William Felton Russell

Bill Russell (http://gospelspectrum.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/bill-russell.jpg)

When the name Bill Russell comes to mind, you think of talented, amazing, gifted basketball superstar, yet not many are aware of his inspirational and heroic acts he has accomplished while off the court and after his basketball career. In Russell’s life, he has done many great things, both on and off the court. He has dedicated the majority of his life to basketball; learning, practicing, and playing. He lived in a time of prejudice, where black professional athletes were uncommon, and black head coaches were unheard of. Russell broke many boundaries in his life that were created by acts of racism, prejudice, and hate. Bill Russell, holding eleven championship rings, was not only a hero on the court, but through his determination, perseverance, and leadership, proved to be a hero off the court, breaking boundaries and uniting people around the world.

Bill Russell has accomplished many things in his life. He was born as William Felton Russell in Monroe, Louisiana on February 2, 1934. He grew up in Oakland, and later grew to be six-feet-ten-inches tall. He competed in the 1956 Olympic games for the United States National basketball team, held in Melbourne, Australia. Bill Russell began his NBA career joining the Boston Celtics in the 1956-57 season. His height and athletic abilities helped him lead the league in rebounds, averaging over twenty rebounds per game. During Russell’s thirteen seasons playing, he helped Boston win eleven championships, while still leading in rebounds. Bill Russell retired from the NBA after the 1969 season, and in 1972 his jersey number, six, was retired by the Celtics. Bill Russell has achieved many things on the court, but has also done other things while off the court.

Russell has proved to be a hero through his perseverance through the racism and hate of the world. In 1952, Russell made his high school basketball team, but didn’t play much: “His bent for basketball blossomed slowly because he lacked the skill to be a great ball handler; he worked instead to develop his talent as a defender,” (World Biography). This shows Russell’s perseverance as a basketball player as a younger player. He didn’t get much playing time on his team because he didn’t have the right skill to be a point guard, so he persevered and worked on his defensive skills instead. Bill Russell, despite the racism of Boston, became a head coach: “He found Boston, a city of ethnic neighborhoods, utterly racist. Nonetheless in 1966 Russell, while still a player, became the head coach of the Celtics,” (“Russell, Bill 1934” Vol.6). Even through the racism of Boston, Russell persevered and became “… the first black head coach of a professional sports team since World War II,” (“Russell, Bill 1934” Vol.6). Russell has persevered through acts of racism and became a great athlete, and even after his career, goes on to prove his leadership.

Bill Russell fights against racism by using his leadership and by leading by example. Russell, after his basketball career, is one of the first NBA players to travel internationally: “As early as 1959, he [Bill Russell] was the first NBA player to visit Africa. Twenty years later, he made his first trip to China,” (Academy of Achievement). Bill Russell is breaking down walls, starting new traditions, and beginning to dissolve the barriers of racism and prejudice. By being the first to travel to Africa, he could be starting trends so that other NBA players after him might follow his example and travel to other countries across the world. Russell also attended a MLK Memorial in 2006: “In 2006, Bill Russell participated in a groundbreaking ceremony for the Martin Luther King Memorial in Washington D.C., an overdue tribute to his old friend and comrade,” (Academy of Achievement). Russell shows his dedication to the fight against prejudice by participating in the Memorial of a great leader in the non-violent fight against racism. It shows his leadership by supporting a man who gave his life to the fight against hate and racism. Russell, after his career, has lead by example in fighting against racism, prejudice, and hate, hopefully paving the way for future athletes and people to follow his footsteps.

Bill Russell is an inspiration because of how he acted off the court around his fans and around the world. After games, Russell spent his time with his fans: “He refused to sign autographs, yet he never avoided fans. Instead he mingled with them, talked to them, and shook their hands- to Russell those gestures were more personal than signing a piece of paper,” (World Biography). This shows that Russell wants to get to know his fans, and wants his fans to get to know him. He’s an inspiration for professional athletes to get to know their admirers, not just sign a piece of paper and move on. After Russell’s career he also left the comfort of his home town moving from country to county: “He [Bill Russell] has now led basketball clinics in more than 50 countries on six continents, deploying his lifetime of experience to build bridges across the barriers that divide humanity,” (Academy of Achievement). Bill Russell has dedicated the rest of his life after his basketball career, teaching other children around the world basketball. As the Academy of Achievement said, he’s “building bridges across the barriers that divide humanity,” and leading the way for other athletes to follow his example. He inspires athletes everywhere to want to help others learn basketball around the world instead of retiring and staying at home, doing nothing. Bill Russell is a proven hero through his perseverance and leadership, and is an inspiration to all people and athletes alike to follow in his footsteps in the fight against hate and prejudice.