Man oh man, to see this footage brought back so many memories, Earl 'the pearl' Monroe, l idolized him as l was a kid in NYC in the early 70's (l was 15 in '73) and a huge NBA fan plus l played alot. l first noticed Earl when he was a Bullet and thought he was incredible. When he became a Knick l was ecstatic and that backcourt with him and Clyde was amazing and they MESMERIZED the Lakers in the Finals. A few years later on my first job ever l was a messenger in the City and travelled everywhere and met many celebrities, too many to count. Yet my biggest thrill was walking into an elevator on a high floor and Earl Monroe was the only one in there as l walked in. l was so shocked l dropped my shit all over the floor, and he helped me pick up some envelopes and handed them to me and l said "thanks." He did not say anything.. l knew who he was and he knew l knew. l noticed his teeth(prognathic ...Buckteeth) and l wanted to say something, anything. I mean here was my hero in the elevator with me and my mouth was frozen. We got down to the bottom and as the doors open he let out a small laugh, hardly audible, but it meant a lot to me cuz he acknowledged l was too shy to say anything, it was that obvious. He was the best as far as l was concerned. A magician !
Bron Jon I'll never forget when Earl (as a Bullet) would wave his teammates away from him so he could go one on one, back in and take a 25-35 footer and more often than not,. SInk the sucker!!! Simply amazing
This doesn’t do Monroe justice, and I’m a Knicks fan. It was with Baltimore that he was incredible, often just unstoppable. The battles with Frazier were great, and, good as Frazier was, Monroe was on another level offensively. His spin moves, ability to improvise while in the air - he was spectacular to watch, an acrobat long before Jordan arrived and that kind of athletic play became standard in the NBA.
Few would call him the GOAT but NONE the "GOAT"s of the time wanted to guard him. Made 'em look foolish...An innovator and a supreme scorer. Only one Pearl. Imagine for a moment Pearl and Pistol in the same backcourt...YIKES!!!
id second that in that era monroe and barry were virtually untouchable/unguardable. The later 60s into 70s too bad about ricks situation. Prolific pioneers of their skillsets. Epic footwork and counter moves...and jumpers and fade away jumpers on what would have been considered at the time a "BAD SHOT" trying to shoot over a bigger defender that savy skillset to beat them outright on a move to pull up quickly only set them up for the pump fakes later into the game.
@@tetraire3844 I tell all the young'un's who idolize Pistol Pete that Earl was a much better basketball player. He was not a ball hog and he didn't throw passes that went into the stands. He was so great and with the Knicks he became a good defensive player. Pete never got better.
and he probably couldn't dunk. I tell all the young'un's who idolize Pistol Pete that Earl was a much better basketball player. He was not a ball hog and he didn't throw passes that went into the stands. He was so great and with the Knicks he became a good defensive player. Pete never got better.
Man that’s KOOL!! The 1 being Smooth and Poetic with a B- Ball, the Pearl, and the Other being Dominate and Persuasive with the Spoken Word, Brother Curtis. Man it sure is Beautiful to walk down Memory Lane Sometimes. But Unfortunately Those Brothers not only brought US Much Joy, They Knew More then We were ABLE to Comprehend, because When You listen to What’s going On, from 50 years ago, Things haven’t Changed. It’s just Another day, with the Same Old Shit. But then there’s Brothers like LeBron, Steph, and Others, Whom with Their Millions are Willing to give back and make a Change that’s Lasting and not ONLY for Their People, but for Others as well. Things have got to get Better.
@@brianhardaway9716 Great post my friend. Any highlight reel of the pearl should have Curtis playing in the background .I'm English but grew up near a American airbase in England in The 70s There was a lot of black American kids at my school .Who told me about The pearl and DrJ I was hooked .We didn't get any NBA highlights here until the mid 80s the bird magic era , It was like watching sport from another galaxy 😊
Him and Walt frazier were hell of a back court for the knicks in the 73 chip team ....But his play for the bullets was another level .What a great player !
It's kind of interesting that most of this footage is Monroe, as a NY Knick, playing against his former team, the Baltimore/Washington Bullets. Actually, his best days were with the Bullets during the 60s.
@@hammer44head He coupled with Walt Frazier to create the best backcourt in the NBA, and forwards Bill Bradley and Dave Debuusure, along with center Jerry Lucas helped out a bit too
This was one of my favorite players as a kid from the old Baltimore Civic Center days. When the bullets moved from Baltimore to the Washington are I still loved Earl Monroe. It broke mt heart as a teenager when he was traded to NY, but I still kept up with my beloved bullet. But I was happy that he went to a great team that won a couple of championships. But in my heart he will forever be a bullet/wizard. Best wishes Mr. Monroe.
There is a reason why he was called "The Pearl"!!!! I remember seeing him in games vs the Knicks and he would be shooting our lights out!!!! It could not get mad at him because even though he was killing my NY Knicks, he was showing us what awesome basketball looks like!!! He was showing me what the Globetrotters could do if they ever "got serious"!!! Lol!!!!
My biology and basketball coach called Mr. Penello talked about his favorite player years back in the 90s and he told me to check out his game. I am checking out his game and yes the shake and bake is true. What groove to play b-ball! Thank you Mr. Penello and Earl "The" Pearl Monroe! I LOVE YOU GUYS!. Big hug from Javi.
I haven't watched Earl since the 70's. His spin repertoire was unique. He could get open in a "phone booth". (You might have to google that term to appreciate how skilled he was.)
The first NBA game I ever watched on TV (or anywhere for that matter) was an All Star Game I believe back in 1972. The second game I ever watched was a NY Knicks and LA Lakers game. Earl “The Pearl” Monroe and Walt Frazier became immediate favorites of mines (still are to this day) along with others like Willis Reed and Dave DeBusschere to name just a few. On the other side of the court were and still are to this day as favorites Wilt “The Stilt” Chamberlain and Jerry “Mr. Clutch” West. It was that romantic type of basketball in which as a fan, you felt in love with those athletes and enjoyed every minute they were in the court and when it was time for you to play some ball in your neighborhood with your friends after the game, you tried to imitate them because they were your models to follow. It is really a nice feeling reminiscing about those days when you were just a kid. I just went on a mental roller coaster back to my childhood and it felt so good being able to see once again (at least in my mind) some of those friends I haven’t seen in decades, and some of the departed ones that I will never see again. Thank you PockyCandy for sharing this gem.
