After losing manager Red Auerbach to retirement in the 1966/67 season, Russell picked up the managerial position as a player-coach. MARTIN: Which, again, it just seems interesting that we don't necessarily put him in the same breath as those other kind of prominent athlete activists, you know, like Muhammad Ali. | So it was, like, an easy yes for me to say, I'd love to direct this film about Bill Russell. NBA legend and civil rights activist Bill Russell dies at 88 Then came the proving ground of Boston. Bill Russell was born on February 12, 1934. Bill Russell had a delayed emergence. Still yet Russell was without a doubt one of the finest players of his day. His early childhood was shaped by poor health, as the sickly Russell battled several different illnesses. Russell would not stand for racism in sports, which was ironic, given Bostons historical notoriety in that department. He was a man who grew up in Monroe, La., moved to Oakland with his family when he was a young, young man in his pre-teens. Even against more physically imposing centers, like .css-47aoac{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#A00000;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-47aoac:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}Wilt Chamberlain, Russell was a defensive and rebounding force. Born on 12 February 1934, Bill Russells age was 88 Years Old when he passed away on 31 July 2022. Russell anchored a Boston Celtics First Laker's owner Jack Kent Cooke had filled the rafters with purple and yellow balloons balloons and intended to drop them after the Lakers won. But there was more to it than that: the white Heinsohn was simply a more attractive candidate for many voters. Sam Pollard, thanks so much for talking with us. MARTIN: Exactly. The Celtics legend had four wives during his life, and is now the focus of a Netflix documentary called Bill Russell: Legend. What happened to Lil Durk at Lollapalooza 2022? His talent did not immediately shine through. Bill Russells first wife was Rose Swisher, whom he married on December 9, 1956. His autobiography, Second Wind: The Memoirs of an Opinionated Man (cowritten with Taylor Branch), was published in 1979. She detailed the racist vandalism the Russell familys Reading home faced once when they were out of town and listed the racist abuse Bill Russell endured from fans. Bill Russell, the great Boston Celtics center who died last summer at the age of 88, cuts a singular figure in the American sports firmament. He marched in Mississippi after the slaying of civil rights leader Medgar Evers. He posted a picture with her on January 25, 2021, as the couple renewed their wedding vows. Although possessing a perfect basketball height and huge hands to aid his efficiency, Bill Russell initially had struggles in understanding the game. That same year, in the NBA draft, the Boston Celtics orchestrated a deal with the St. Louis Hawks and traded for the draft rights to the young center. Stand up for yourself. Russell's life was marked by an uphill battle against racism and controversial actions and statements in response to racism. July 31, 2022 1:27pm. The 11-time NBA champion is survived by his wife Jeannine and two children. Despite winning 11 championships in 13 seasons with the Celtics, Russell greatly disliked playing in Boston and was often the target of racism. West Monroe, Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, United States, Mercer Island, King County, Washington, United States. According to CBS Sports, he was a track star at his university. Frustratingly, his sheer basketball excellence made his actions not only excusable for fans but tolerated in a way that bordered on dismissive. . He was voted league MVP five times. The world has many of them. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Bill Russell was an American former basketball coach and former professional basketball player who was universally acknowledged as one of the greatest American sportspersons of all time. He shares all three of his children with his first wife and college sweetheart, Rose Swisher, whom he divorced in 1973. Holds NBA Finals record for highest rebound per game average (29.5 rpg, 1959) and by a rookie (22.9 rpg, 1957). Being fearless in the real world even when dealing with matters of race in some of the nations darkest times on that topic was somehow even easier. When we first moved to the projects, my mother was getting everything together. The term Dynasty might have never applied to Basketball had it not been for Bill Russell. Bob Campbell/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images. And so, to do this took thought, planning and discretion and intelligence. The NBA legend was 88 years old at the time of his death. The relationship was broken apart in controversy because of Anstetts color. Before he won 11 NBA championships and five MVP awards before he won two national championships in His second wife, Dorothy "Didi" Anstett, was the 1968 Miss USA. While featuring in the high school team, he was dumped many times for his inability to comprehend game rules and scopes. When word of this got back to Bill Russell, he told his teammates something to the affect of "We're going to have to do something about that." Russell was married to his college girlfriend Rose Swisher from 1956 to 1973, they had three children but then grew apart and divorced in 1977. He is a best-selling author and thirty years after he won he remained a recognizable face and a legend. The former Boston Celtics legend is an 11-time NBA champion and widely regarded as one of the best players to ever play the game. Karen graduated from Harward Law School and has dissected high-profile trials and national political issues. He didn't love Boston. Do you know what I mean? He was the greatest and most dominant winner we've ever seen in the history of basketball. The comedy centered on a family in Harlem and addressed both the political and generational conflicts of the time. Like almost all Southern towns and cities of that time, Monroe was very segregated and the Russells often struggled with racism in They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. But if those souvenir hounds had taken Russell up on the chance to sit with him for a meal, they might have heard about his obsession with golf. This is just one of these examples. