Bill Russell: A Biography - Ebook written by Murry R. Nelson. 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. In 1969 most of the fabled Celtics had long been gone or had recently retired. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read Bill Russell: A Biography. This biography of Bill Russell provides detailed information about his childhood, life, achievements, works & … 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 … Russell played his entire 18-year, 2,181-game career with the Los Angeles Dodgers as the starting shortstop for four National League pennant winners and one World Series championship team. The term Dynasty might have never applied to Basketball had it not been for Bill Russell. Led the Celtics to NBA titles in 1967-1968 and 1968-1969. Bill Russell was one the greatest basketball player the world has ever seen He is retired now and lives a quiet life. Bill was drafted in the NBA in 1956. He was notorious for refusing to give autographs to fans. William Russell, Actor: The Great Escape. Even as he won on the court, Russell, an outspoken backer of the Civil Rights Movement, experienced his struggles off of it. 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. His parents were Charles Russell and Kutie Russell. When Bill was only 12 years old his mother died and was really shocked. In 1966 Wilt Chamberlain was traded from the Golden State warriors to his new hometown Philadelphia 76ers. William Seward was a New York governor and U.S. senator before serving as secretary of state under Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson. Game Seven in the Finals was one of the most legendary ever played in the history of American sports. Bill Russell is an American former basketball coach and former professional basketball player who is universally acknowledged as one of the greatest American sportspersons of all time. Bill Russell: Age: 86 Years: Nick Name: Bill: Birth Name: William Felton Russell: Birth Date: 1934-02-12: Gender: Male: Profession: Basketball Player: Birth Nation: USA: Nationality: American: Place Of Birth: Monroe, Louisiana: Father: Charles Russell: Mother: Katie Russell: High School: McClymonds High School: University: University of San Francisco (USF) Height: 2.08 m: Weight: 100 Kg: Marital Status Russell knew that he had won, but he wanted to win over Chamberlain, and did not. At the end of the season Wilt Chamberlain was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, taking Chamberlain to the other arch-rival of the Boston Celtics. Friends with K.C. In California, life for the Russell family proved rocky. NBA Boston Celtics, player/head coach (1966-1969). Only Bill Russell remained of the fabled Boston Celtics, except for the emerging superstar John Havlichek, and ageing star Sam Jones. He was never embraced by Boston fans in the way his white teammates were. The Russell family faced racism in their day-to-day lives. Bill Russell was born to Charles Russell and Katie Russell in West Monroe, Louisiana. Racial discrimination was prevalent in southern towns like West Monroe, where Russell was born. 207 cm / 6 ft 10 in: Born: 12 February 1934 : How old is Bill Russell in 2020? His second wife, Dorothy "Didi" Anstett, was the 1968 Miss USA. Russell Brought an aspect to basketball that had rarely been explored before: defense. 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). © 2021 Biography and the Biography logo are registered trademarks of A&E Television Networks, LLC. West Monroe, Louisiana, US: Nicknames: Bill: Zodiac sign: … The team’s coach, Red Auerbach, coveted Russell as the missing piece to what he believed could be a championship roster. Holds career playoff record for most rebounds (4,104, 24.9 rpg) in 165 games. 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. In 2010 Russell received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country’s highest civil honor, from President Barack Obama. An explanation van Breda Kolff gave to Chamberlain was "we're doing fine without you." In 1956 Bill Russell entered the NBA draft. That makes him 83 years old. We strive for accuracy and fairness. View agent, publicist, legal and company contact details on IMDbPro, Top 30 athlete hosts on Saturday night live. He was the son of Katie and Charles Russell. View current home address, phone numbers, email addresses, social media accounts, public records and background check information. Also at the end of the game Wilt Chamberlain was taken out of the game by unpopular coach Butch van Breda Kolff. The two who were previous friends were now very