I have always maintained that they would have beaten the lakers in '72.It was a perfect match up for the Knicks. Frazier at this point was better than West. Monroe was better that Goodrich, Bradley was better that McMillen, DeBuscherre was miles better than Hairston and Wilt was towards the end of his career. Lucas's outside shooting would negate Chamberlain. DeBusherre was injured in game 1 and if you remember the Knicks blew out the Lakers in game 1 by 30 points. The next year they blew out the Lakers. Finally, I tell all the young'un's who idolize Pistol Pete that Earl was a much better basketball player. He was not a ball hog and he didn't throw passes that went into the stands. He was so great and with the Knicks he became a good defensive player. Pete never got better.
The day me and all the kids in my neighborhood heard that the Knicks had acquired "Earl The Pearl" we were happy beyond all words!!! Let's put it this way "There was JOY in the land!!!!!" We all felt this way "With the Pearl on our team no one can stop us!!!!!!"
What about when they acquired Spencer Haywood and Bob McAdoo a few years later? Unfortunately didn't work out but on paper that looked awfully good too.
Oh man, this is wonderful and brings back so many memories. I love the sound of the 8mm videotape that we used to have to watch films on before VHS, DVDs or youtube. Only one thing wrong with this: it was too much New York Earl, not enough Baltimore Earl.
I met Earl Monroe. 1974 he was in Portland for a game and he was shopping at a mall. Nobody knew who he was except me. I introduced myself and shook his hand. I modeled my hoop game after Earl and others Practicing his spins paid out off well
MJ's spin move and transition to one side while back facing the rim look literally the same. Even the way to switch driving leg, the angles of joints. Wow!!!
not to mention his PUMP FAKE game. Where do u think it came from LMAO. He said a lot of his game is actually from David thompson/nc state which other than the high flying does remind me of monroe as well as far as the malicious intent on scoring on anyone and taking a mis-match on a big as an opportunity to humiliate them much the way CP3 relishes the opportunity.
@@anhiirr He was a much better dribbler than any of them plus you couldn't carry as the ref's immediately called palming the minute your hand went to the side of the ball.
I tell all the young'un's who idolize Pistol Pete that Earl was a much better basketball player. He was not a ball hog and he didn't throw passes that went into the stands. He was so great and with the Knicks he became a good defensive player. Pete never got better.
@@GnofgMaravich was a good ball handler; however, was not much of a " shooter." He was a " scorer " who needed to" launch a lot of shots to just to get a half way decent scoring average. As to his having a high scoring average collegiately,that is due to his taking virtually ALL the shots for his LSU team coach ed by his father.
He was my penpal when i was in the fifth grade ('73-74).My 5th grade teacher's husband worked for the Knicks, plus they would have training camp at the then Monmouth College in West Long Branch. Me, being from and living in Long Branch we'd see them all of the time. Once, my best friend at the time in 9th grade ('77) Bob McAdoo and Spencer Haywood were playing tennis on our schools tennis court. They gave us autographs, wrist bands, headbands, but we wanted their tennis racquets.
Monroe invented so much...Hard to believe he is forgotten...But he and Pistol Pete were the GOAT...The Pearl says Chamberlain was the best ever. Monroe was like a 100 years ahead of his time.
Master of the spin move the pump fake the hesitation dribble the long 2 and the AND 1. Unguardable in the age of hand checking . No one thought the pairing with Frazier would work but he was unselfish and saw the whole floor.
I tell all the young'un's who idolize Pistol Pete that Earl was a much better basketball player. He was not a ball hog and he didn't throw passes that went into the stands. He was so great and with the Knicks he became a good defensive player. Pete never got better.
when the defenders beat so bad theyre already checking to see if the shot is gonna miss/rebound bc closing out isnt even an option bc they got beat so bad on the move/pull up. A pioneer of the modern skillset we require of combo guards these days.
The spin move with the pump fake was money for Pearl and like other stars from that era his shooting touch was outstanding. The NBA game has evolved but certain aspects from that time translate to today's game and Pearl had them including ball handling, along with the shooting touch and his ability to get off tough shots.
Monroe was so much fun to watch, I used to stay home from school functions if they fell on a game night, beit BuLLets then Knicks. He'd get called for travelling when making his moves so by todays officiating he would have had a Lot more Scores. He had such great touch but wasnt the greatest athlete but just took his time until he manipulated his opponent & his body to get the shot up. He ran Like he had bad knees. It was quite a back court combo with WaLt Frazer. The Patented Spin Move was the cooLest, of which I copied & used in Jr High & High SchooL. Those were the Days thanks for the Video
I remember seeing the Pearl playing vs the Knicks. I remember he used to "rain" jumps shot on us. It was like a heavy down pour of rain!!! So when the Knicks acquired him ... I thought to myself the Knicks will surely win another championship!!! And they did.
I was born 1970 So I watched Earl ( of course I know who he is) few times on TV and some old tapes. I m sure he deserve much more !!! If I remember good Denzel Washington use to act guy in movie who have his character
I grew up in that era of the NBA and Earl "The Pearl" Monroe was the shit actually.. He had a flair game that kids tried to emulate cause he had cold dribbling skills that looked as if he was palming or dribbling ball high, but you couldn't steal the ball and he had those Double Pumped Shots and he was creative on offense.. I loved his Baltimore Bullet years with Wes Unsel, Jack Marin etc .. But the Frazier-Monroe backcourt was one of the best guard combos in NBA history, but its never mentioned...
Pearl was a master of the spin move, behind the back, double clutch, in your face disgrace player. You didn't mind forking over the dough if you were gonna watch Pearl spin his craft, especially Baltimore Bullets Pearl.
@@klicknkreate7077 exactly in your face disgrace player just like barry i love it. The tape of some of their seemingly unconscious performances is chilling pioneers of the modern craft/game of today sum 50 years+ ago and most "HIGH" prospects dont even have complete games year 10. Some drafted HIGHLY bc of "potential" they never scratch the surface of...players like barry and monroe would have eaten them alive.
