Vernon Earl "Earl 'The Pearl' Monroe" was an American professional basketball player who played 13 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Baltimore Bullets and the New York Knicks. He was a six-time NBA All-Star and a two-time All-NBA selection. Monroe was known for his flashy style of play, his smooth ball-handling skills, and his ability to score in bunches. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1990.
Early life and college career
Monroe was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on November 21, 1944. He attended Winston-Salem Teachers College (now Winston-Salem State University), where he was a star basketball player. Monroe led the Rams to the NCAA Division II championship in 1967 and was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.
