RIP Bill Russell

[JimHow]

To me, he was the greatest athlete in the history of any sport. Captain of the two time national championship USF college basketball team. Captain of the gold medal US Olympic team. Captain and player coach of 11 Celtics NBA championships in 13 years, during the worst of Boston’s racial strife. Civil rights icon, sat with Muhammad Ali when he protested the Vietnam War. First black coach, broadcaster, writer of books. I remember my parents waking me to see him win his last championship in ‘69, when the underdog Celtics went into LA and Bill promised his team that “those balloons aren’t coming down” from the rafters… and they stayed up there, as the Celts won a dramatic 108-106 Game 7 victory. What a man! What a life lived.

https://www.boston.com/sports/boston-ce ... hp_primary

[stefan]

Russell was a great athlete and an even better person.

[JoelD]

What a man. Hard to argue him as the greatest athlete ever, when accounting for all facets of life as well. I'm glad he lived a good, long and full life though. Helluva ride.

[ericp]

The most amazing winner in any team sport, ever. To win 13 championships in 15 years, and throw in an Olympic gold medal to boot is just mind blowing. On top of that, he was an even better human being. RIP #6!

[William P]

Russell attended USF and his 55-56 team finished undefeated and won the NCAA tourney. His standout teammate was K.C Jones who also played for the famous Celtic teams. Mike Farmer played with them and was later drafted by the Knicks. It was the first team to go undefeated throughout the season. He was indeed a great man and baller.

Bill

[DavidG]

Russell was a great athlete and an even better person.

Right to the point, completely agree.

RIP, one of the greatest has left us.

[JimHow]

I remember that 1969 series against Wilt's Lakers.
The Lakers came back to Boston up in the series 3-2 for Game 6 at the Garden.
I was 10 years old. My aunt and uncle were living in Thousand Oaks, California, at the time and they flew from LA to Boston to visit in Maine.
My father and I were waiting for them at the gate at Logan.
Who comes off the commercial flight they were on?
Yep, Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, and the rest of the 1969 Lakers....