@@anhiirr Totally. Although the Pearl could spin either right or left or go behind the back in either direction, Earl loved to spin to his right and go from there. What a master!
I tell all the young'un's who idolize Pistol Pete that Earl was a much better basketball player. He was not a ball hog and he didn't throw passes that went into the stands. He was so great and with the Knicks he became a good defensive player. Pete never got better.
Do some others watching see kind of a smaller Gervin in Earl? Neither really beat you with speed, but with unorthodox, creative shots. Each was great at adjusting to the defender(s).
I see what your saying his athleticism is effortless look like kobe Bryan athleticism with spin move and a superior pump fake and better than Magic Johnson passer
when i watch andre miller tape it largely reminds me of earl the pearl and i was born in the 90s so i never got to see earl play other than classics tapes of the finals/playoffs. Or these reels.
His knees were terrible pretty early on, so had to rely on quickness and deception. And of course his shot was as good as it gets, including using the glass whenever possible. You can see him limping down the court in a lot of these clips.
I remember the year Clyde and the Pearl were having these incredible duels and my friends and I were saying if we only had Earl on the Knicks. The next year we had him. We couldn't believe it. Monroe and Frazier in the backcourt. It's just unbelievable that we haven't had a championship since way back then. Those knick teams were the epitome of team players.
The first player in NBA history to be too good for his own era. Earl Monroe was made for the late 70s early 80s with his ball handling & shot making ability + his playmaking ability.
Magic b4 Magic was Earl the Peal Monroe...WOW!!! A Str8 out scoring machine. An get this totally unbelievable he couldn’t jump more then 3 inches off the ground.Amazing
He was a better dribbler than all of them. I tell all the young'un's who idolize Pistol Pete that Earl was a much better basketball player. He was not a ball hog and he didn't throw passes that went into the stands. He was so great and with the Knicks he became a good defensive player. Pete never got better.
Bullets with Wes Unseld, Gus Johnson and Monroe could have been perennial contenders, but the team wouldn't pay Monroe a decent salary, even after he was Rookie of the Year and made the All-Star team. He left for the Knicks, and the rest is history.
As much credit (deserved) that he gets for his amazing offensive skills, he was also a selfless and thoughtful winner. Upon his arrival in NYC, he utterly checked ego and adopted the Knick’s team-first, hit-the-open-guy mentality. This makes him a much more special person than would just being a great player.
I tell all the young'un's who idolize Pistol Pete that Earl was a much better basketball player. He was not a ball hog and he didn't throw passes that went into the stands. He was so great and with the Knicks he became a good defensive player. Pete never got better.
i knew a guy in high school in the sixties named Vincent hatcher who played like this. completely random moves ..except to him. you never knew what he would do next , but he did and he went right around you . other high school players had no answer for this.
Earl when guarded tight one-on-one would craft the rhythm on his dribble and head fakes to get his opponent to jump to block then jump himself to cause contact , draw the foul, make the shot and the free throw. The rhythm was his own.
1:50 interesting they kept his traveling violation in the highlight reel. A good example of a traveling call that would not be called in the current era.
and he didn't palm as the ref's immediately called that infraction. I tell all the young'un's who idolize Pistol Pete that Earl was a much better basketball player. He was not a ball hog and he didn't throw passes that went into the stands. He was so great and with the Knicks he became a good defensive player. Pete never got better.
Jerry West once observed: "Pete Maravich & Earl Monroe are the only guys I'd pay to see play!" He was the 'magical' half of one of the top 5 back courts in NBA history (Clyde & the Pearl, NY Knicks). The other 4? Lakers - West & Goodrich; Warriors - Curry & Thompson; Pistons - Isaiah & Joe Dumars; Lakers - Magic & anyone else! Monroe & Pistol Pete were the two greatest ball-handlers of the '60s & '70s era.
I tell all the young'un's who idolize Pistol Pete that Earl was a much better basketball player. He was not a ball hog and he didn't throw passes that went into the stands. He was so great and with the Knicks he became a good defensive player. Pete never got better.
Man that was my Childhood. Although coming from Philly and being a DR.J Fan and 76ers Fan, on the Court I was MR. Herky Jerky Earl the Pearl Monroe!! I had that Spin move down Yo. The knicks had the Coolest Players in the NBA. Imagine when a Behind the back pass was Flashy, or a Spin move was Fantastic? The 70‘s were when Black Players brought the Streets to the Hardwood. It was also the time when Black Players enjoyed a type of Hero or Role Model function. There were no Drug abuses, that We knew of, or getting arrested, or going broke. Wilt, Clyde, Earl, Oscar, Lew, and DR. J showed Us young Black Men that it was KOOl to be Black. Then B-Ball was split into the shooters, West, Maravich, Havlicek, mostly the White Players, with the exception of Big O, and the Hell Raisers, Clyde, DR. J, Chocolate Thunder, ICE Man Gervin, Willis, and My Man Earl the Pearl. These Cats were not only Kool but they didn’t take no Shit from Nobody. Like Jack Johnson, these Brothers lived the life They wanted and weren’t making ANY excuses. To see Earl and Clyde with White Chicks, driving RR Convertibles, wearing Fur coats, was not readily accepted by a White Conservative Sport Audience, but with time it was what it was, SHOW TIME!! Although today there’s many Gifted players, but back then, when B-Ball was in the Transition from what Mr. Naismith intended, to Behind the Back passes, Spin Moves, Dribbling between the Legs, and the ability to Fly for a few seconds, the SLAM DUNK!! A big influence to B-Ball were the Harlem Globetrotters, with Meadowlark Lemon, Wilt the Stilt Chamberlain, and Connie the Hawk Hawkins. Most Young Folks don’t realize that after the Negroe League, where B-Ball was Segregated, a Group was formed to show the Others that They were as good or Better while having FUN but still Showcasing Their Incredible Skills. Imagine making a half court Hook shot EVERY TIME? Many of the Globetrotters were drafted in the NBA but many refused to sign because of the racial oppression They felt. I believe through the Globetrotters the Black NBA Players utilized the Playground game, and showed the Conservative Boring White Spectators that B-Ball was FUN. Yeah, Earl and the Fellas paved the way for LeBron, KG, MJ, Kemp, and Curry. One thing is CONSTANT in America. You can’t Separate a fun giving thing like Sports, from the Racist Foundation of America’s His Story. What’s Real Pervers is that although MANY of the Spectators are Racist and these last 4+ years have given Them FODDER for Their Ignorance, 99,9% have a Favorite B-Ball Player who is Black, and the Stands are filled with These same Racists, Who are willing to spend Their Chips to see Folks that They SUPPOSEDLY don’t like. As a matter of fact a Racist Spectator was trying to explain His Racism by saying He hates Blacks. But when asked Who His Favorite B-Ball Player was He said, MJ!! He was asked, But He’s Black, and this Intelligent Soul Said, No He’s not? See, Racism is just that, IGNORANCE!!