distant. NBA 25th Anniversary All-Time Team (1970). [December 2003]. "use strict";(function(){var insertion=document.getElementById("citation-access-date");var date=new Date().toLocaleDateString(undefined,{month:"long",day:"numeric",year:"numeric"});insertion.parentElement.replaceChild(document.createTextNode(date),insertion)})(); Subscribe to the Biography newsletter to receive stories about the people who shaped our world and the stories that shaped their lives. His home was accosted on a few occasions, and he heard he would not get MVP because he was black from a reporter. At the 2019 ESPYS Awards, the Arthur Ashe Courage Award will be presented to 85-year-old NBA legend Bill Russell, who will bring his younger wife Jeannine to the awards ceremony. It wasn’t long before the defensively adept Russell proved to be dominating presence, with a scorer’s touch and uncanny ability to rebound. Russell was grief-stricken by the death of his mother, who’d been his biggest advocate and pushed him to work hard in school. Bill Russell was born on Feb 12, 1934, in Louisiana, US. Whilst Bill celebrates his 85th birthday in February this year, Jeannine is in her early fifties. His family moved cross-country to the San Francisco Bay Area, where Bill attended McClymonds High School in Oakland. Named "Sportsman of the Year" by Sports Illustrated (1968). Bill Russell’s age is 86 years old as of today’s date 2nd January 2021 having been born on 12 February 1934. At the age of 9 he moved to Oakland. While in Oakland he was very poor but became a skillful basketball player. That season, he led the Celtics to what would be the first of 11 NBA titles in 13 seasons. He was fired from the network in 2017 after reports surfaced of his settlements for sexual harassment allegations. Russell was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1975. Bill Russell would lead the Boston Celtics to 9 straight NBA titles, many times over vaunted rivals the Philadelphia Warriors, and later the Philadelphia 76ers, and the Los Angeles Lakers. |  William Russell was born William Russell Enoch on 19 November 1924, in Sunderland, County Durham, England, to Eva Compston (Pile) and Alfred James Enoch. After Red Auerbach retired as Celtics' coach in 1966, Russell became player-coach, thereby becoming the first ever African-American to direct a team in a professional sports league. He had an older brother, Charlie Louis Russell, who was a writer. NBA 50th Anniversary All-Time Team (1996). In the History of professional sports there has never been an athlete who has more accolades or championships, in other words Bill Russell is not only a champion, but he is perhaps the definition of a champion. Children: William Jr., Karen Kenyatta, and Jacob. Bill 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 championships than any other basketball player.Bill Russell was born in Monroe, Louisiana in 1934. This year, alongside Gail Goodrich and Happy Hairston, and a very deep bench, which included future Laker's Coach Pat Riley the Lakers looked to beat the Celtics for the first time in the Finals. Official Sites. Also coached the NBA's Seattle Supersonics and Sacramento Kings. He was nominated for an Oscar for his seriocomic role in 'Lost in Translation.'. 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. Celtics's all-time leading rebounder (21,620, 22.5 rpg) in 963 games; second best in history. Enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame, 1975. Age, Height, Weight & Body Measurement. He retired in 1969 and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame six years later. Even against more physically imposing centers, like Wilt Chamberlain, Russell was a defensive and rebounding force. The Celtics who were supposedly way past their prime were led by Bill Russell to their eleventh championship, they were only the third team to repeat a championship, the first were the Minneapolis Lakers, and the second were the Boston Celtics. Over the course of his 13-year NBA career, Russell steered the club to 11 titles. Though, he … Jones and Elgin Baylor. Due to Russell's Olympic commitment, he could not join the Celtics for the 1956–57 season until December. He became interested in acting at an early age. At 18 he went to college, at San Francisco, where he won two NCAA Championships in 1955 and 1956. With Russell anchoring the middle of the floor, the Celtics finished with the NBA's best record in 1957, and went on to win the title over the Hawks in a tense seven-game series. 