Monroe, Earl (1944-…), was an outstanding guard as both a college basketball player and as a professional in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Monroe was nicknamed “Earl the Pearl” and was famous for his spectacular spinning moves as he drove to the basket.
Vernon Earl Monroe was born in Philadelphia on Nov. 21, 1944. He attended Winston-Salem State College for four years, ending his college career with a sensational senior year in 1966-1967, averaging 41.5 points a game. His team won the NCAA College Division (now Division II) Championship, and Monroe was named the division’s Player of the Year.
The Baltimore Bullets of the NBA drafted Monroe in the first round in 1967, and he was named the league’s Rookie of the Year for the 1967-1968 season. He was traded to the New York Knicks during the 1971-1972 season. Monroe helped lead the Knicks to the 1972-1973 NBA championship with his scoring and defense. He played with the Knicks for the rest of his career, retiring after the 1979-1980 season. Monroe was elected to the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame in 1990.