I truly love your comment just as I loved the ballers of the 60s, regardless of their "race". MLK's speech, the greatest ever, was in '64 and many knew that it was the great truth of our age. The world was beginning the breakthrough to what we all hope will be a better future for all. In that year I watched Hawk LIVE with the Trotters do things waaay beyond his times or even today. In the mid/late 70s. I lived in Philly and watched Doc and Thunder and Maurice and Henry and Andrew and George and Bobby J give the NBA and the country something to think about. Great ball and fun to watch. The half court hook...amazing but there it was to see. Pearl was not thought of as a GOAT but no GOAT of that time wanted to guard him cuz they'd look foolish. I tip my hat to you for your well reasoned insight to the game and the times. But please remember that not all white folks are racists. To some extent, we are all accidents of our birth and no one ever chose the circumstances of our birth, we are instead dealt the cards we must play in our lives. Any and all racists are an embarrassment to more rational folks. Individuals make their own choices, good and bad, and as individuals they should be judged, "by the quality of their character, not by the color of their skin".
You should read "breaks of the game" by david halberstam. You will love it and it might make you cry. also,I tell all the young'un's who idolize Pistol Pete that Earl was a much better basketball player. He was not a ball hog and he didn't throw passes that went into the stands. He was so great and with the Knicks he became a good defensive player. Pete never got better.
Monroe had more moves than a Swiss watch. And the Bullets had some funky looking uniforms for a couple of years before they became the Washington Bullets.
Great baller! He is on my NBA 2K team, ‘The Wizards.’ I decided to look up highlites of his court performance and to gain an incite on how to better use him. Im 6-1 so far. Lets go Wizards
now his is anew one , "the pearl" the Nat "king" cole of piano styling and an singing smoothest in bball history as a bullets and knicks , in short incomparablely un4gettable !!!!!!!!!!
This was magic johnson before that was magic johnson And remember ariel had to play against wilt chamberlain and against kareem Abdul-Jabbar And he still always found a way to show just how great he was on the basketball court Earl the pearl One of the greatest offensive players of all time
Man oh man, to see this footage brought back so many memories, Earl 'the pearl' Monroe, l idolized him as l was a kid in NYC in the early 70's (l was 15 in '73) and a huge NBA fan plus l played alot. l first noticed Earl when he was a Bullet and thought he was incredible. When he became a Knick l was ecstatic and that backcourt with him and Clyde was amazing and they MESMERIZED the Lakers in the Finals.
A few years later on my first job ever l was a messenger in the City and travelled everywhere and met many celebrities, too many to count.
Yet my biggest thrill was walking into an elevator on a high floor and Earl Monroe was the only one in there as l walked in. l was so shocked l dropped my shit all over the floor, and he helped me pick up some envelopes and handed them to me and l said "thanks." He did not say anything.. l knew who he was and he knew l knew. l noticed his teeth(prognathic ...Buckteeth) and l wanted to say something, anything. I mean here was my hero in the elevator with me and my mouth was frozen. We got down to the bottom and as the doors open he let out a small laugh, hardly audible, but it meant a lot to me cuz he acknowledged l was too shy to say anything, it was that obvious. He was the best as far as l was concerned. A magician !
He could've said a million things while in the elevator, Namath would have.
Stories are in the heart
You're lucky i wish i was 15 in 1973.
Bron Jon Why didnt u say something smh. Just say. Damn your right what would I say hmmmm
Bron Jon I'll never forget when Earl (as a Bullet) would wave his teammates away from him so he could go one on one, back in and take a 25-35 footer and more often than not,. SInk the sucker!!! Simply amazing
This doesn’t do Monroe justice, and I’m a Knicks fan. It was with Baltimore that he was incredible, often just unstoppable. The battles with Frazier were great, and, good as Frazier was, Monroe was on another level offensively. His spin moves, ability to improvise while in the air - he was spectacular to watch, an acrobat long before Jordan arrived and that kind of athletic play became standard in the NBA.
Few would call him the GOAT but NONE the "GOAT"s of the time wanted to guard him. Made 'em look foolish...An innovator and a supreme scorer. Only one Pearl. Imagine for a moment Pearl and Pistol in the same backcourt...YIKES!!!
id second that in that era monroe and barry were virtually untouchable/unguardable. The later 60s into 70s too bad about ricks situation. Prolific pioneers of their skillsets. Epic footwork and counter moves...and jumpers and fade away jumpers on what would have been considered at the time a "BAD SHOT" trying to shoot over a bigger defender that savy skillset to beat them outright on a move to pull up quickly only set them up for the pump fakes later into the game.
@@tetraire3844 I tell all the young'un's who idolize Pistol Pete that Earl was a much better basketball player. He was not a ball hog and he didn't throw passes that went into the stands. He was so great and with the Knicks he became a good defensive player. Pete never got better.
and he probably couldn't dunk. I tell all the young'un's who idolize Pistol Pete that Earl was a much better basketball player. He was not a ball hog and he didn't throw passes that went into the stands. He was so great and with the Knicks he became a good defensive player. Pete never got better.
I'm watching the footage and can see him sealing off his opponents arms a lot. Thats a developed discipline.
I loved Earl when I was a kid -- still do. You see so much of him in the stars who came after.
