Publicity Listings Named "Sportsman of the Year" by Sports Illustrated (1968). He shared all three kids with his first wife Rose Swisher. He had made great strides within the game of basketball, but the restless, conscientious Russell felt that there were bigger battles to fight. Throughout his 13-year career, he enjoyed a successful spell with the Celtics. While Charlie found good work, in 1946 his wife, Katie, became quite sick with the flu and died. Russells Celtics ruled the roost at a time when the minuscule number of teams (the NBA consisted of eight or nine franchises for the majority of his career) made for a greatly condensed talent pool, and a combination of integration and improved scouting brought on an unprecedented rush of new stars. Doesnt matter whether you won or lost. After her marriage to Bill ended, Rose stayed out of the limelight and lived a relatively secluded life. She attended theUniversity of Washingtonwhere she majored in English but later found fame as a beauty queen and pageant titleholder. All Rights Reserved. And thats what you must always do. At the age of 9 he moved to Oakland. Have something to tell us about this article? NBA Seattle Supersonics, player/head coach (1973-1977). You'll get covered with chocolate. Its impossible to tell the story of the NBA without also telling the story of Bill Russell. But as her wife was white they got divorced in 1980. NBA legend and civil rights activist Bill Russell dies at 88 Then came the proving ground of Boston. Played professional basketball for the Boston Celtics. Russell, the greatest winner in the history of team sports, died Sunday at 88. He was 88 years old. Over his 13 seasons in the league, the team played in 12 NBA finals, winning 11 of them. Considered one of the greatest basketball players in NBA history, William Felton Russell was born on February 12, 1934, in Monroe, Louisiana. 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. MARTIN: So before we let you go, what's important to you? Two years later, the couple welcomed a second son, 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. And so thats the kind of stuff I got from my mother.. Copyright 2023 NPR. At 18 he went to college, at San Francisco, where he won two NCAA Championships in 1955 and 1956. Its impossible to tell the story of the NBA without also telling the story of Bill Russell. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1975, the FIBA (Federation Internationale de Basketball Amateur) Hall of Fame in 2007, and the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in its inaugural ceremony in 2006. The NBA legend was 88 years old at the time of his death. One imagines you could do any number of subjects at this stage of your career. His second wife, Dorothy "Didi" Anstett, was the 1968 Miss USA. At the international level, he had captained the United States to the Gold medal at the 1956 Summer Olympics. In the 1958/59 season, the Celtics won the NBA championship with Russell making the most defensive impact in the team. I mean, he just did what he had to do, and he wasn't as vocal as Ali, as we all know. MARTIN: That was award-winning director Sam Pollard. But he was a very, you know, well-rounded human being who believed that it was not only a responsibility as a player, but the responsibility of an African American man. In the 1961/62 season, Bill Russell recorded his career highest score by an average of 18.9 points and 23.6 rebounds per game; he also scored 30 points and 40 rebounds in the finals helping the Celtics to defeat a rugged Lakers side. The Philadelphia 76ers did beat the Boston Celtics in 1967, but in 1966 and 1968 the Celtics, not quite to the level of the Sixers.But in 1968 it was truly Russell that beat the Sixers, as he was not the heart and soul on the court, but was now it's head coach, which he became in 1967 after legend Red Auerbach retired. After his retirement, he served as head coach of the Seattle SuperSonics (197377) and the Sacramento Kings (198788), served as a commentator on television broadcasts of NBA games, and continued to remain active in social causes. MARTIN: Whew. Yeah. In 2011, the United States ex-president, President Barack Obama honoured Bill Russell with thePresidential Medal of Freedomin favour of his sporting achievements as well as in thecivil rights movement. From his early childhood years, Williams Jr. was fascinated by trucks, and that is why he pursued his passion of being a driver. So did Russell. Supervisors explore ways to offset vehicle traffic from new rural housing, Column: Padres offense inspires bright forecasts as Petco Parks worst clouds have lifted, Opinion: Converting Californias empty office buildings to apartments and condos is a great idea. Although possessing a perfect basketball height and huge hands to aid his efficiency, Bill Russell initially had struggles in understanding the game. Russell could very easily have never taken up basketball, much less gone on to become one of the sports immortals. During his career, Russell supported the American civil rights movement, spoke out against the Vietnam War, and did much that, had it come from any lesser athlete, would have been cause for immediate controversy. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. What happened to Lil Durk at Lollapalooza 2022? The NBA great Bill Russell has died at age 88. Russell's Bill Russell's selection to the Basketball Hall of Fame for his coaching career was announced on May 16, 2021. The premise was that it had to be difficult for Russell to live in such a place, to play for fans in such a city. Rose and Bill were college sweethearts and were together for much of Bills NBA This season every NBA team is wearing the No.6 on the front of their jerseys to honor the great mans legacy. Hes still second on the NBAs all-time rebounding list, behind only Wilt Chamberlain, and will probably be in that spot forever since nobody has come remotely close to him in the last 50 years. A post shared by ProCity Hoops (@procityhoops). Sam Pollard, thanks so much for talking with us. The statement draws attention to his achievements and contributions outside the field over the years. Russell was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1975, and in 2011 he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. There, his father initially worked as a truck driver and Bill Russell lost his mother at the age of 12. Russell was married three times. When Russell was eight years old, his father moved the family to Oakland, California, where the job prospects were better. He could care less, you know, about being someone that the Boston fans would love. 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. Consultant, Boston Celtics (1999-present). His home was accosted on a few occasions, and he heard he would not get MVP because he was black from a reporter. Bill hasnt shared how he met his last wife, but he adored her. The Greatest Food Debates Of All Time, Answered Pineapple On Pizza? The relationship was broken apart in controversy because of Anstetts color. 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. The cemetery is also the final resting place of martial arts action star Bruce Lee and his son Brandon Lee. Yet, he led the Celtics to the NBA championships in a victory over the Lakers and immediately announced his retirement from basketball as a coach and player. 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. William Jr, Bills first son, was born in 1957 but passed away from cancer in 2016. Bill Russell had a delayed emergence. 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 posted a picture with her on January 25, 2021, as the couple renewed their wedding vows. He was born on November 2, 1957 and worked for Cox Trucking for several years. And so she says are these the guys?. Bill Russell hated autographs. Due to malnutrition as a child, Russell was a lightweight player but built an exclusive manner of play as a centre to help the defence. Bill Russell, byname of William Felton Russell, (born February 12, 1934, Monroe, Louisiana, U.S.died July 31, 2022), American basketball player who was the NBA legend Bill Russell, an 11-time NBA champion with the Boston Celtics and the first Black head coach in the league, passed away peacefully Sunday, 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. Why do you think it is that that part of his life doesn't seem to have gotten the same kind of attention as other athlete activists like the ones that you named, like Jim Brown, like people who - or even, gosh, even Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who's thankfully still with us. When we first moved to the projects, my mother was getting everything together. And one of them slapped me as they went by. 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. But the thing that Bill Russell was always focused on as a player was being a member of the Celtic family. When he later became a standout college player at USF, Russell recalled how he and his few fellow black teammates were jeered by white students. 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. For the first time in the Bill Russell- Wilt Chamberlain rivalry Chamberlain could not say he did not have the team to beat the Celtics, although many contend that the Celtics were evenly match if not inferior in talent to their many rivals. While in Oakland he was very poor but became a skillful basketball player. The two who were previous friends were now very distant. West Monroe, Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, United States, Mercer Island, King County, Washington, United States. Russell's life was marked by an uphill battle against racism and controversial actions and statements in response to racism. Russell knew that he had won, but he wanted to win over Chamberlain, and did not. UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: No. He was born and brought up in a super-rich-class Catholic Christian family from West Monroe, Louisiana, United States. I mean, we all know that when he became a Celtic, he became the lynchpin that began this dynasty of the Boston Celtics. The world has many of them. In 2010 Russell received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the countrys highest civil honor, from President Barack Obama. Russells impact was immediate. Bill Russell knew that basketball was not so much scoring, but keeping your opponent from scoring as well. Russel died on July 31, 2022. She is still alive today. Rather than play for somebody else, Russell took over as a player-coach, steering the team to titles in 1968 and 1969. He was one of the greatest to ever play the game of basketball and left behind an amazing legacy. 