For the great Bill Russell.

[usonian]

The greatest in basketball.
The greatest in life.

Bill Russell’s Lifelong Fight Against Racism
https://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/bill-russells-lifelong-fight-against-racism/

I’ll never forget having to drive through the day and night to get some place, ignoring the cries of my still young children, because there was no place to stop to eat or rest, no hotel or restaurant that would accept our Blackness. None of my medals or championships could shield my children from White Supremacy. All I could do was try to instill in them the love and pride my parents instilled in me and hope it would be enough.

As an adult, the police would follow me around Boston, Reading, Mercer Island, Los Angeles. Early in the 1970s, I was pulled over by two cops while driving down Sunset Boulevard in a Lamborghini. I asked why they pulled me over. One of the officers said they had a report of a stolen car that looked like mine. I asked the officer exactly what kind of car was reported stolen. He looked almost panicked as his eyes rapidly searched my car, looking for a clue. He couldn’t find one because the car only had a small emblem on the front of the hood. I again asked what kind of car was reported. Fumbling, the officer then told me that I looked like an armored car robber and told me to get out of the car.

I raised my hands, both of them, as high as I could. One of the cops told me to put my hands down. I refused. Again, he asked me to put my hands down. A crowd formed on the sidewalk, because it’s difficult to ignore a very tall man standing with his arms straight in the air. I refused. I said something like, “No, I’m not going to put my hands down because if I do you’ll say I went for a gun and shoot me.” I wasn’t wrong. I turned toward the crowd and yelled, “Don’t shoot,” as I began to, very slowly, reach for my wallet. I gently dropped the wallet on the car and shot my arm back in the sky.

The officer again asked me to lower my hands and I refused again, and shouted, “It’s stop-the-nigger-in-the-expensive-car time.” The police officers rifled through my wallet. Then the other officer asked, “Are you the same Bill Russell who played for the Celtics?” as the crowd began to murmur. The officers’ tone shifted at the realization. They laughed and apologized. All of a sudden, it was a “routine mistake.” All of sudden, I didn’t look like a thief. All of a sudden, my Blackness was excused.

BIG is your indomitable spirit.
SMALL is your petty racism and privilege.

Here are two REAL AMERICANS who stood up to unamerican crap.

[Stuart G]

1. K & R for all to read ....great story.

[panader0]

2. Once on a flight to Salt Lake City, my mother was his bridge partner. She really liked him.

An intelligent and friendly guy. And one of the best in his sport. RIP Bill Russell.

[FakeNoose]

3. I never saw Bill Russell play basketball, except in televised games

He was always formidable on the court, and also well-respected by the players and coaches.
After he retired from the game, he was interviewed on talk shows a lot.
Funny, smart, very lovable. Just an all-around great guy.

Rest in peace, Bill Russell. You will be remembered, you will be missed.

[elleng]

4. Everyone should read Bill Russell's daughter Karen's NYT op ed. NOT a feel good piece.

GROWING UP WITH PRIVILEGE AND PREJUDICE

https://www.nytimes.com/1987/06/14/magazine/growing-up-with-privilege-and-prejudice.html?

[usonian]

5. Absolutely.

I didn't mention it because there was already a thread up on DU.

I previously posted an article on what Bill Russell went through. Oh, the thread was about the Celtics fans being ultra rude to Warriors players. I added how mean the fans were to Bill. A damn shame.

I lived in the Boston area some 30 years.

I can't find old posts, so I found this one.

Bill grew up up in SF, played for USF, and lived in SF many years. So his loss hits CA and the bay area especially hard.

[elleng]

6. So much MORE saddened having read about his and his family's experiences.

Should have recognized how awful/racist Boston was/is, but I guess I've ignored it.

[usonian]

8. goodness, yes

Boston was totally segregated.

Tom Lehrer said it best.
He is giving away content at his site.
https://tomlehrersongs.com

National Brotherhood Week
https://tomlehrersongs.com/824-2/
In the lovely key of E-flat major.

I left the area in 1980.

[elleng]

10. ;-(

[dalton99a]

9. Boston, April 5, 1976:

Joseph Rakes attacks Ted Landsmark with the sharp point of a flagpole. (Stanley Forman/Boston Herald American)

In 1976, Landsmark was a 29-year-old Yale-educated lawyer. He was a New York transplant working in Boston as an attorney. He had a background in civil rights work and, at the time, was trying to get more minority contractors into construction. But he hadn't been paying much attention to the busing protests, and he had no idea he was about to run directly into one.

"I had difficulty finding a parking space in downtown Boston, and I was running a few minutes late for the meeting in city hall. So I was in a hurry and perhaps not paying as much attention as I might have as I approached a corner, where the young demonstrators were coming in the other direction. I did not see them until both they and I were at that corner."

Before he knew it, a group of students surrounded him.

"The first person to attack me hit me from behind, which knocked off my glasses and ended up breaking my nose. The flag being swung at me came at me just moments after that and missed my face by inches," Landsmark recalls.

"The entire incident took about seven seconds."

[usonian]

11. For a city that was home to William Lloyd Garrison, abolitionist,

and Howard Zinn, historian and my favorite trouble maker. Sheesh!!



Enough of the bad news. Let's hear from Russ.

https://nesn.com/2014/02/bill-russell-thanks-lebron-james-for-leaving-him-off-mount-rushmore-picks/
Bill Russell Thanks LeBron James For Leaving Him Off Mount Rushmore Picks

Amid the 2014 NBA All-Star Game media hype, James listed his Mount Rushmore of all-time league greats. He included Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Oscar Robertson. He also went on to add in true King James fashion that he “for sure” will be one of the top four who has ever played the game.

Russell had an answer for James’ claim, and sideline reporter Craig Sager read Russell’s response during Sunday’s game.

“Hey, thank you for leaving me off your Mount Rushmore,” he said. “I?m glad you did. Basketball is a team game. It?s not for individual honors. I won back-to-back state championships in high school, back-to-back NCAA championships in college. I won an NBA championship my first year in the league, an NBA championship in my last year, and nine in between. That, Mr. James, is etched in stone.”

And see:
http://ballislife.com/bill-russell-jumps-over-a-defender-from-near-the-free-throw-line-and-fingers-rolls/

[Hermit-The-Prog]

12. Thanks, I hadn't seen that response to LeBron James before.

[MustLoveBeagles]

7. RIP