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. Russell now had the daunting task of taking a bottom seed to defeat some of the best teams of all time, including a newly revamped Philadelphia after the Chamberlain trade, who they beat, and the New York Knickerbockers, led by Willis Reed, Walt Bellamy, and Walt Frazier, who they beat in 6, and set the match for the Los Angeles Lakers, which now had Chamberlain.Chamberlain, as well as Jerry West and Elgin Baylor always fell short to the Celtics. Bill Russell - Career stats, game logs, biographical info, awards, and achievements for the NBA and NCAA. https://www.biography.com/athlete/bill-russell. Bill Russell was born in Monroe, Louisiana in 1934. He last led the Sacramento Kings as president of basketball operations in the late 1980s. It was the start of an unprecedented championship run for Russell and the Celtics. Bill Russell was born in Deadwood and raised in Spearfish in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Founder and lead singer of Guns N' Roses, Axl Rose is a celebrated but controversial figure in the world of rock. This intensity not only paid off in the Olympics, and in college, but it would have an immediate impact in the NBA. Actor Bill Murray is a comedy icon best known for his popular 'Saturday Night Live' characters and movie classics such as 'Meatballs,' 'Caddyshack' and 'Ghostbusters.' Despite winning 11 championships in 13 seasons with the Celtics, Russell greatly disliked playing in Boston and was often the target of racism. 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. William Ellis Russell (born October 21, 1948) is a former shortstop, coach and manager in Major League Baseball. In the fall of 1952, he tried out as a walk-on at the University of San Francisco and earned a scholarship. His health also affected him greatly as he suffered from different illnesses. Attended McClymonds High School in Oakland, California, Inducted into the ESPN Boston Hall of Fame in 2011 (inaugural class) with. / Age: 86 years: Where was Bill Russell born? Bill Russell Birth Date February 12, 1934 (age 86) Education University of San Francisco Place of Birth Monroe, Louisiana AKA Bill Russell William Russell Full … His paternal grandparents were Wyoming ranchers and his father was known as “Cowboy” to all. Consultant, Boston Celtics (1999-present). While in Oakland he was very poor but became a skillful basketball player. Click here to read the full biography about Bill Russell His Daughter Karen Is a Television Pundit and Lawyer. He is 2.08 m tall and weighs 98 kg. Read up on Bill Russell's biography, career, awards and more on ESPN. He would not let his defeat in 1967 keep him down. William Russell was born February 12, 1934. And, as revealed by fellow NBA champ; Bob Cousy in an interview, Bill married at aged 84 to Jeannine when she was 49. Athletically awkward at first, Russell struggled to find playing time on the team at McClymonds High School in Oakland. All-NBA Second Team (1958, 1960-1962, 1964, 1966-1968). There are champions, and then there is Bill Russell. Until Michael Jordan he was almost unanimously acclaimed as the greatest player of all time, and some still think he is. Publicity Listings With his first wife, Rose, to whom he was married for 17 years, he had three children: a daughter, Karen, and two sons, Buddha and Jacob. Jones did not play for the Celtics until 1958 because of military service.) This item: Bill Russell: A Biography (Greenwood Biographies) by Murry R. Nelson Hardcover $35.00 Only 8 left in stock - order soon. Outside the classroom, Russell began playing basketball. Due to racial persecution, the family soon had to move to Auckland, California. Following the 1969 season, Russell retired from the game. Flavor Flav is an American hip-hop artist known for his work with Public Enemy and for his appearances on multiple reality television series. Bill Russell is an NBA legend. Russell was truly nothing short of a champion.Since his historic victory Bill Russell has been active in broadcasting for NBA games, and occasionally coaching, including the Seattle Supersonics in the 1970s and the Sacramento Kings in the 1980s. Television Pundit and Lawyer … Kaiser Wilhelm served as emperor of Germany from 1888 until the end of World War I. Buffalo Bill Cody earned his nickname by hunting and killing over 4,000 buffalo, and his status as an Old West legend was cemented with his traveling Wild West show. His early childhood was shaped by poor health, as the sickly Russell battled several different illnesses. Bill Russell viewed basketball as a science, and played the game with an analytical view as