Russell (#6) blocking a shot. (http://www.levintel.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/bill-russell-thumb.jpg)

William Felton "Bill" Russell

Joseph Campbell once said, “A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.” Those words exactly describe an American hero, Bill Russell. William Felton “Bill” Russell was born on February 12, 1934 in Monroe, Louisiana. He went to college at the University of San Francisco (USF), because, of all the schools in the country, it was the only school that would accept him, regardless of his skin color. He was involved in many things, like being a basketball player, coach, track runner, and also a civil rights activist. Bill Russell is a well-known center, playing 13 years in the NBA for the Boston Celtics in 1956-1969. He was 6’9”-6’10”, making his height an advantage in his shot blocking ability. But his basketball wasn’t the only thing that made him motivational. All through Russell’s life, he was the victim of racism, whether it was as a child or as an adult, at a basketball game or at a hotel, coming from a fan or a sportswriter. He was an excellent leader, one of the greatest players in the history of basketball, and he fought for what he believed in, all of which make Bill Russell a hero.

Bill Russell (#6) in 1956, his rookie year. He is (http://www.nba.com/media/celtics/Champs_56_57.jpg)

Bill Russell was a hero for his courage, and perseverance in the fight against racism. Throughout his life, he dealt with racism, like: “In 1958, even though he was the NBA’s Most Valuable Player, Russell was not named to the All-NBA team by sportswriters. Russell denounced this insult as overt racism.” Obviously, Bill Russell knew what was going on, knew it was wrong, and completely disallowed it from affecting him in any ways. He spoke out to other people, warning them of racism, as it was a big problem at the time. He was also different from other people. Instead of just enduring and hoping the racism would disappear: “Russell was among a small group of professional athletes who took a public stand during the U.S. civil rights movement of the 1960’s.” Unlike most athletes and people, he was one of the few to actually do something about it. Racism was a big problem for Russell that he wanted to end. So he spoke out to people, participated in marches, held integrated sports camps, and much more. Bill Russell reacted to the racism by working to end it, which is one of the things that makes him a hero.

Bill Russell showing his 11 championship rings. (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RA9l-u-jG18/RknalZgGEnI/AAAAAAAAARE/jUPwtrs-NtQ/s320/russell+rings.jpg)

Another reason Bill Russell is a hero is because of his basketball talent. In college, Bill Russell did more than just basketball. He did track: the 440 yard race and the high jump. He applied these skills to basketball. At blocking shots, Bill Russell was one of the greatest, and describing how he learned to, he said during an interview, “…I had never seen anybody block a shot, but in that rulebook it said, ‘as long as the ball is ascending, the defender can bat it away,’… so that’s what I started doing. The guy starts to shoot it… I block the shot… So basically, I brought the blocked shot to prominance in basketball.” Going on to block many shots in his career, although blocked shots weren’t a stat before, Bill Russell became a pioneer of the sport. Bill Russell was the “creator”, in a sense, of the blocked shot statistic. Bill Russell was an excellent defender, in fact: “Undoubtedly, Russell was the greatest defensive center in the history of basketball.” He helped his team win 11 championships in 13 years, 8 back-to back championships at one point. He had been awarded the MVP award 5 times, an award that showed how much his skills, mostly defensively, meant to the team. His undeniably great basketball skills are one more reason for someone, like me, to look up to Russell as a hero.

Bill Russell's rings. (http://i.cdn.turner.com/sivault/multimedia/photo_gallery/0910/championship.rings/images/celtics-bill-russell-rings%282%29.jpg)

But one of the most heroic traits of Bill Russell is his leadership. Players normally wouldn’t be the coach and vice versa, but: “…Russell threw himself into the task of coaching his team…” Along with him being a player on the team, Russell was a coach, without the help of an assistant. He led his team through several different situations, whether it was a regular season game or a championship series. He was inspirational to his team as: “Russell led his team to a tenth championship.” He motivated his team to come back to win many different championship games or even series. He made plays that helped them win, like taking the ball back and passing the ball for the game-winner, or blocking potential game-winning shots. Nonetheless, Bill Russell’s guidance is inspirational and admirable.

Bill Russell (#6) going up to block a shot from h (http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/slides/photos/000/355/005/billrussell_display_image.jpg?1282507986)

Bill Russell is a hero because of his courage, leadership, and his achievements. As a civil rights activist, basketball player/ coach, and a leader, Bill Russell is inspirational. He teaches people to fight for what they believe in and that they can do whatever they put their minds to. He believed in equality for all and he fought for those rights. He wanted to be a great basketball player, and that’s what he sought out to do, and that is exactly what he had become. In his case, Bill Russell put his life into things much bigger than himself, racism and basketball, and that is what makes Bill Russell a hero.

Works Cited

"Bill Russell." Encyclopedia of World Biography. Vol. 20. Detroit: Gale, 2000. Gale Student Resources In Context. Web. 13 Dec. 2010.

"Bill Russell." Encyclopedia of World Biography. 2nd ed. Vol. 20. Detroit: Gale, 2004. 320-322. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 13 Dec. 2010.

“Bill Russell Biography.” Academy of Achievement. N.p., 12 11 2010. Web. 13 Dec 2010. .

Mosher, Stephen, Richard Layman, and Dennis Lynch. "Bill Russell." American Decades. Ed. Judith S. Baughman, et al. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Gale Student Resources In Context. Web. 13 Dec. 2010.