Even in Jordan you see some Earl Monroe.
The inovator supreme ! He was the Curtis Mayfield of basketball ...
Spot on.
Man that’s KOOL!! The 1 being Smooth and Poetic with a B- Ball, the Pearl, and the Other being Dominate and Persuasive with the Spoken Word, Brother Curtis. Man it sure is Beautiful to walk down Memory Lane Sometimes. But Unfortunately Those Brothers not only brought US Much Joy, They Knew More then We were ABLE to Comprehend, because When You listen to What’s going On, from 50 years ago, Things haven’t Changed. It’s just Another day, with the Same Old Shit. But then there’s Brothers like LeBron, Steph, and Others, Whom with Their Millions are Willing to give back and make a Change that’s Lasting and not ONLY for Their People, but for Others as well. Things have got to get Better.
@@brianhardaway9716 Great post my friend. Any highlight reel of the pearl should have Curtis playing in the background .I'm English but grew up near a American airbase in England in The 70s There was a lot of black American kids at my school .Who told me about The pearl and DrJ I was hooked .We didn't get any NBA highlights here until the mid 80s the bird magic era , It was like watching sport from another galaxy 😊
Him and Walt frazier were hell of a back court for the knicks in the 73 chip team ....But his play for the bullets was another level .What a great player !
Yeah that's my cousin met with him a family reunion when I was 12 years old
It's kind of interesting that most of this footage is Monroe, as a NY Knick, playing against his former team, the Baltimore/Washington Bullets. Actually, his best days were with the Bullets during the 60s.
Yep and imo the Knicks kinda put him in a box and didnt really let him shine and control the court like he did with the other teams u mentioned.
yeah, but Earl won rings on the Knicks whereas with the bullets just some box scores.
@@hammer44head He coupled with Walt Frazier to create the best backcourt in the NBA, and forwards Bill Bradley and Dave Debuusure, along with center Jerry Lucas helped out a bit too
@@lwmson haha i' m a Laker homer so walt and pearly are close second to West and Goodrich. Knicks were awesome early 70's
@@hammer44head West I can see, but Gail Goodrich? Ehh, come on. Lol
HE GOT GAME brought me here...
Me too
He go left right 😂😂😂
Me too 😂
This was one of my favorite players as a kid from the old Baltimore Civic Center days. When the bullets moved from Baltimore to the Washington are I still loved Earl Monroe. It broke mt heart as a teenager when he was traded to NY, but I still kept up with my beloved bullet. But I was happy that he went to a great team that won a couple of championships. But in my heart he will forever be a bullet/wizard. Best wishes Mr. Monroe.
There is a reason why he was called "The Pearl"!!!! I remember seeing him in games vs the Knicks and he would be shooting our lights out!!!! It could not get mad at him because even though he was killing my NY Knicks, he was showing us what awesome basketball looks like!!! He was showing me what the Globetrotters could do if they ever "got serious"!!! Lol!!!!
Incredible body control and he was great at changing speeds to keep defender on his heels and oh yeah he could stick a jumper in your face too.
damm! Black jesus, the pearl, the creator of the spin move!! still waiting on Bernard King!
You'll probably get your Bernard King video in the summer. I'm going to go crazy with the NBA vids when school is out (^_^)
watching this again and realize that he's been doing that IT(the current) hesitation move way back then lol
One of the GREATEST shake and Bakers EVER The Pearl
My biology and basketball coach called Mr. Penello talked about his favorite player years back in the 90s and he told me to check out his game. I am checking out his game and yes the shake and bake is true. What groove to play b-ball! Thank you Mr. Penello and Earl "The" Pearl Monroe! I LOVE YOU GUYS!. Big hug from Javi.
I haven't watched Earl since the 70's. His spin repertoire was unique. He could get open in a "phone booth". (You might have to google that term to appreciate how skilled he was.)
The first NBA game I ever watched on TV (or anywhere for that matter) was an All Star Game I believe back in 1972. The second game I ever watched was a NY Knicks and LA Lakers game. Earl “The Pearl” Monroe and Walt Frazier became immediate favorites of mines (still are to this day) along with others like Willis Reed and Dave DeBusschere to name just a few. On the other side of the court were and still are to this day as favorites Wilt “The Stilt” Chamberlain and Jerry “Mr. Clutch” West.
It was that romantic type of basketball in which as a fan, you felt in love with those athletes and enjoyed every minute they were in the court and when it was time for you to play some ball in your neighborhood with your friends after the game, you tried to imitate them because they were your models to follow. It is really a nice feeling reminiscing about those days when you were just a kid. I just went on a mental roller coaster back to my childhood and it felt so good being able to see once again (at least in my mind) some of those friends I haven’t seen in decades, and some of the departed ones that I will never see again. Thank you PockyCandy for sharing this gem.
I have always maintained that they would have beaten the lakers in '72.It was a perfect match up for the Knicks. Frazier at this point was better than West. Monroe was better that Goodrich, Bradley was better that McMillen, DeBuscherre was miles better than Hairston and Wilt was towards the end of his career. Lucas's outside shooting would negate Chamberlain. DeBusherre was injured in game 1 and if you remember the Knicks blew out the Lakers in game 1 by 30 points. The next year they blew out the Lakers.
Finally,
I tell all the young'un's who idolize Pistol Pete that Earl was a much better basketball player. He was not a ball hog and he didn't throw passes that went into the stands. He was so great and with the Knicks he became a good defensive player. Pete never got better.
The day me and all the kids in my neighborhood heard that the Knicks had acquired "Earl The Pearl" we were happy beyond all words!!! Let's put it this way "There was JOY in the land!!!!!" We all felt this way "With the Pearl on our team no one can stop us!!!!!!"
I remember it well
What about when they acquired Spencer Haywood and Bob McAdoo a few years later? Unfortunately didn't work out but on paper that looked awfully good too.
Earl was actually pretty subdued at the Knicks. He used to carry on with the bullets.
Slickest, coolest player ever.