well as with an emotional intensity.Russell played the game psychologically as well, defending his various opponents so well that many times he made those he defended feel like they could not score a basket. NBA Seattle Supersonics, player/head coach (1973-1977). But without Bill Russell there is no doubt the Boston Celtics would not be the legendary professional sports team they have become in their legendary run of championships. Considered one of the greatest basketball players in NBA history, William Felton Russell was born on February 12, 1934, in Monroe, Louisiana. At that time, his mother Katie and father Charles lived in the provincial town of West Monroe, located in Louisiana. Basketball icon Larry Bird won three MVP awards and three NBA championships during his 13-year career with the Boston Celtics. Before, most players would just reject the blocked shot into the stands. 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's 6'9" frame also earned plenty of attention. Russell is the champion of champions, as he owns the most NBA championship rings of any player in … William Felton Russell was born to Charlie and Katie Russell in 1934 in Louisiana. William Felton Russell was born on February 12, 1934, in Monroe, Louisiana. NBA Sacramento Kings, player/head coach (1987-1988). Played professional basketball for the Boston Celtics. He was reportedly killed by Sheriff Pat Garrett, who later burnished the legend of the Wild West outlaw. Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Bill Russell celebrated 85th birthday by crowd-sourcing his cake on Twitter originally appeared on nbcsportsboston.com. How tall is Bill Russell? While Charlie found good work, in 1946 his wife, Katie, became quite sick with the flu and died. Bill Russell is still going strong at age 85, and he has the tweets to prove it. Holds the NBA single-game record for most rebounds in a half (32) vs. Philadelphia on Nov. 16, 1957. At 18 he went to college, at San Francisco, where he won two NCAA Championships in 1955 and 1956. He would return and defeat the Sixers in 1968, in a hotly contested Conference Final series, and easily defeat the Lakers in the Finals. During his early life, Bill Russell struggled in his life as he faced some challenges including health issues. Bill Russell was born in Deadwood and raised in Spearfish in the Black Hills of South Dakota. During this season, the Celtics featured five future Hall-of-Famers: center Russell, forwards Heinsohn and Frank Ramsey, and guards Bill Sharman and Bob Cousy. Two-time All-Conference, State, District and American. Bill O'Reilly hosted the popular cable news program 'The O'Reilly Factor,' which began airing on Fox News in 2001. Member, gold medal-winning U.S. Olympic Team (1956). In 1956 Bill Russell entered the NBA draft. 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. He would direct his blocks to a player releasing on a fast break or off the backboard to keep the ball in play. One who is still a strong presence to this day, even at 85 years old. 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. When Russell was 10, his father, Charlie, fed up with trying to navigate a racially charged South, moved his family across the country to Oakland, California, where he found work at a shipyard. 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. After taking the first two at home the Lakers returned to the Boston Garden to lose the next two. Read this book using Google Play Books app on your PC, android, iOS devices. Still yet Bill Russell was without a doubt one of the finest players of his day. Bill Russell is 86 years and 6 month(s) old. 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 sport’s greatest icons. Over his 13 seasons in the league, the team played in 12 NBA finals, winning 11 of them. His legacy is built on a foundation of winning 11 championships in 13 playing seasons, making him the greatest winner in … Russell had a miserable childhood life as he was sickly most of the time. He most likely would have led the league in blocked shots many times, but the NBA had not yet started keeping track of the statistic. Joined the Celtics in mid-season in 1956-1957 after a stint with the Harlem Globetrotters. |  Quick Facts: Bill Russell. In the long line of dominance the Boston Celtics would exercise over the NBA the most legendary years were in his final years. Bill Russell Age: 86 Years, 5 Months, 26 Days [ Best Age Calculator ] Bill Russell Birth Day Of The Week: Monday : Bill Russell Age In Months: 1,037 Months, 26 Days: Bill Russell Age In Weeks: 4,512 Weeks, 4 