IT'S MEADOWLARK: EX-GLOBETROTTER PUTS ON CLINIC

It's a lot like the fan wave at a sporting event, but instead of standing and raising arms, it's comprised of smiles.

It's what happens when former Harlem Globetrotter legend Meadowlark Lemon moves effortlessly through a gymnasium of children. Where Meadowlark goes, smiles are sure to follow.

Meadowlark, who played with the Globetrotters from 1957 to 1979, brought his 100,000-watt smile to Cape Girardeau Saturday for his first Camp Meadowlark. About 75 kids, ranging from ages 7-17, showed up for the six-hour clinic at Cape Central High School.

One would expect a Camp Meadowlark clinic to expound upon the fine art of pulling down an opponent's socks at the free-throw line, or how to shoot a free throw with a rubberband attached to the ball, or playing keepaway from an opponent, or even how to throw a bucket of paper into the crowd.

But Camp Meadowlark is about basketball fundamentals -- passing, dribbling and shooting.

Despite the straightforward nature of the clinic, basketball's first man of comedy and goodwill still demonstrated he knows how to work a crowd.

"Some of them are having fun, and they're not even wanting to have fun," said Meadowlark, smiling as he surveyed the Cape Central gymnasium.

That always seemed to be the trademark of Meadowlark. His Globetrotter basketball journeys took him to over 90 countries. His smile and antics were a universal language, able to conjure smiles and laughs in any port. The more a child did not want to smile, the bigger the smile was.

Meadowlark, who became a Christian 15 years ago, is now an ordained minister. He was planning to give the sermon at Bethel Assembly this morning.

And while he may go as the Reverend Lemon in church, his assistant John Mayberry refers to him as Coach Meadowlark in front of the children.

Donned in blue sweats and wearing his patented smile, he looked like the same old Meadowlark Lemon. "I'm basically doing the same thing, just not with the Globetrotters," he said.

Eleven-year-old Monica Criddle was like many of the children at Saturday's clinic. Meadowlark's Globetrotter days were before she was born and she wasn't even familiar with her instructor. But she found herself laughing as Meadowlark feigned one of her passes that wasn't quite up to standard.

"I think he's OK. He's fun," said Criddle.

Her 12-year-old brother Greg simply described Meadowlark as "Cool."

Alesha Carter wasn't familiar with Meadowlark either, but she was all smiles when he came calling on her group.

"He's a good friend," said Carter of her thoughts on Meadowlark.

Meadowlark has been making such friends throughout his life.

He graduated from high school in Wilmington, N.C., in the mid 1950's. An All-American, Meadowlark was a hot college prospect.

"I was a straight basketball player and a pretty good basketball player," he said. "What I'm trying to do now is get the kids to learn what I did as a youngster."

He had over 60 scholarship offers in basketball. As a receiver in football, he had over 70 scholarship offers.

He has no doubt he could have played in the NBA. There wasn't much money to be made in those days and the comic relief of the Globetrotters proved to be his calling.

"They only started making money a few years ago," said Meadowlark. "I would have been in the '60's group and there wasn't that much money. Wilt (Chamberlain) turned things around. But even then he only made $100,000 a year. Today you have guys making $100,000 a quarter."

As a Globetrotter, he played in nearly 10,000 games. He plans to start the Meadowlark Lemon All-Stars and play a 16-game tour. The tour will put his games-played total at 10,000.

He puts on 10-12 one-day clinics each year and does 14-16 three-day clinics. He classified Cape Girardeau as new territory and has already planned a three-day clinic for next year.

Meadowlark gave an honest reply when asked what he would have done if he came along in the current generation of high-priced athletes.

"If I came out today I don't know what road I would have taken," he said. "I'm satisfied and happy with the road I've taken. I took a good road. Everything I did, I did right."

And by the smile on his face, he ended up a rich man.