Haha had to see it for my self ,can’t trust max all the time !!! JK
Walt fraizer
Oh man, this is wonderful and brings back so many memories. I love the sound of the 8mm videotape that we used to have to watch films on before VHS, DVDs or youtube. Only one thing wrong with this: it was too much New York Earl, not enough Baltimore Earl.
the good old days......i was a student at nyu , we loved you man, the best of all times !
I met Earl Monroe. 1974 he was in Portland for a game and he was shopping at a mall.
Nobody knew who he was except me. I introduced myself and shook his hand.
I modeled my hoop game after Earl and others Practicing his spins paid out off well
MJ's spin move and transition to one side while back facing the rim look literally the same. Even the way to switch driving leg, the angles of joints. Wow!!!
Who u think MJ got it from
Do you mean Monroe’s spin move?
MJ definitely got some game from Monroe and Dr. J
not to mention his PUMP FAKE game. Where do u think it came from LMAO. He said a lot of his game is actually from David thompson/nc state which other than the high flying does remind me of monroe as well as far as the malicious intent on scoring on anyone and taking a mis-match on a big as an opportunity to humiliate them much the way CP3 relishes the opportunity.
@@anhiirr He was a much better dribbler than any of them plus you couldn't carry as the ref's immediately called palming the minute your hand went to the side of the ball.
One of the most underrated players of all time!
Another basketball magician 🎩with connie Hawkins, pete maravich
I tell all the young'un's who idolize Pistol Pete that Earl was a much better basketball player. He was not a ball hog and he didn't throw passes that went into the stands. He was so great and with the Knicks he became a good defensive player. Pete never got better.
Earl Monroe, was on the NBA top 50 list and the 75th anniversary too
Thats why he's in the hall of fame . number retired on the NBA top 50 and top 75 of all time and NBA champion thats not underrated dum dum
@@GnofgMaravich was a good ball handler; however, was not much of a " shooter." He was a " scorer " who needed to" launch a lot of shots to just to get a half way decent scoring average. As to his having a high scoring average collegiately,that is due to his taking virtually ALL the shots for his LSU team coach ed by his father.
He was so smooth man, like watching a brisk wind coming down the court
He was my penpal when i was in the fifth grade ('73-74).My 5th grade teacher's husband worked for the Knicks, plus they would have training camp at the then Monmouth College in West Long Branch. Me, being from and living in Long Branch we'd see them all of the time. Once, my best friend at the time in 9th grade ('77) Bob McAdoo and Spencer Haywood were playing tennis on our schools tennis court. They gave us autographs, wrist bands, headbands, but we wanted their tennis racquets.
I worked as an engineer for Earl' company out in Jersey and he was a lovely man and the epitome of what a gentleman should be.
Monroe invented so much...Hard to believe he is forgotten...But he and Pistol Pete were the GOAT...The Pearl says Chamberlain was the best ever. Monroe was like a 100 years ahead of his time.
It is truly astonishing how far modern day workouts have changed sports in 50 years.
they are better athletes nowadays but not better ballplayers
OMG, thanks for uploading this. Earl The Pearl was a SAVAGE.
Master of the spin move the pump fake the hesitation dribble the long 2 and the AND 1. Unguardable in the age of hand checking . No one thought the pairing with Frazier would work but he was unselfish and saw the whole floor.
I tell all the young'un's who idolize Pistol Pete that Earl was a much better basketball player. He was not a ball hog and he didn't throw passes that went into the stands. He was so great and with the Knicks he became a good defensive player. Pete never got better.
2:05 what an incredible Dream Shake... Got a lot to learn from the great Earl Monroe.
when the defenders beat so bad theyre already checking to see if the shot is gonna miss/rebound bc closing out isnt even an option bc they got beat so bad on the move/pull up. A pioneer of the modern skillset we require of combo guards these days.
The spin move with the pump fake was money for Pearl and like other stars from that era his shooting touch was outstanding. The NBA game has evolved but certain aspects from that time translate to today's game and Pearl had them including ball handling, along with the shooting touch and his ability to get off tough shots.
Monroe was so much fun to watch, I used to stay home from school functions if they fell on a game night, beit BuLLets then Knicks. He'd get called for travelling when making his moves so by todays officiating he would have had a Lot more Scores. He had such great touch but wasnt the greatest athlete but just took his time until he manipulated his opponent & his body to get the shot up. He ran Like he had bad knees. It was quite a back court combo with WaLt Frazer. The Patented Spin Move was the cooLest, of which I copied & used in Jr High & High SchooL. Those were the Days thanks for the Video
I remember seeing the Pearl playing vs the Knicks. I remember he used to "rain" jumps shot on us. It was like a heavy down pour of rain!!! So when the Knicks acquired him ... I thought to myself the Knicks will surely win another championship!!! And they did.
absolutely fantastic ball handling and spinmove
Earl Monroe invented the spin move, I didn't see enough of that in these highlights...
The pearl was a gem!
Fond memories of watching The Pearl playing with the Bullets at the old Civic Center in Baltimore.m
Denzel knew what he was sayin
What did Jake say?
Earl the Pearl was the man👍
Here after max told me to look him up, gotta say he was giving people the business
70s basketball was such a beauty to watch
Couldn’t jump a lick yet win he did he did unbelievable moves He was the original PEARL ..... Earl the PEARl Monroe 🏀
I was born 1970
So I watched Earl ( of course I know who he is) few times on TV and some old tapes.
I m sure he deserve much more !!!
If I remember good Denzel Washington use to act guy in movie who have his character
I grew up in that era of the NBA and Earl "The Pearl" Monroe was the shit actually..
He had a flair game that kids tried to emulate cause he had cold dribbling skills that looked as if he was palming or dribbling ball high, but you couldn't steal the ball and he had those Double Pumped Shots and he was creative on offense..
I loved his Baltimore Bullet years with Wes Unsel, Jack Marin etc ..
But the Frazier-Monroe backcourt was one of the best guard combos in NBA history, but its never mentioned...
Pearl was a master of the spin move, behind the back, double clutch, in your face disgrace player. You didn't mind forking over the dough if you were gonna watch Pearl spin his craft, especially Baltimore Bullets Pearl.
