There was no greater winner in team sports. I hope the younger generation doesn’t forget Bill Russell, even if they never saw him play or heard him speak.
And where would the Pearl have been without Dancing Harry?
dancHarry1.jpg
https://blackmeninamerica.com/i-reme...y-harold-bell/
Duke could use a funky dancing demon at home games, ala Harry.
Larry
DevilHorse
There was no greater winner in team sports. I hope the younger generation doesn’t forget Bill Russell, even if they never saw him play or heard him speak.
A number of years ago, I saw a few basketball games announced by Bill Russell. He along with Al Mcquire were two of my favorite announcers for basketball.
I was a huge fan of Bill and the Celtics when he was winning all those championships. He has to be in the conversation for greatest basketball player of all time. Bill was a great ambassador for basketball and will be deeply missed.
This to me is the greatest honor for Bill Russell, naming the Finals MVP Award after him.
https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba/...jtpsp188blunre
He defined the Finals and personified winning. Naming the trophy after him makes sure kids will never forget who he was and what he accomplished.
Any kid who aspires to block shots playing basketball should be forced to watch five minutes of Bill Russell action. As Red Auerbach said, none of this "blocking the ball into the third balcony" stuff; Bill was a master at gently blocking the ball and then either grabbing it or tipping it to a teammate...
I’m jealous of those of you who watched Russell play. I’m old enough to have seen him but I was raised by Pentecostal grandparents who unfortunately thought tv was the Devil’s playground (watching tv today they may have been onto something!). So my pro bball viewing was delayed until I went to college in NJ in 1970. I remember watching the likes of Earl Monroe, “DeBush”, Bill Bradley, Havlicek, Cowens, etc, but unfortunately Russell retired one year prior so I never got to see him play. I’ve never been one to watch old games on Youtube but maybe it’s time to make an exception? Anyone have any Russell Youtube games to recommend? Doesn’t need to be an important playoff game - just some good games while he was still near his prime.
I "met" Bill Russell at Wash U in 2013. A family member of his (grandson?) was graduating from law school. Tried to get a picture with him (I asked after he was just standing there not talking to anybody for 5+ minutes, wasn't a picture from afar), but the person who he was with (spouse?) shooed me away, hahaha, and I didn't get the picture. Meanwhile, he didn't say anything or have any expression to my request. I googled him afterward and does seem like he wasn't necessarily a fan of giving out signatures and tried to avoid it, so makes some sense. I get that celebrities don't want to be constantly inundated. Of course, I'm not suggesting this is a knock on his character at all -- but that was my one and only personal interaction. I'm not old enough to have seen him play, but clearly he was a dominant force and has done great work after basketball with his life. Perhaps the greatest "winner" in basketball history. RIP Bill Russell!! You will be missed.
Heard a stat about Russell on NBA Radio this afternoon, in his career (College, Olympics and Pros) he played in 21 elimination games and was 21-0 in those games.
For guys who didn't get to see him play...you can read about his shot blocking and rebounding, but the thing that always impressed me was the outlet pass. After grabbing a rebound, it was almost instantaneous that he would make an outlet pass, usually to mid court, often to K.C. Key to the Celtics fast break.
Hadn't recalled this, but Russell was a standout in track and field also. From wiki:
Besides basketball, Russell represented USF in track and field events. He was a standout in the high jump and according to Track & Field News was ranked the seventh-best high-jumper in the world in 1956, his graduation year, despite not competing in Olympic high-jump competition.[19][40] That year, Russell won high jump titles at the Central California Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) meet, the Pacific AAU meet, and the West Coast Relays (WCR). One of his highest jumps occurred at the WCR, where he achieved a mark of 6 feet 9+1⁄4 inches (2.06 m);[41] at the meet, Russell tied Charlie Dumas, who would later in the year win gold in the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia for the United States and become the first person to high-jump 7 feet (2.13 m).[42] Like fellow world-class high-jumpers of that era, Russell did not use the Fosbury Flop high-jump technique with which all high jump world records after 1978 have been set.[43][44] He also competed in the 440 yards (402.3 m) race, which he could complete in 49.6 seconds.[45]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_R...rack_and_field
Hope y’all are ready for this!
https://youtu.be/JWelUNrJUMM
Holy s#@%!!!
Sad news. Bill Russell was a true champion. On the court and off.
RIP Champ!
NBA Communications: Bill Russell’s No. 6 jersey to be retired throughout NBA
The National Basketball Association (NBA) and National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) announced today that they will honor the life and legacy of 11-time NBA champion and civil rights pioneer Bill Russell by permanently retiring his uniform number, 6, throughout the league. The iconic Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer will be the first player to have his number retired across the NBA.
“Bill Russell’s unparalleled success on the court and pioneering civil rights activism deserve to be honored in a unique and historic way,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. “Permanently retiring his No. 6 across every NBA team ensures that Bill’s transcendent career will always be recognized.”