It's not rare for our writers and team members to collaborate and work together to create the articles you read on the site. In school, he was a natural track star and led his high school basketball team to consecutive state titles. This article was created by a combination of a few writers and editors from Sporty Tell. An explanation van Breda Kolff gave to Chamberlain was "we're doing fine without you." We go back to our place and Im crying. 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." Bill Russells daughter, Karen, was born in 1962. Stand up for yourself. Only Russell remained of the fabled Boston Celtics, except for the emerging superstar John Havlichek, and aging star Sam Jones. After taking the first two at home the Lakers returned to the Boston Garden to lose the next two. Russell went to the police, who surmised that raccoons must be the culprits. He was not ready for the coaching job, and did an all around bad job, sadly enough. "Here is a Black man from Oakland, surrounded by Black people most of his life," Pollard said. She is still very active and frequently appears on MSNBC and CNN, among many other media platforms. And there was no hesitation on my part because I grew up in the '60s. Why this film and why now? Cowboys for Trump cofounder Couy Griffin has been found not guilty of a misdemeanor charge of failing to register a political group and provide financial disclosures at a trial in southern New Mexico, Former President Barack Obama is marking the retirement of the South Carolina woman credited with popularizing the chant Fired up, ready to go!, Top diplomats from the worlds major industrialized and developing nations have opened what are expected to be contentious talks dominated by Russias war in Ukraine and Chinas moves to boost its global influence, Authorities say a central Florida man has been arrested after fatally shooting his teenage daughter and three other people, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has vowed to strengthen state control over agriculture and make all available efforts to increase grain production, as the country faces a worsening food shortage, The man convicted of killing eight people in a terrorist attack on a Manhattan bike path declined to testify in the death penalty phase of his trial, just as he had before the jury returned guilty verdicts, Privacy PolicyTerms of ServiceSign Up For Our NewslettersSite Map, Copyright 2023, The San Diego Union-Tribune |, FILE - Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell stands court side during a tribute in his honor in the second quarter of an NBA basketball game against the Milwaukee Bucks in Boston, Nov. 1, 2013. He shares all three of his children with his first wife and college sweetheart, Rose Swisher, whom he divorced in 1973. As the decade progressed, the Celtics continued to make history. Over the course of his 13-year NBA career, Russell steered the club to 11 titles. He suffered a financially depressed childhood and faced racial discriminations as a black in the southern state of Louisiana, United States. In his 1st season, the Celtics failed to reach and win the NBA finals for the 1st time in 8 years. 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. After his initial retirement from basketball as a player-coach, Russell worked as a commentator from 1970-73 then returned to basketball to coach the Seattle Supersonics. 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She represented the USA atMiss Universe 1968in July, where she placed fourth runner-up. He posted a picture with her on January 25, 2021, as the couple renewed their wedding vows. It was a breakthrough that would change not only his life but, in the long term, basketball itself. Bills third wife was Marilyn Nault, whom he married in 1996. WebWilliam "Bill" Russell (February 26, 1905 August 9, 1992) was an American music historian and modernist composer. That was the way I conducted my life.. A cause of death wasnt given, nor did a family statement say where he died. WebFamily Life. The NBA legend was a victim of racism, and not even his basketball fame helped him. POLLARD: Yeah, I hope that they walk away understanding that he was not only a great basketball player, but he was also a great man and a complicated man. He was drafted second overall, by the St. Louis Hawks, but was traded to the Boston Celtics for Ed Macauley, in a deal spearheaded by Red Auerbach, the coach of the Boston Celtics. BroBible is the #1 place on the internet for the very best content from the worlds of sports, culture, gear, high tech, and more. But by his senior year, his game had picked up enough to earn him a starting spot. The NBA legend was 88 years old at the time of his death. Boston Celtics fans say Bill Russell was so much more than a basketball star. He had made great strides within the game of basketball, but the restless, conscientious Russell felt that there were bigger battles to fight. It was the start of an unprecedented championship run for Russell and the Celtics. His mind was bigger than basketball, author Taylor Branch, who spent about a year living with Russell near Seattle in the 1970s while working with him on a book, said Sunday. Although Bill Russell played less than 50 games, due to the fact he has won a gold medal for basketball in the Olympics, in his first NBA season he definitely made his presence felt. William Felton Russell Jr., also known as "Buddha," lost a courageous battle with cancer. She is still alive today. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The couple married in 2018 when Russell was 84. MARTIN: Exactly. He was a five-time NBA MVP, an 11-time NBA Champion with the Boston Celtics (twice as a coach), and hes a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame as both a coach and a player. Get top headlines from the Union-Tribune in your inbox weekday mornings, including top news, local, sports, business, entertainment and opinion. He received as much as $100,001 annually, plus an extra $25,000 as a player-coach. West Monroe, Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, United States, Mercer Island, King County, Washington, United States. Like, how did he deal with all of that? Declared Greatest Player in the History of the NBA by the Professional Basketball Writers Association of America (1980). Russell was married three times. Russell married his first wife Rose in 1956, and the couple had their first child, William Jr., the year after. Bill passed away with Jeannine by his side. Russell's daughter, Karen, is a legal and political analyst, as well as a blogger. The Celtics legend had four wives in his life, and married former Miss USA Dorothy Anstett four years after separating from Rose Swisher. Bill Russell, the most prolific winner in American sports history, passed away peacefully today at age 88, with his wife, Jeannine, by his side, his family wrote. And now Netflix is out with a new documentary. After her marriage to Bill ended, Rose stayed out of the limelight and lived a relatively secluded life. He shared all three kids with his first wife Rose Swisher. His autobiography, Second Wind: The Memoirs of an Opinionated Man (cowritten with Taylor Branch), was published in 1979. Off the court, he was a force in the fight for human He later received a scholarship from the University of San Francisco. He passed away peacefully in his sleep on January 25, 2016. 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. I mean, you've won so many accolades. NBA 35th Anniversary All-Time Team (1980). In the 1958/59 season, the Celtics won the NBA championship with Russell making the most defensive impact in the team. . In 1969 most of the fabled Celtics had long been gone or had recently retired. Full Article. Bill Russell, byname of William Felton Russell, (born February 12, 1934, Monroe, Louisiana, U.S.), American basketball player who was the first outstanding defensive centre in the history of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and one of the sports greatest icons. He won 11 NBA titles in the 13 seasons that he played with Granted, it was in part because no one could deal with the moody Russell except Russell himself, but it still made him the first African American coach in NBA history, as well as the first to win a title when Boston took the 196768 championship. Bill Russel biography facts, childhood, net worth and personal life present a complete rundown of the profile, career and life from childhood to date, of the 12-time All-Star and 5-time NBA MVP. The couple got divorced in 1973. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the San Diego Union-Tribune. He is an American by nationality and has a belief in the Catholic Christian religion. SAM POLLARD: If it weren't for Bill Russell winning all them championships, would anybody be talking about the Boston Celtics? Somebody had broken in and defecated on the family bed and made - you know, wrote things on the wall and on his garage door. Or expensive cars with souped-up sound systems so he could blare the music of Laura Nyro, Janis Ian, or Crosby, Stills and Nash some of his favorites. In 2010 Russell received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the countrys highest civil honor, from President Barack Obama. In the 1962/63 season, Russell was named the NBA Most Valuable Player and won the honour again the following year after winning the NBA championship again. 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. Legendary center who was a 5-time NBA MVP and 12-time All-Star selection. Russell was the first player to win an Olympic Gold Medal, an NBA Championship, and a collegiate championship. Even after he became a s Watch out, Pettit. Bill was born to Katie and Charles Russell. The ball went up, and Bob Pettit of the Hawks and I jumped for it. But the way she took care of it was; okay, youre going to fight every 1 of them. However, they divorced in 1973. He married Rose Swisher, his college sweetheart, in 1956. 15 Episodes of Seinfeld That Teach Everything You Need To Know About Life, Read more sports articles on BroBible right here, 5-time NBA MVP Bill Russell shared a story from his childhood that he says changed his life forever, It took place right when he and his mother moved to the projects and he was attacked by a stranger, his mother then took charge of the situation. He endured insults and vandalism, but he kept on focusing on making the teammates who he loved better players, and made possible the success of so many who would follow, Obama said that day. INSIDE THE LAKERS LEGENDS RELATIONSHIPS, WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT LEBRON JAMES DAD ANTHONY MCCLELLAND, FANS ASK WHATS WRONG WITH ANTHONY DAVIS? AFTER REACTION TO LEBRON BREAKING RECORD, Best Jake Paul vs Tommy Fury memes after undefeated Brit beats YouTuber, {{#media.media_details}} {{#media.focal_point}}. NBA Most Valuable Player (1958, 1961-1963, 1965). While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Following his passing on Sunday at 88, tributes poured in fast Even as he won on the court, Russell, an outspoken backer of the Civil Rights Movement, experienced his struggles off of it. Best Known For: Hailed as the greatest winner in sports, Basketball Hall of Fame center Bill Russell led the Boston Celtics to an unprecedented 11 championships in 13 seasons. Bill was born in Louisiana in 1934. Concentration and mental toughness are the margins of victory. A the time of his death, he was married to his fourth wife Jeannine, who is believed to have been a competitive golfer. Bill Russell married his college Girlfriend Rose Swisher in 1956 and had one daughter named Karen Russell and two sons named POLLARD: My pleasure, Michel. They are Jacob Russell,William Russell Jr.,and Karen Russell. He was part of the March on Washington. Associated With. And so was his personality, as great as he was in basketball.. NPR's Michel Martin speaks with director Sam Pollard about his new documentary Bill Russell: Legend, which is now streaming on Netflix. They are the only children Bill had. Bill Russell was born on February 12, 1934. Sam Pollard, thanks so