@@klicknkreate7077 exactly in your face disgrace player just like barry i love it. The tape of some of their seemingly unconscious performances is chilling pioneers of the modern craft/game of today sum 50 years+ ago and most "HIGH" prospects dont even have complete games year 10. Some drafted HIGHLY bc of "potential" they never scratch the surface of...players like barry and monroe would have eaten them alive.
@@anhiirr Totally. Although the Pearl could spin either right or left or go behind the back in either direction, Earl loved to spin to his right and go from there. What a master!
I tell all the young'un's who idolize Pistol Pete that Earl was a much better basketball player. He was not a ball hog and he didn't throw passes that went into the stands. He was so great and with the Knicks he became a good defensive player. Pete never got better.
fadeaway jumpers and head fakes what a pioneer.
His mid-range was stupid wicked ‼️🤷🏽♂️
I wish this showed Earl back in his Baltimore Bullet days. He was unbelievable back then, some real battles with the Bullets and Knicks.
No athleticism, just flat-out CREATIVITY! You had to be there!
Do some others watching see kind of a smaller Gervin in Earl? Neither really beat you with speed, but with unorthodox, creative shots. Each was great at adjusting to the defender(s).
No athletetsism whattt he was very athletic
I see what your saying his athleticism is effortless look like kobe Bryan athleticism with spin move and a superior pump fake and better than Magic Johnson passer
when i watch andre miller tape it largely reminds me of earl the pearl and i was born in the 90s so i never got to see earl play other than classics tapes of the finals/playoffs. Or these reels.
His knees were terrible pretty early on, so had to rely on quickness and deception. And of course his shot was as good as it gets, including using the glass whenever possible. You can see him limping down the court in a lot of these clips.
I remember the year Clyde and the Pearl were having these incredible duels and my friends and I were saying if we only had Earl on the Knicks. The next year we had him. We couldn't believe it. Monroe and Frazier in the backcourt. It's just unbelievable that we haven't had a championship since way back then. Those knick teams were the epitome of team players.
The first player in NBA history to be too good for his own era. Earl Monroe was made for the late 70s early 80s with his ball handling & shot making ability + his playmaking ability.
These videos don’t do him justice you had to have seen him to appreciate how he glided how smooth he was.
Earl made it look easy, but his moves on the court and going to the basket were amazing and masterly!
Magic b4 Magic was Earl the Peal Monroe...WOW!!! A Str8 out scoring machine. An get this totally unbelievable
he couldn’t jump more then 3 inches off the ground.Amazing
He was a better dribbler than all of them. I tell all the young'un's who idolize Pistol Pete that Earl was a much better basketball player. He was not a ball hog and he didn't throw passes that went into the stands. He was so great and with the Knicks he became a good defensive player. Pete never got better.
@@Gnofg TRUE
He should have been called a top. Because nobody had SPIN MOVES like him.
Pearl was the pioneer of elevating the skill of having great handles to the NBA.
I had been looking for a replica of his old bullets jersey. NO longer in existence.
Bullets with Wes Unseld, Gus Johnson and Monroe could have been perennial contenders, but the team wouldn't pay Monroe a decent salary, even after he was Rookie of the Year and made the All-Star team.
He left for the Knicks, and the rest is history.
As much credit (deserved) that he gets for his amazing offensive skills, he was also a selfless and thoughtful winner. Upon his arrival in NYC, he utterly checked ego and adopted the Knick’s team-first, hit-the-open-guy mentality. This makes him a much more special person than would just being a great player.
Earl Monroe revolutionized guard play in the 70s. I think that these clips don't do him justice as a passer, but dude could pile up points in a hurry.
I tell all the young'un's who idolize Pistol Pete that Earl was a much better basketball player. He was not a ball hog and he didn't throw passes that went into the stands. He was so great and with the Knicks he became a good defensive player. Pete never got better.
i knew a guy in high school in the sixties named Vincent hatcher who played like this. completely random moves ..except to him. you never knew what he would do next , but he did and he went right around you . other high school players had no answer for this.
Earl when guarded tight one-on-one would craft the rhythm on his dribble and head fakes to get his opponent to jump to block then jump himself to cause contact , draw the foul, make the shot and the free throw. The rhythm was his own.
You can see the magic Johnson spin move is inspired by the pearl crazy
Earl(The Pearl)Monroe is a fun player to watch👍
"off-balance, still scores"
Doesn't have to jump to score
Those were the days my friends we thought they'd never end. But the three points line got it. 😪😴.
He was so acrobatic
1:50 interesting they kept his traveling violation in the highlight reel. A good example of a traveling call that would not be called in the current era.
and he didn't palm as the ref's immediately called that infraction. I tell all the young'un's who idolize Pistol Pete that Earl was a much better basketball player. He was not a ball hog and he didn't throw passes that went into the stands. He was so great and with the Knicks he became a good defensive player. Pete never got better.
On my day in va everybody wanted to play like earl the pearl
I love your videos man.
As a Knicks' fan, loved the Pearl teamed with Clyde in the backcourt. But his days with the Bullets and Winston-Salem before that, Good Lord.
Jerry West once observed: "Pete Maravich & Earl Monroe are the only guys I'd pay to see play!" He was the 'magical' half of one of the top 5 back courts in NBA history (Clyde & the Pearl, NY Knicks). The other 4? Lakers - West & Goodrich; Warriors - Curry & Thompson; Pistons - Isaiah & Joe Dumars; Lakers - Magic & anyone else!
Monroe & Pistol Pete were the two greatest ball-handlers of the '60s & '70s era.
I tell all the young'un's who idolize Pistol Pete that Earl was a much better basketball player. He was not a ball hog and he didn't throw passes that went into the stands. He was so great and with the Knicks he became a good defensive player. Pete never got better.
I swear no one could dish and faint like The Pearl
Pistol was no joke either, I guess pistol is to me what pearl is to yall
The spin dribble is what we kids always tried to imitate.