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Tributes to the late Bill Russell poured in after the basketball legends death on Sunday, with former president Barack Obama expressing his admiration and condolences on social media. During his days playing in the NBA, brands were not accustomed to signing sponsorship and endorsement deals with players. In 1969 most of the fabled Celtics had long been gone or had recently retired. POLLARD: Yeah, because I think most people see him just as a great sports figure, a legend on the basketball court, and really didn't really dig into how complex his life was off the court. He was a NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. He received as much as $100,001 annually, plus an extra $25,000 as a player-coach. He last led the Sacramento Kings as president of basketball operations in the late 1980s. He played alongside star point guard Bob Cousy for a number of years on the Celtics. Dorothy Catherine Anstett was born on June 28, 1947, and was one of nine children of an aircraft plant worker. NBA Boston Celtics, player/head coach (1966-1969). Why do you think that is? Five times he was named the NBAs Most Valuable Player, and his 21,620 rebounds are second only to Chamberlains career mark. However, they separated three years later in 1980. Bill Russell hated autographs. At the age of 9 he moved to Oakland. And finally today, we know it's all about football today, it being Super Bowl Sunday and all, but we're going to talk basketball for a minute to hear about one of the icons of that sport - Bill Russell. His family said on social media that Russell died on Sunday, July 31, 2022. From boycotting a 1961 exhibition game to unmask too-long-tolerated discrimination, to leading Mississippis first integrated basketball camp in the combustible wake of Medgar Evans assassination, to decades of activism ultimately recognized by his receipt of the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2010.. Bill Russell's selection to the Basketball Hall of Fame for his coaching career was announced on May 16, 2021. Over the next several decades he periodically came back to the game as a coach or as an executive, but his teams failed to win with the kind of regularity he enjoyed as a player. Sam Pollard, thanks so much for talking with us. UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: No. Named Russell William Wagner at birth, when he decided to become a classical music composer, he dropped his last nameas it already "was taken" by Richard Wagner. And so was his personality, as great as he was in basketball.. One of those that personally meant a lot to me was "Four Little Girls" about the 1963 Birmingham church bombings. Despite going through numerous struggles, he managed to stay strong and make the most out of the opportunity that was given to him. As a child, he witnessed how his parents were victims of racial abuse, and the family eventually moved into government housing projects to escape the daily torrent of bigotry. WebBill Russell was born in Monroe, Louisiana in 1934, to Katie and Charlie Louis Russell. He would not let his defeat in 1967 keep him down. He won 11 NBA titles in the 13 seasons that he played with the Boston Celtics, and he became the first African American coach of a modern major professional sports team in the United States when he was named the player-coach of the Celtics in 1966. Russell died Sunday at the age of 88, with his wife, Jeannine, at his side, his family said in a statement posted on social media. I mean, he had a major chip on his shoulder. I say yes maam. Russell anchored a Boston Celtics He was 88 years old. Have a good day. Bill was born to Katie and Charles Russell. If you have three hours and want to check out Russells story, you can watch this video right below. This is why you don't see just one author for this article. He recorded a mean score of 20.7 points and 20.3 rebounds per game. The 10 Greatest Basketball Players of All Time, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bill-Russell, Academy of Achievement - Biography of Bill Russell, Bill Russell - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up), The great Bill Russell remembered at NBA All-Star weekend. All-NBA Second Team (1958, 1960-1962, 1964, 1966-1968). In 1996 Russell married his third wife, Marilyn Nault. He defined the teams philosophy and its strategy. William Felton Russell was born Feb. 12, 1934 in Monroe, Louisiana. WebBill Russell was an American former basketball coach and former professional basketball player who was universally acknowledged as one of the greatest American In his 1st season, the Celtics failed to reach and win the NBA finals for the 1st time in 8 years. In 1966 Wilt Chamberlain was traded from the Golden State warriors to his new hometown Philadelphia 76ers. Over the years, Russells approach became the teams overall philosophy as athletic players who saw defense as a means to key the fast break were introduced into the roster. If you have concerns about something that doesnt look right in this Bill Russell Biography Facts, Childhood, Net Worth, Life, please dont hesitate to contact us. This season every NBA team is wearing the No.6 on the front of their jerseys to honor the great mans legacy. It's not rare for our writers and team members to collaborate and work together to create the articles you read on the site. His family said on social media that Russell died on Sunday, July 31, 2022. In 2010 Russell received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the countrys highest civil honor, from President Barack Obama. And I'm just going to play a short clip about that. Bill Russell had three kids, Karen, William Jr., and Jacob. The youngest son of the NBA legend hasn't led a very public life, which is why there isn't much information about him. His draft rights were traded by the Hawks to the Boston Celtics for Cliff Hagan and. POLLARD: Well, I was approached by Ross Greenberg, who used to be the president of HBO Sports, about two years ago to get involved with the film as a director. Bill Russell attended the University of San-Francisco and played on the school team presumably due to his height advantage. I didnt know what she was going to do. I went and told my mother. 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