Harlem Globetrotters Warmup Suit with Curly Neal Pants

Auction: 2023 Fall Classic

Home
Past Auctions
2023 Fall Classic
Basketball

Consign Your Best Items with Lelands. We Also Pay Cash on the Spot! Learn More Here.

Harlem Globetrotters Warmup Suit with Curly Neal Pants

Fred "Curly" Neal is one of the most remarkable Harlem Globetrotters of all-time, and one of only eight Globetrotters, in their almost 100-year history, to have his uniform number (22) retired; other retired Globetrotters uniform numbers include Wilt Chamberlain's (13), Marques Haynes' (20) and Meadowlark Lemon's (30). Displayed is a great opportunity to obtain a terrific basketball item, a Harlem Globetrotters knit warmup suit, with Curly Neal pants. Neal was born and raised in Greensboro, North Carolina, and he was a star guard at Johnson C. Smith University, in Charlotte, North Carolina. He averaged 23.1 PPG in his senior season at Johnson C. Smith and led the team to the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association title. He joined the Harlem Globetrotters immediately and filled a crucial role on the team - that of the ball-handling, playmaking guard, a role that demanded a super-dribbler and a consummate showman. The legendary Marques Haynes filled the role for many seasons on the Globies. Neal obtained his "Curly" nickname because when he joined the Globetrotters, he shaved his head, and in reference to the shaved head of the Three Stooges' Curly Howard, Neal picked up his memorable "Curly" moniker. Curly was an incredible dribbler, and he would demonstrate his amazing dribbling skill during games, dribbling on his knees, and even while twisting on his back. Neal played on the Globetrotters from 1963-85. Along the way, he played in 97 countries and in over 6,000 games. He also was particularly adept at making shots from far out, often from near or even past half court. Although Neal later said that he knew nothing about being funny when he first joined the Trotters, he quickly became a fan favorite for his warm smile and great sense of humor. He has appeared on numerous television shows, including The White Shadow, the Ed Sullivan Show, and the Harlem Globetrotters' Popcorn Machine. The offered warm-up suit has a Globetrotters warm-up top that is number 45, not Curly's. This blue top has red, white, and gold trim. The jacket's left chest has a sewn-on Harlem Globetrotters' patch, one that shows great use, with some small stains and some missing thread. The neck has a Wilson manufacturer's tag, showing size "44". Below the Wilson tag is a smaller tag whose printing is no longer visible. Also, in the neck is a "45" tag, for the number of the unknown player who wore the jacket. A colorful, decorative back flap, with red and white stripes and five gold stars, hangs over the back of the jacket. There are some loose threads and a small hole, about 0.25" in diameter, on the back. There are also a number of small stains in various areas of the jacket. The jacket zipper is rusted and does not zip. The included long warm-up full-length pants have a Wilson manufacturer's tag in the inside, below the waistband. The Wilson tag shows a machine printed "32" for waist size, and a handwritten "22", by an unknown source, for Neal's number. Below the manufacturer's tag is a "35 Ins (inseam)" tag. Only one of the waist strings is visible. The pants show great use. They do have a number of small stains. Included with the warm-up suit is an approx. 2.4x4.75" tag, from an unknown source, whose machine printing reads, in part, "HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS WARM-UP JACKET/PANTS CURLY NEAL." The offering is a colorful and unusual item, with great nostalgia for the immensely popular Curly Neal, who passed away in 2020, and his halcyon days with the miraculous Trotters.