakes (TV series)|$weepstake$]]''.

In 1980, Lemon appeared as the coach of the basketball team from ''[[The White Shadow (TV series)|The White Shadow]]'' in a series of guest skits for Order/Disorder week on ''[[3-2-1 Contact]]''.

In 1983, Lemon appeared on an episode of ''[[Alice (American TV series)|Alice]]'' entitled "Tommy Fouls Out," and in a Charmin toilet paper commercial alongside [[Mr. Whipple]] (actor Dick Wilson).

In 1996 season 2 episode 5 of ''[[Pinky and the Brain]]'' titled "Brain's Song" Meadowlark Lemon was Brain's best friend in the parody of ''[[Brian's Song]]''.

In 2006, on episode of adult swim's ''[[The Boondocks (TV series)|The Boondocks]]'' entitled "The Itis," the name of Meadowlark was used as the name of the park that Ed Wuncler I mentions an interest in purchasing from the state.

In 2009, on FOX's TV show ''[[The Cleveland Show]]'', the name of Meadowlark Lemon was used for a dog's name, a pet for the character of Rallo Tubbs. The dog died in the second episode.

===Other work===
In 1979, Lemon starred in the educational geography film ''Meadowlark Lemon Presents the World'' and joined the cast in season two of the short-lived television sitcom, ''[[Hello, Larry]]'', to help boost the show's ratings. In the same year, he played Rev. Grady Jackson in the movie ''[[The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh]].'' It was several years before he actually became an ordained minister.<ref name=latimes/>

He recorded a song, "My Kids" which was written by [[Dalton & Dubarri]]. The song was produced by [[Butch Dubarri|Dubarri]], and released on [[Casablanca Records|Casablanca]] NB 969 in March, 1979. In The ''[[Cashbox (magazine)|Cash Box]]'' Singles to Watch section, it was called Top 40 material by the reviewer.<ref>''Cash Box'', March 10, 1979 - [https://archive.org/details/cashbox40unse_41/page/20/mode/2up?q=Dalton Page 20 SINGLES TO WATCH]</ref>

In 1982, Lemon was featured in the Grammy-nominated video ''Fun & Games'', an interactive educational video produced by Optical Programming Associates and Scholastic Productions, on the then-emerging [[LaserDisc]] format.<ref>{{cite news|title=Thanks, Grammy!|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bCQEAAAAMBAJ&q=Fun+%26+Games+Optical+Programming+Associates&pg=PT26|access-date=December 9, 2015|magazine=Billboard|date = February 5, 1983}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lddb.com/laserdisc/36716/|website=LaserDisc Database|access-date=December 28, 2015|title=Fun & Games (1981)}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Lemon had 10 children: Richard, George, Beverly, Donna, Robin, Jonathan, Jamison, Angela, Crystal, and Caleb.<ref name="Official"/>

Lemon was born Meadow George Lemon but had his name legally changed to Meadowlark Lemon in 1969.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspaperarchive.com/us/new-york/syracuse/syracuse-post-standard/1969/12-10/page-33|title=Meadowlark Wants His Name Made Official|newspaper=The Post-Standard|location=Syracuse, New York|date=December 10, 1969|page=33|access-date=July 8, 2024}}</ref>

A [[Born again (Christianity)|born-again Christian]], Lemon became an ordained minister in 1986 and received a [[Doctor of Divinity]] degree from [[Vision International University]] in [[Ramona, California]], in 1988. He was also featured as a gospel singer in several [[Gaither Homecoming]] videos.<ref>{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3vYyGPFYo8 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/r3vYyGPFYo8| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|title=Thank You, Jesus [Live]|date=November 1, 2012|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref> In his last years, he took up residence in [[Scottsdale, Arizona|Scottsdale]], where his Meadowlark Lemon Ministries, Inc. is located.<ref name=latimes>{{cite web|url=http://www.latimes.com/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-sn-harlem-globetrotters-meadowlark-lemon-20151228-story.html|author=AP|title=Former Harlem Globetrotters star Meadowlark Lemon dies at 83|work=Los Angeles Times|date=December 28, 2015|access-date=December 28, 2015}}</ref>

==Death==
Lemon died in [[Scottsdale, Arizona|Scottsdale]], on December 27, 2015, at the age of 83.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2015-12-28 |title=Meadowlark Lemon Dies at 83; Harlem Globetrotters’ Dazzling Court Jester (Published 2015) |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/29/sports/basketball/meadowlark-lemon-harlem-globetrotter-who-played-basketball-and-pranks-with-virtuosity-dies-at-83.html |access-date=2025-09-16 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Griggs |first=Brandon |date=2015-12-28 |title=Harlem Globetrotter Meadowlark Lemon, famed hoops jester, dies at 83 |url=https://www.cnn.com/2015/12/28/entertainment/meadowlark-lemon-obit-globetrotters-feat |access-date=2025-09-16 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref> No cause of death was given.<ref name=weber>{{citation |last=Weber |first=Bruce |title=Meadowlark Lemon, Harlem Globetrotter Who Played Basketball and Pranks With Virtuosity, Dies at 83 | newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=December 28, 2015 |url=https://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}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{commons}}
* {{Official website|http://www.meadowlarklemon.org}}
* {{IMDb name|0501509}}
* [http://www.harlemglobetrotters.com/news/harlem-globetrotters-icon-and-hall-famer-meadowlark-lemon-passes-away-83 Profile at Harlem Globetrotters official website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170809050514/http://www.harlemglobetrotters.com/news/harlem-globetrotters-icon-and-hall-famer-meadowlark-lemon-passes-away-83 |date=August 9, 2017 }}
* {{YouTube|HE5TP-9Ck6o|The First National Kidisc}}

{{2003 Basketball HOF}}
{{Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lemon, Meadowlark}}
[[Category:1932 births]]
[[Category:2015 deaths]]
[[Category:African-American Christian clergy]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American clergy]]
[[Category:American Christian clergy]]
[[Category:Basketball players from Wilmington, North Carolina]]
[[Category:Florida A&M University alumni]]
[[Category:Harlem Globetrotters players]]
[[Category:Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:United States Army soldiers]] <!-- Joined at age 18 -->
[[Category:American men's basketball players]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American sportsmen]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American people]]
[[Category:People from Scottsdale, Arizona]]