Harlem Globetrotter Curly Neal dies at 77

Curly Neal.
(Image credit: Taylor Hill/Getty Images)

Harlem Globetrotters legend Fred "Curly" Neal died Thursday at his home near Houston. He was 77.

A standout on his high school and university basketball teams, Neal played for the Globetrotters from 1963 to 1985, traveling to 97 countries and appearing in more than 6,000 games. A fan favorite known for dribbling in circles around other players, Neal was also an Ambassador of Goodwill for the exhibition team. "We have lost one of the most genuine human beings the world has ever known," Globetrotters general manager Jeff Munn tweeted. "Curly's basketball skill was unrivaled by most, and his warm heart and huge smile brought joy to families worldwide."

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.