@@youllneverknow_123 two of the best. The Pearl was more physical and athletic but Pistol was more creative and the better shooter IMO
Man that was my Childhood. Although coming from Philly and being a DR.J Fan and 76ers Fan, on the Court I was MR. Herky Jerky Earl the Pearl Monroe!! I had that Spin move down Yo. The knicks had the Coolest Players in the NBA. Imagine when a Behind the back pass was Flashy, or a Spin move was Fantastic? The 70‘s were when Black Players brought the Streets to the Hardwood. It was also the time when Black Players enjoyed a type of Hero or Role Model function. There were no Drug abuses, that We knew of, or getting arrested, or going broke. Wilt, Clyde, Earl, Oscar, Lew, and DR. J showed Us young Black Men that it was KOOl to be Black. Then B-Ball was split into the shooters, West, Maravich, Havlicek, mostly the White Players, with the exception of Big O, and the Hell Raisers, Clyde, DR. J, Chocolate Thunder, ICE Man Gervin, Willis, and My Man Earl the Pearl. These Cats were not only Kool but they didn’t take no Shit from Nobody. Like Jack Johnson, these Brothers lived the life They wanted and weren’t making ANY excuses. To see Earl and Clyde with White Chicks, driving RR Convertibles, wearing Fur coats, was not readily accepted by a White Conservative Sport Audience, but with time it was what it was, SHOW TIME!! Although today there’s many Gifted players, but back then, when B-Ball was in the Transition from what Mr. Naismith intended, to Behind the Back passes, Spin Moves, Dribbling between the Legs, and the ability to Fly for a few seconds, the SLAM DUNK!! A big influence to B-Ball were the Harlem Globetrotters, with Meadowlark Lemon, Wilt the Stilt Chamberlain, and Connie the Hawk Hawkins. Most Young Folks don’t realize that after the Negroe League, where B-Ball was Segregated, a Group was formed to show the Others that They were as good or Better while having FUN but still Showcasing Their Incredible Skills. Imagine making a half court Hook shot EVERY TIME? Many of the Globetrotters were drafted in the NBA but many refused to sign because of the racial oppression They felt. I believe through the Globetrotters the Black NBA Players utilized the Playground game, and showed the Conservative Boring White Spectators that B-Ball was FUN. Yeah, Earl and the Fellas paved the way for LeBron, KG, MJ, Kemp, and Curry. One thing is CONSTANT in America. You can’t Separate a fun giving thing like Sports, from the Racist Foundation of America’s His Story. What’s Real Pervers is that although MANY of the Spectators are Racist and these last 4+ years have given Them FODDER for Their Ignorance, 99,9% have a Favorite B-Ball Player who is Black, and the Stands are filled with These same Racists, Who are willing to spend Their Chips to see Folks that They SUPPOSEDLY don’t like. As a matter of fact a Racist Spectator was trying to explain His Racism by saying He hates Blacks. But when asked Who His Favorite B-Ball Player was He said, MJ!! He was asked, But He’s Black, and this Intelligent Soul Said, No He’s not? See, Racism is just that, IGNORANCE!!
I truly love your comment just as I loved the ballers of the 60s, regardless of their "race". MLK's speech, the greatest ever, was in '64 and many knew that it was the great truth of our age. The world was beginning the breakthrough to what we all hope will be a better future for all. In that year I watched Hawk LIVE with the Trotters do things waaay beyond his times or even today. In the mid/late 70s. I lived in Philly and watched Doc and Thunder and Maurice and Henry and Andrew and George and Bobby J give the NBA and the country something to think about. Great ball and fun to watch. The half court hook...amazing but there it was to see. Pearl was not thought of as a GOAT but no GOAT of that time wanted to guard him cuz they'd look foolish. I tip my hat to you for your well reasoned insight to the game and the times. But please remember that not all white folks are racists. To some extent, we are all accidents of our birth and no one ever chose the circumstances of our birth, we are instead dealt the cards we must play in our lives. Any and all racists are an embarrassment to more rational folks. Individuals make their own choices, good and bad, and as individuals they should be judged, "by the quality of their character, not by the color of their skin".
You should read "breaks of the game" by david halberstam. You will love it and it might make you cry. also,I tell all the young'un's who idolize Pistol Pete that Earl was a much better basketball player. He was not a ball hog and he didn't throw passes that went into the stands. He was so great and with the Knicks he became a good defensive player. Pete never got better.
How sweet were those Washington Bullets uni's!
LOL. Earl didn't have highlights; he WAS a highlight reel in itself all game long.
he love that right hand dribble 😂
He had that jelly layup package
Monroe had more moves than a Swiss watch. And the Bullets had some funky looking uniforms for a couple of years before they became the Washington Bullets.
Who else is here from ESPN First Take
Much Gratitude
Here because of First Take!
He was Earl the Pearl for a reason!
imagine these legendary players with the same technology current players have today, you can tell this poor guy's feet are killing him lol
THE PEARL EARL MONROE OF ALL TIME
Master of the Shake 'n Bake.
Great baller! He is on my NBA 2K team, ‘The Wizards.’ I decided to look up highlites of his court performance and to gain an incite on how to better use him. Im 6-1 so far. Lets go Wizards
Here because basketball love story he is nice
Coolest player ever
thxs
I see a lot of influence on the next gen of stars. See jordan, isiah and many other moving like earl
James Harden got a lot of Pearl Monroe in his game.
Unstoppable!
Ref said he walked all the way to the store @ 1:55, but you still a baller Earl the Pearl 😂😂😂
The smoothest player in history
now his is anew one , "the pearl" the Nat "king" cole of piano styling and an singing smoothest in bball history as a bullets and knicks , in short incomparablely un4gettable !!!!!!!!!!
There were no two better ball-handlers in NBA history than Pete Maravich & Earl Monroe!
Connie Hawkins
this was the MJ in the 70s
ksean st.peter 60s too
He was unstoppable like Jordan, but the guy who reminded me of 'Pearl' the most was Gus Williams from the Supersonics!
No Julius Erving was the MJ of the 70’s hes way better then this guy you fucking idiot
Wilt, Kobe and The Pearl! Philly in the House!
The Pearl had a soft shot that rolls in like soft butter
"Jesus!!!".
This was magic johnson before that was magic johnson
And remember ariel had to play against wilt chamberlain and against kareem Abdul-Jabbar
And he still always found a way to show just how great he was on the basketball court
Earl the pearl
One of the greatest offensive players of all time
Earl the pearl is actually my great uncle