Sliding, between the legs one-handed dribbles with a gleaming smile and A Shiny Bald Head. That's how I remember Curly from the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team. Curly and Mr. Clean were the men who made bald cool in the early 1970's. But while Mr. Clean was only an animated commercial, Curly was the real deal as he mesmerized and entertained audiences around the world.
He and Meadowlark Lemon were the two stars I remember most from my era of Harlem Globetrotters. The two of them played off each other well, causing gymnasiums to roar with laughter and applause. They were truly two great basketball players ahead of their time and can easily be compared to Golden State's Steph Curry and Draymond Green if you ask me.
Steph's amazing dribbling skills and Draymond's generalship of the team on the court could have easily been a Harlem Globetrotter combination. Even comparing Draymond's three-point shot with Meadowlark's long shot shows similarities. Of course Meadowlark had the Half-Court Hook Shot he'd perfected over the years; if only Draymond were given the green light to take shots like that in a real game.
Meadowlark passed away in 2015 and Curly went to rest just two days ago. They filled my childhood and many others with magical dreams and loveable memories that we'll all cherish for as long as we live. You can still catch episodes of the Globetrotters Saturday Morning cartoon show on YouTube.
Fred "Curly" Neal, We Thank You for your Service.
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