 Chamberlain became a member of the Globetrotters team which made history by playing in Moscow in 1959 , enjoyed a sold out tour of the USSR and prior to the start of a game at Moscow 's Lenin Central Stadium , were greeted by the General Secretary Nikita Khrushchev . One particular Trotter skit involved Trotters captain Meadowlark Lemon collapsing to the ground , and instead of helping him up , Chamberlain threw him several feet high up in the air and caught him like a doll . " [ Chamberlain ] was the strongest athlete who ever lived " , the 210 @-@ pound Lemon later recounted . In later years , Chamberlain frequently joined the Trotters in the off @-@ season and fondly recalled his time there , because he was no longer jeered at or asked to break records , but just one of several artists who loved to entertain the crowd . On March 9 , 2000 , Chamberlain 's number 13 was retired by the Trotters . 
