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Nicknamed the "clown prince of basketball," Lemon was renowned for his comedy routines. But the squad had also been a thriving professional team, once winning the World Professional Basketball Tournament before the rise of the National Basketball Association.
Lemon's showmanship was such that he eclipsed the popularity of a star recruit straight out of college -- Wilt Chamberlain -- when the latter joined the team for a season before entering the NBA.
"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," Globetrotters chief executive Kurt Schneider said in a statement.
The constant on-court buffoonery -- and the belief that the Globetrotters, historically an African-American team, were conducting a sort of minstrel revival -- brought criticism during the civil rights era, when some saw the team's actions as demeaning.
Others pointed to the Trotters' diplomatic and cultural impact abroad. The team played several games in Moscow during the Cold War and met with premier Nikita Khrushchev, performed in front of the pope in Rome, and delighted millions of fans in more than 100 countries.
Lemon retired from the team in 1978. In his later years, he served as a minister and motivational speaker.
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Lemon's showmanship was such that he eclipsed the popularity of a star recruit straight out of college -- Wilt Chamberlain -- when the latter joined the team for a season before entering the NBA.
"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," Globetrotters chief executive Kurt Schneider said in a statement.
The constant on-court buffoonery -- and the belief that the Globetrotters, historically an African-American team, were conducting a sort of minstrel revival -- brought criticism during the civil rights era, when some saw the team's actions as demeaning.
Others pointed to the Trotters' diplomatic and cultural impact abroad. The team played several games in Moscow during the Cold War and met with premier Nikita Khrushchev, performed in front of the pope in Rome, and delighted millions of fans in more than 100 countries.
Lemon retired from the team in 1978. In his later years, he served as a minister and motivational speaker.
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