General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsEDIT: Now w/a nice little video. Harlem Globetrotters Legend Fred 'Curly' Neal Dies at Age 77
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2883223-harlem-globetrotters-legend-fred-curly-neal-dies-at-age-77He was 77.
According to the team's official website, Neal made more than 6,000 appearances across the country from 1963-85. The Globetrotters retired his No. 22 jersey in 2008, and he was the fifth person at the time to receive the honor.
TMZ Sports provided a statement from Globetrotters general manager Jeff Munn: "We have lost one of the most genuine human beings the world has ever known. His basketball skill was unrivaled by most, and his warm heart and huge smile brought joy to families worldwide. He always made time for his many fans and inspired millions."
My grandfather took me and a friend of mine to go see them at Freedom Hall back in the late 70s. Amazing talent and amazing people in general.
Link to tweet
greenjar_01
(6,477 posts)chowder66
(9,011 posts)GreenPartyVoter
(72,377 posts)ProfessorGAC
(64,425 posts)Saw them twice. Once, I was around 13. The other time, I was in college.
His dribbling skills were stunning!
texasfiddler
(1,986 posts)panader0
(25,816 posts)The Globetrotters played in Sierra Vista years ago. Actually Ft. Huachuca,
home of the Buffalo Soldier. They stayed in a Motel 6 (?) while they were
here. I guess they get a new pair of shoes for each game. Anyway, I knew
one of the maids who cleaned his room and most of the guys left their shoes
behind. Size 13. At the time I was size 12, but the shoes were fine with two
pairs of socks. My feet have spread out a bit in my old age (69), like my forehead,
and I now wear 13's. But the shoes are long gone.
Meadowlark Lemon liked this area--there's a street named for him in town.
shenmue
(38,503 posts)Hoyt
(54,770 posts)At least they were all white in 60s.
Roland99
(53,342 posts)I remember being pissed about that
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)Pacifist Patriot
(24,647 posts)I only had the vaguest notion of who he was, so I couldn't figure out why the other kids with me were going gaga. He just showed up at a summer camp I was attending and played basketball with a group of us. After the game he showed us how to mix our crappy lemonade with crappy iced tea to make a drink that was suddenly palatable as a result. I've never thought of that as an "Arnold Palmer" to this day. It'll always be the drink that bald basketball player made. LOL! He signed some autographs, high-fived us, and left. Didn't make a grand entrance or exit, and to this day I have no idea why he was there. The camp counselors didn't make a big deal of it either. It was just something he did.
I got to see the HGT perform a few years later. Then I knew why the other kids went gaga.
RIP
Dennis Donovan
(18,770 posts)Cross gently, Curly.