much for talking with us. Once again, there was an element of chance involved: Auerbach had never seen Russell play and instead had to rely on the word of a trusted peer. Bills third wife was Marilyn Nault, whom he married in 1996. Holds NBA Finals single-game record for most free throws attempted in one half (15, April 11, 1961) vs. St. Louis; most rebounds (40, March 29, 1960 vs. St. Louis and April 18, 1962 vs. Los Angeles); most rebounds by a rookie (32, April 13, 1967 vs. St. Louis); and most rebounds in a quarter (19, April 18, 1962 vs. Los Angeles). MARTIN: So before we let you go, what's important to you? Bill Russell turns 88-years-old this February and has lived such an incredible life in the world of sports its almost hard to really wrap the brain around. But we learned that, you know, he had a very interesting life and complicated life off the court. I knew about the rivalry between him and Wilt Chamberlain. Go back to Africa, you baboon. She's also provided commentary on the high-profile cases of NBA players like Kobe Bryant and Jayson Williams. He married Dorothy Anstett, Miss USA, in 1968, but divorced in 1980. All-NBA Second Team (1958, 1960-1962, 1964, 1966-1968). Like almost all Southern towns and cities of that time, Monroe was very segregated and the Russells often struggled with racism in Bill Russell was born in 1934 in Louisiana and when he was eight years old his family moved west to Oakland, California during WWII looking for a new life. Bill Russell achieved a lot during his life. Saw no point to them. Two years later, the couple welcomed a second son, Bill Russells first wife was Rose Swisher, whom he married on December 9, 1956. During his days playing in the NBA, brands were not accustomed to signing sponsorship and endorsement deals with players. But without Bill Russell there is no doubt the Boston Celtics would not be the rock-solid professional sports team they have become in their legendary run of championships. But the Celtics kept winning, and he remained the engine that made them go. It wasnt long before the defensively adept Russell proved to be dominating presence, with a scorers touch and uncanny ability to rebound. Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. Publicity Listings In his second season with the Celtics, Russell bought a house in Reading. While in Oakland he was very poor but became a skillful basketball player. I mean, he had a major chip on his shoulder. The statement draws attention to his achievements and contributions outside the field over the years. He was voted league MVP five times. The Celtics legend had four wives during his life, and is now the focus of a Netflix documentary called Bill Russell: Legend. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. On the road it was not uncommon for him to have to sleep in a different hotel from the one the rest of the club used. Russell brought an aspect to basketball that had rarely been explored before: defense. He was also involved in several build-ups and could intelligently help the team in tight areas and big games. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. His new documentary "Bill Russell: Legend" is streaming now on Netflix. Russell immediately made an impact by improving the Celtics defence with his shot-blocking talent. He Had Three Children with His First Wife Together, Russell and Swisher had three children: daughter Karen, and sons William Jr. and Jacob. Holds NBA Finals record for highest rebound per game average (29.5 rpg, 1959) and by a rookie (22.9 rpg, 1957). It's no conversation. William Felton Russell was born Feb. 12, 1934 in Monroe, Louisiana. All rights reserved. I had seen Bill Russell play. And these 5 guys ran by. Without Chamberlain and an injured Jerry West, it was not enough to defeat the Celtics, who won by only two points.Russell later said Chamberlain was week, and should have demanded to go back into the game. I didnt know what she was going to do. He was the greatest and most dominant winner we've ever seen in the history of basketball. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Hailed as the greatest winner in sports, Basketball Hall of Fame center Bill Russell led the Boston Celtics to an unprecedented 11 championships in 13 seasons. He was then married to Dorothy Anstett from 1977 to 1980 and Marilyn Nault from 1996 to 2009. Yet in a sport that traditionally celebrates scoring and offensive heroics, Russell was an anomaly: a dominant player for whom making shots was truly secondary. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Russell took home one more championship before hanging up his sneakers for good in 1969. This intensity not only paid off in the Olympics, and in college, but it would have an immediate impact in the NBA. Outside the classroom, Russell began playing basketball. While there is still progress to be made, the Hall of Famer should get a lot of credit for fighting against what was wrong. However, Russell fought a long and tough battle off the court as well. Russell was married three times. . Bill Russells family announced his demise through a statement on Sunday, July 31. The basketball legacy is beyond well-known: 11 championships in 13 years with the Boston Celtics, first Black coach in the NBA, first Black coach to win an NBA title, Hall of Fame player, Hall of Fame coach, Olympic champion, NCAA champion, member of the leagues 75th anniversary team, and the namesake of the NBA Finals MVP award which, had it existed when he played, he would have won at least a half-dozen times. Bill Russells Mom Changed His Life Forever By Making Him Fight 5 Guys In The Projects To Learn A Lesson. He recorded a mean score of 20.7 points and 20.3 rebounds per game. The NBA legend was 88 years old at the time of his death. And on Sunday, the world lost an absolute legend. Russell who began his professional career in the NBA in 1956 and ended it in 1969 with a total of eleven NBA championships won, is arguably one of the greatest basketball players of all time. 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