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. Bill was only nine years old at the time. Bill Russells daughter, Karen, was born in 1962. He retired in 1969 and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame six years later. NBA legend Bill Russell passed away at the age of 88. And she said What!. In 2009, the NBA changed the name of the finals MVP from NBA finals MVP award to Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award. WebFamily Life. WebBill Russells age is 88. POLLARD: Well, first of all, he was a very angry guy about that. Russell went to the police, who surmised that raccoons must be the culprits. Russell did not create the first basketball dynasty, but to date, through Michael Jordan, Shaquille O'Neal, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, Bill Russell has one more championship than any other basketball player.Bill Russell was born in Monroe, Louisiana in 1934, to Katie and Charlie Louis Russell. However, Russell was one of the huge earners in the NBA and didnt have to work part-time so as to maintain his standard of living as it was the case with other NBA players at the time. At the age of 9 he moved to Oakland. Cass Anderson is the Editor-in-Chief of BroBible. William Felton Russell was born on the 12th February 1934 to Mr Charles Russell and Mrs Kutie Russell. And, you know, for me as a filmmaker, that gave me an opportunity to dig into Bill Russell's life, which was much more complicated than most people know, and that he was not only a great player on the court, but he was a very important human and civil rights activist off the court, too. I had seen Bill Russell play. 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. He Had Three Children with His First Wife Together, Russell and Swisher had three children: daughter Karen, and sons William Jr. and Jacob. Hall of Fame basketball center Bill Russell led the University of San Francisco to consecutive NCAA titles before starting his pro career with the Boston Celtics in 1956. You know, I thought he was one of the greatest defensive centers who ever played the game. The Celtics then lost to Los Angeles in the Forum in Game 5, and the Celtics returned to the Boston Garden in game 6 and won that contest. Bill was a five-time NBA Most Valuable Player, having won 11 championships during the course of his thirteen-year career. Like almost all Southern towns and cities of that time, Monroe was very segregated and the Russells often struggled with racism in Jacob H. Russell was born on July 6, 1959. While featuring in the high school team, he was dumped many times for his inability to comprehend game rules and scopes. As at 2020, Bill Russell is married to Jeannine Russell and the couple appears frequently together on his Instagram. Russell would lead these teams over some other among the greatest of all time, including Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Hal Greer, and his most famous rival Wilt Chamberlain.While Russell was rewriting Boston sports history he faced immense racism from the most devout Celtics fan. WebFamily Life. And I think maybe it's because we are so used to seeing African Americans as dominant in basketball. William Felton Russell Jr., also known as "Buddha," lost a courageous battle with cancer. Astrological Sign: Aquarius, Death Year: 2022, Death date: July 31, 2022, Article Title: Bill Russell Biography, Author: Biography.com Editors, Website Name: The Biography.com website, Url: https://www.biography.com/athletes/bill-russell, Publisher: A&E; Television Networks, Last Updated: August 11, 2022, Original Published Date: April 2, 2014. He was 88. And there were things that you could take away and say that he was really wonderful and special. Russell anchored a Boston Celtics The NBA legend was a victim of racism, and not even his basketball fame helped him. Ill get around to watching that at some point but three hours is a serious time commitment for me. He is an American by nationality and has a belief in the Catholic Christian religion. During his three-year varsity career, in which he led the team to consecutive NCAA titles in 1955 and 1956, he averaged 20.7 points and 20.3 rebounds per game. 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