Meadowlark Lemon Net Worth

What was Meadowlark Lemon's Net Worth?

Meadowlark Lemon was an American basketball player, actor, and Christian minister who had a net worth of $2 million at the time of his death. Meadowlark Lemon was best known as a member of the Harlem Globetrotters exhibition basketball team. As an actor, he appeared in episodes of such television shows as "Sweepstakes," "Alice," and "Hello, Larry," and played a reverend in the film "The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh." Lemon was ordained as a minister in 1986, and in 1994 he established his Meadowlark Lemon Ministries in Scottsdale, Arizona. He had 10 children with his wife, Dr. Cynthia Lemon. Meadowlark Lemon died on December 27, 2015 at the age of 83.

Early Life and Education

Meadowlark Lemon was born as Meadow Lemon III on April 25, 1932 in Wilmington, North Carolina. He attended Williston School as a youth, graduating in 1952. Lemon went on to enroll at Florida A&M University, but was soon drafted into the US Army. He ended up serving for two years in Austria and West Germany.

Harlem Globetrotters

In 1954, after his military service, Lemon applied to the Harlem Globetrotters exhibition basketball team. Known for its theatrical combination of athleticism, entertainment, and comedy, the team tours around the world. Lemon was originally a member of the Harlem Globetrotters until 1979; he later appeared with the team in 1993. He was dubbed the team's 'Clown Prince.' At various points in his tenure, Lemon performed alongside Wilt Chamberlain, Marques Haynes, Fred Neal, Charles Harrison, and Hubert Ausbie, among other players. He also appeared alongside his teammates on the Saturday-morning television variety show "The Harlem Globetrotters Popcorn Machine," which aired on CBS from 1974 to 1975. Upon his retirement in early 2001, Lemon became one of the few Globetrotters to have their number retired.

(Photo by Charlie Ley/Daily Mirror/Mirrorpix via Getty Images)

Other Exhibition Teams

During his time away from the Harlem Globetrotters, Lemon played with some other exhibition teams meant to imitate the Globetrotters. First, he played with the Bucketeers, and then with the Shooting Stars. In the late 1980s, he formed the Meadowlark Lemon's Harlem All Stars.

Acting Career

Lemon began his professional acting career in the late 1970s. In 1979, he appeared in an episode of the NBC television anthology series "Sweepstakes" and played himself in the second season of the sitcom "Hello, Larry." The same year, Lemon played Reverend Grady Jackson in the basketball comedy film "The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh," which featured many NBA stars. In the early 1980s, he appeared in a series of guest skits on the educational science show "3-2-1 Contact" and had a guest role on the CBS sitcom "Alice." Lemon also acted in some television commercials during his career, including a 1978 commercial for Burger King and a 1983 ad for Charmin toilet paper.

Other Media Appearances

Among his other appearances in the media, Lemon hosted the educational geography film "Meadowlark Lemon Presents the World" in 1979. Also that year, he recorded the song "My Kids," written by Dalton & Dubarri. In 1982, Lemon appeared in the interactive educational video "Fun & Games," which was released on LaserDisc.

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Ministry

A born-again Christian, Lemon was ordained as a Christian minister in 1986. Two years later, he earned a Doctor of Divinity degree from Vision International University in the San Diego, California area. In 1994, Lemon established his Meadowlark Lemon Ministries in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Honors and Awards

In 2000, Lemon was given the John Bunn Award, the highest honor awarded by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame outside of induction. After his retirement in early 2001, Lemon became one of three Harlem Globetrotters to have their number retired, along with Wilt Chamberlain and Marques Haynes. A couple of years later, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Personal Life and Death

From 1994 until his passing at the end of 2015, Lemon was married to Cynthia. He had ten children in total: Richard, George, Beverly, Donna, Robin, Jonathan, Jamison, Angela, Crystal, and Caleb.

On December 27, 2015, Lemon passed away in Scottsdale, Arizona. He was 83 years of age.

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