Days: Bill Russell Age In Days: 31,588 Days: Bill Russell Age In Hours: 758,112 Hours (approx.) (K.C. Declared Greatest Player in the History of the NBA by the Professional Basketball Writers Association of America (1980). As head coach, compiled a 341-290 record (.540) in eight seasons. Billy the Kid was a late 19th-century thief and gunfighter. He was not ready for the coaching job, and did an all around bad job, sadly enough. Russell, though, stands out as one of the pioneers. Rather than play for somebody else, Russell took over as a player-coach, steering the team to titles in 1968 and 1969. Being born on 12 February 1934, Bill Russell is 86 years old as of today’s date 2nd January 2021. For instance, during this period, racism was rampant in West Monroe, and his family had to fight this. - IMDb Mini Biography By: In the wake of her passing he committed himself to his studies. Inducted into the Sport in Society Hall of Fame, 2000. He is a best-selling author and thirty years after he won he remained a recognizable face and a legend. 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. Bill Russell biography/ wiki/ biodata/ profile/ information/ Details/ Updates/ Latest News/ Personal life /History/ Interview about Bill Russell William Felton Russell is Bill Russell born and real name. Russell capped his amateur career by leading the U.S. men’s basketball team to the gold medal at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. At the age of 9 he moved to Oakland. Five times he was named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player, and his 21,620 rebounds are second only to Chamberlain’s career mark. NBA 35th Anniversary All-Time Team (1980). 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 Bill 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. MVP All-Star Game (1963) after 19 points and 24 rebounds. William Felton Russell, better known to the world as Bill Russell, was born in 1934, in Louisiana. Following the 1966 season, in which Russell led the Celtics to an eighth consecutive title, Auerbach retired from coaching. 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. But by his senior year, his game had picked up enough to earn him a starting spot. But somehow in that Wild West context, Bill was bitten by a theater bug at an early age. His paternal grandparents were Wyoming ranchers and his father was known as "Cowboy" to all. Bill Russell: biography. No matter the game went to seven games when it should have been much shorter. Bill Russell in the US We found 327 people named Bill Russell in California, Texas, Tennessee and 41 other states. One of the first players to utilize the blocked shot as a weapon. Holds NBA Finals record for highest rebound per game average (29.5 rpg, 1959) and by a rookie (22.9 rpg, 1957). If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us! As a black American, he endured discrimination and financial difficulties. Bill Russell is a retired basketball player widely considered one of the best players in NBA history. Bill’s childhood was not perfect as his parents experienced racism very often and later they had to live in poverty. After rejoining the Celtics, Russell played 48 games, averaging 14.7 points per game and a league-high 19.6 rebounds per game. Selected by the St. Louis (now Atlanta) Hawks as a territorial draft choice in 1954. Russell has been married three times. He was born in 12 Feb, 1934. 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. NBA Most Valuable Player (1958, 1961-1963, 1965). William Felton Russell was born on February 12th in 1934. Bill Russell knew that basketball was not so much scoring, but keeping your opponent from scoring as well. His talent did not immediately shine through. moviemuskie@yahoo.com, Other Works At the age of 10, Russell’s father opted to migrate with … Macauley was part of a solid offensive unit with Bob Cousy and Bill Sharman, but the team had a missing piece to the puzzle.As America would soon find out Bill Russell would be that missing piece. His draft rights were traded by the Hawks to the Boston Celtics for Cliff Hagan and Ed Macauley. 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. Were traded by the St. Louis ( now Atlanta ) Hawks as player-coach! Career by leading the U.S. men ’ s childhood was not perfect his. In 12 NBA finals, winning 11 Championships in 1955 and 1956 of.. Better known to the gold medal at the age of 9 he moved to Oakland legal... After rejoining the Celtics to what would be the first of 11 NBA titles in and! 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