Like an exhilarating jazz interlude, Earl Monroe dazzled NBA fans on the court with his improvisational style of play. Before LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson or even Julius Irving, there was Earl “the Pearl.”
Ask those who saw Monroe play and they will tell you he was poetry in motion, brilliance on the basketball court, music in the flesh. So there should have been no surprise that when Monroe finally decided to tell his story he enlisted the services of celebrated St. Louis poet and author Quincy Troupe, the man who helped pen the autobiography of jazz legend Miles Davis.
In their book Earl the Pearl: My Story, Monroe and Troupe transport the reader to the streets of Philadelphia, where Monroe’s game was born. In Philly, the man commercially known as “The Pearl” earned nearly as many nicknames on the court as he had moves. Chants of “Thomas Edison” (for his inventive moves), “Black Magic” and “Black Jesus” rang out through the Philly gyms and courts whenever Monroe had the ball in his hands.
The book chronicles Monroe’s fast growth from being introduced to the game of basketball as a 14-year-old through the relentless hard work, dedication and grit of his extraordinary career. Still, this isn’t just a basketball book.
Troupe helped capture the dramatic backdrop to Monroe’s athletic success. Tales of neighborhood violence, racism, the Civil Rights Movement, family struggle, women, partying, setbacks, struggles, death and his trademark pride are all chronicled. Monroe’s tale gives a stunning look at the life of one of the NBA’s 50 greatest players.
“The main thing in telling story was trying to tell people exactly who I was,” Monroe told The American. “I wanted to let people get to see me up close and understand why things happened the way that they did – that it’s all a part of learning, growing and understanding.”
Monroe’s pairing with Troupe seems as perfect as one of Black Jesus’ precision, no-look, behind-the-back passes. Troupe was an accomplished basketball player in his own right, playing on the collegiate level and in the U.S. Army. When Monroe reached out to Troupe to discuss the book, he was surprised to find out they lived in the same apartment complex in New York. Troupe’s intimate knowledge of the game sparked a bond and helped him to capture the essence of Monroe’s basketball skills. Also, as a poet, Troupe captured the rhythm of Monroe’s game and story.
“Earl changed the game of basketball with his spin move and razzle dazzle,” Troupe said. “He brought street ball, the playground game, to the NBA and made people love it. He was an artist on the court.”
The spin moves, between-the-legs dribbling, double-clutch layups and flair shown on SportsCenter on a nightly basis was almost non-existent in the professional game before Monroe suited up for the Bullets and Knicks. While some attribute such wizardry to “Pistol” Pete Maravich or Bob Cousy, “Black Jesus” entered the league walking on water and tantalized fans three years before Maravich arrived. He racked up a Rookie of the Year award as well as an All-Star appearance while Maravich was still in college.
“Cousy wasn’t anywhere near Earl Monroe,” Troupe stated flatly. “People paid to see Earl. People started screaming. He had magic. When he walked in the room, people stopped what they were doing. That’s the type of presence he had.”
Monroe doesn’t think today’s generation of players truly have an appreciation for his contributions to the game. Looking at grainy footage on the internet or a DVD isn’t quite the same as watching him live and witnessing his impact on the game firsthand. Still, he takes satisfaction in seeing his influence on the NBA.
“Today’s game is my game,” Monroe stated. “It’s about being good and entertaining.”
While the gratification is nice, it’s not the reason for My Story. The timing of the book was designed to help commemorate the 40th anniversary of the New York Knicks’ 1973 world championship. That title helped Monroe gain his legitimacy as an all-time great.
“I always felt winning was the only thing,” Monroe said. “I didn’t do this to be recognized. I did this for the love of the game.”
