Earl Manigault facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Earl Manigault
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Manigault dunking the ball, 1991
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| Born | September 7, 1944 |
| Died | May 15, 1998 (aged 53) New York City, U.S.
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| Nationality | American |
| Other names | The Lip |
| Occupation | Street basketball player |
Earl Manigault (born September 7, 1944 – died May 15, 1998) was an American street basketball player. He was known by his nickname "The Goat." Many people believe he was one of the best basketball players who never joined the NBA.
Contents
Early Life and the Nickname "The Goat"
Earl Manigault was born in Charleston, South Carolina. He grew up in Harlem, New York. From a young age, he loved playing basketball and practiced all the time.
He became a star player at Benjamin Franklin High School. He scored an amazing 57 points in one game when he was in junior high school. Even though he was a great player, Earl faced challenges that led to him leaving high school. He later finished school at a private academy in North Carolina. There, he averaged 31 points and 13 rebounds per game.
Earl went to Johnson C. Smith University for college. However, he left after one semester because he struggled with school and coaching.
The nickname "Goat" has a few possible beginnings. Some say a teacher mispronounced his name as "Mani-Goat." Others say he was called "The Goat" because he was quiet. But the most popular idea is that "GOAT" stands for "Greatest Of All Time." This idea stuck, and many people still call him that. The "Happy Warrior Playground" in Manhattan is even known as "Goat Park" because of him.
A famous basketball mentor named Holcombe Rucker helped guide Earl.
Basketball Skills and Legends
Manigault was famous for how high he could jump on the basketball court. Many stories about his skills are popular legends from the playground. One famous story is about his "double dunk." People said he could dunk the ball, catch it, switch hands, and dunk it again, all in one jump! However, Earl himself said this story was not true.
Another legend says he could touch the top of the backboard to grab money. The top of the backboard is 13 feet high, and Earl was only 6 feet 1 inch tall. This would mean he had to jump over 60 inches, which is very difficult. This story has also never been confirmed.
Earl said he wore ankle weights when he was young to help him jump higher. He once won a $60 bet by doing 36 reverse dunks in a row! But he wasn't just a dunker. He practiced hundreds of shots every day, making him a great long-range shooter too.
Earl played with many top players of his time, like Earl Monroe, Connie Hawkins, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, a famous NBA star, once said that Earl Manigault was the greatest player he had ever played with or against.
Earl is also featured in a 2012 documentary film called Doin' It in the Park. This movie is about street basketball in New York City.
Later Life and Helping Others
After his college time, Manigault returned to Harlem. He tried out for a professional team called the Utah Stars, but he did not make the team. He never played basketball professionally. He also turned down an offer from the Harlem Globetrotters.
Earl started the Goat Tournament, a summer basketball competition. Famous NBA players like Bernard King and Mario Elie played in this tournament.
In 1979, Earl moved to Charleston with his two youngest sons. He returned to New York in 1980 and brought back the Goat Tournament. He never married, but he started a tournament for kids in Harlem called "Walk Away From Drugs." He spent many of his later years working with children on the basketball court.
Earl earned a living by painting houses and mowing lawns. He also worked for the local recreation department. In the late 1980s, he faced financial difficulties and had serious heart problems. He had two heart operations in 1987. He later became a counselor and coach at La Guardia Memorial House in East Harlem.
Earl once said, "For every Michael Jordan, there's an Earl Manigault. We all can't make it. Somebody has to fall. I was the one."
Death
Earl Manigault died in 1998 from heart failure. He was 53 years old. He passed away at Bellevue Hospital in New York City. He had undergone heart surgery twice before, including surgery on two heart valves in 1989. Doctors had said for years that he needed a heart transplant, but he was not able to get one because of his health.
Legacy
Earl Manigault is remembered as one of the greatest basketball players who never made it to the NBA. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar called him "the best basketball player his size in the history of New York City." The basketball courts at 98th Street became known as "Goat Park" because of his amazing play there.
His high-flying style of play is believed to have influenced other great players. These include Julius Erving and Michael Jordan. Even though he never played in the NBA, stories about Earl Manigault have spread widely. His life and play have been shown in magazines, books, and movies. In 1996, HBO made a TV movie about his life called Rebound: The Legend of Earl "The Goat" Manigault. The actor Don Cheadle played Earl in the movie.
Images for kids
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Manigault dunking the ball, 1991
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Manigault at the Goat Park in 1989
See also
In Spanish: Earl Manigault para niños
