Meadowlark Lemon Passed Away!

Meadowlark Lemon passed away.

One of the famed members of the Harlem Globetrotters passed away today. World News Today send our condolences to the family of Meadowlark Lemon.

Meadowlark Lemon, who was the "clown prince" of touring passed away in Scottsdale, Arizona.

His family confirms that that Meadowlark died in his sleep at the age of 83.

Born [George] Meadow Lemon III in Wilmington, North Carolina, Meadowlark played more than 16,000 games with the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Meadowlark was a basketball player, actor, minister and father of ten.

He was an iconic figure during the 1970s and 1980s. He and the Globetrotters were best known for their wacky antics. Lemon joined the Globetrotters in 1954 at age 22, appearing in more than 16,000 games in 97 countries until leaving the team in 1978 over a contract dispute.

Meadowlark and the Harlem Globetrotters voiced themselves on Scooby Doo.

Lemon co-starred with McLean Stevenson in the NBC comedy series "Hello, Larry" in 1979-1980, and he logged guest shots on shows ranging from "Alice," "Diff’rent Strokes," "Here’s Boomer" and "Scooby Doo"  to numerous talk shows and Globetrotters TV specials. He was also in demand for commercials, appearing in blurbs for such blue-chip brands as Ford Motor Co., Burger King, Pepsi, Sears, Dr. Pepper, Tropicana and the U.S. Postal Service, among many others.

On the big screen he costarred in the 1979 comedy "The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh," about a hapless basketball team, and appeared in 1981’s "Modern Romance." In his later years Lemon became an ordained minister and had a regular series on Trinity Broadcasting Network.

Meadowlark was one of only five Globetrotters to have their numbers retired.

On the court, he was known for his long hook shots, no-look behind-the-back passes and antics, which included surprising fans with buckets of confetti.

"For a generation of fans, the name Meadowlark Lemon was synonymous with the Harlem Globetrotters," said Globetrotters CEO Kurt Schneider. "He was an incredible entertainer and brought happiness and lifelong memories to millions around the world. We have lost a great ambassador of the game."

Lemon is survived by his wife, Cynthia, and 10 children.