When Bill Russell debuted for the Boston Celtics on December 22, 1956, fans knew the team had the centerpiece for the defensive style of play that would eventually yield eleven championships in the next thirteen years. What they couldn’t have known was that Russell would prove as important off the the court as he was on it. He defended personal dignity in the face of institutionalized racism in society as aggressively as he defended the basket on the court. Russell appeared fashionably dressed on television talk shows as his celebrity status grew and transcended his basketball career. Still receiving accolades for his dual role in sport and society, Russell’s notoriously strained relationship with Boston has warmed. The National Basketball Association named its Finals MVP award for him, President Barack Obama recognized him with the Medal of Freedom, and a statue planned for the city will reflect not just the athlete, but the man. -- Lane Turner and Lisa Tuite
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Comments
Russ is synonomous with integrity.
Excellent piece, thank you!
Russell was the greatest athlete ever to play in any sport. His greatness was not only his physical attributes, but he was the smartest player to compete in any sport.
Photo of BR grabbing rebound has Sam Jones (#24) and Tom Heinsohn (#15) in the background. Heinsohn retired after the 64-65 season. Date of 6/6/66 (interesting date - since we just had 12/12/12 last month) may not be accurate.