 Neal in 2008 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1942-05-19)May 19, 1942 Greensboro, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Died | March 26, 2020(2020-03-26) (aged 77) Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Listed weight | 162 lb (73 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | James B. Dudley (Greensboro, North Carolina) |
| College | Johnson C. Smith (1959–1963) |
| Playing career | 1963–1985 |
| Position | Point guard |
| Number | 22 |
| Career history | |
| 1963–1985 | Harlem Globetrotters |
Frederick "Curly" Neal (May 19, 1942 – March 26, 2020) was an Americanbasketball player who played with theHarlem Globetrotters, instantly recognizable with his shaved bald head. Following in the footsteps ofMarques Haynes, Neal became the Trotters' featured ballhandler, a key role in the team's exhibition act.
Born inGreensboro, North Carolina, Neal attendedJames B. Dudley High School andJohnson C. Smith University inCharlotte, North Carolina from 1959 to 1963. At Smith, he averaged 23.1 points a game and was named All-Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) guard.[1]
Neal played for 22 seasons (from 1963 to 1985) with the Globetrotters, appearing in more than 6,000 games in 97 countries. His shaved head earned him his nickname, a reference to theThree Stooges'Curly Howard, and made him one of the most recognizable Globetrotters. In the 1970s, an animated version of Neal starred with various other Globetrotters in theHanna-Barbera animated cartoonHarlem Globetrotters as well as its spinoff,The Super Globetrotters. The animated Globetrotters also made three appearances inThe New Scooby-Doo Movies. Neal himself appeared withMeadowlark Lemon,Marques Haynes, and his other fellow Globetrotters in a live-action Saturday morning TV show,The Harlem Globetrotters Popcorn Machine, in 1974–75, which also featuredRodney Allen Rippy andAvery Schreiber.[2] Neal also appeared inThe White Shadow,[3]The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island, andThe Love Boat.[4]
On January 11, 2008, the Globetrotters announced that Neal's number 22 would beretired on February 15 in a special ceremony atMadison Square Garden as part of "Curly Neal Weekend."[5] Neal was just the fifth Globetrotter in the team's 82-year history to have his number retired, joiningWilt Chamberlain (13),Meadowlark Lemon (36),Marques Haynes (20) andGoose Tatum (50).[6] On January 31, 2008, it was announced that Neal would be inducted into theNorth Carolina Sports Hall of Fame.[7]
He was also granted theHarlem Globetrotters' prestigious "Legends" ring, which is presented to those who make major humanitarian contributions and work for the Harlem Globetrotters organization.[8]
A mural commemorating Neal's achievements both as a Globetrotter and his time playing for Dudley High School is painted in the basketball gym of the Hayes-Taylor MemorialYMCA at 1101 East Market Street in Greensboro. He had two daughters and six grandchildren. Neal lived inHouston with his fiancée Linda Ware until his death.[9]
On March 26, 2020, Neal died at his home outside Houston at the age of 77.[4][8][10] No cause of death was released, but Neal's health had been deteriorating in recent years following a stroke.[11]