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Some athletes try to figure out
what role sports fulfills in the world.
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Where it fits.
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Think of it.
You wake up and find yourself
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about to run out on the floor
of the Boston Garden
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for a championship game
on national television.
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Here come the Celtics.
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Your teammates have
a dazed look in their eyes,
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as if they realize
they're about to be run over by a car.
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I used to joke that if you could bottle
all the emotion in a basketball game,
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you'd have enough hate to fight a war
and enough joy to prevent one.
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The President
of the United States
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has expressed interest
in the outcome of a game.
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And while you're trying to rest there
in your own private cocoon
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before the action starts,
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there's generally a moment
when you find yourself wondering
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how it all came together.
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One of the great thrills
of my career as a Celtic
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was when we came out of the locker room.
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We had a guy named Weldon Haire,
who did the public address,
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and he would say…
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Here come the world champions,
the Boston Celtics!
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And every single time
I heard that, I'd get goosebumps.
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I absolutely loved that.
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By the fall of 1963,
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the Boston Celtics had won six NBA titles
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but none without Bob Cousy.
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It was a challenge to all of us
to win it without Cousy.
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Not that we resented his fame
or anything else, but it was,
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"Hey, we'd like to be recognized
that we can win this thing,
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and we still can win this thing
without Cousy, all right?"
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We knew how to play together.
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I actively, and with thought and planning,
helped make these guys better players.
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In the '63-'64 season,
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Russell earned career highs
in rebounds and assists,
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and despite the absence of Cousy,
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the Celtics finished the regular season
with the best record in the NBA.
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In the Finals, Boston met the Warriors,
who moved to San Francisco
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from Philadelphia the previous year.
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With Wilt's Warriors
in the Western Conference,
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Chamberlain, for the first time,
stood between Bill Russell
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and another ring.
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Almost any argument
people wanted to have could be carried on
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in the Russell vs. Chamberlain debate.
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If we weren't a metaphor for something,
we were at least a symbol of it.
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It was fascinating because they were
totally different personalities.
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Wilt was a combination of
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Magic Johnson and Santa Claus.
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Bill Russell, serious, focused,
rugged, disciplined, tough.
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The opposite of how
Wilt Chamberlain was perceived.
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They always had them
as fierce competitors,
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but off the court,
they used to fraternize.
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Back then, it was
a much more intimate endeavor.
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In fact, he used to, sometimes,
when he would go and play in Philly,
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stay with Wilt and Wilt's family.
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Bill and Wilt's relationship
really was a true bromance.
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Wilt would invite him to come over
and have Thanksgiving dinner
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with his family, and his mom would cook.
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When he'd get ready to leave,
they'd leave together,
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and she'd always tell Bill,
"You be nice to my boy Norman."
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"Don't you beat him up too bad."
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I would have never done that,
okay?
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If you're my rival, I don't like you.
I don't like you.
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I'm gonna try to embarrass you
before you try to embarrass me.
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On the court, it's one thing.
Off the court, it's another thing.
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When we get in between them lines,
we gonna get to it.
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I thought Russell used his intelligence
with Wilt in a very skillful way,
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even to the point of being with him
for dinner the night before they played.
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Just kind of soften him up,
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so when he goes up
and his hands happen to be over the rim,
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Wilt doesn't break his arm,
but he just lays it in.
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These subtleties are
what was Bill Russell's genius.
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I have some close friends of mine
who told me a number of times,
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"Wilt, go up there
and break Bill Russell's hand."
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"Stop being so nice to these guys.
You can destroy them."
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Their relationship
was based on respect.
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They always played hard
against each other.
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They're friends, but they're competitors.
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When you compete,
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you compete at the highest level,
no matter who you're playing against.
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I think of all sports
as a mixture of art and war.
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It is possible to change
the mixture of art and war
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in any sport by changing its sacred rules.
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Let's imagine that
in another time, in another world,
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the commissioner of the NBA,
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to eliminate all violence from basketball
and to reward artistry,
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installed a panel of judges
to award points
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based on the beauty
of each particular basket scored.
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All beautiful plays in basketball
should be appreciated on their own merits.
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As a result, players were motivated
only by their love of the art.
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With all
its warlike elements removed,
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the sport soon became a form of dance.
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More of a ballet than a brawl.
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When we see Julius "Dr. J" Irving
fly through the air,
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his back arched, his arms stretched,
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we'd say, "That was a beautiful move,"
in the same way a painting is beautiful.
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The form inspires wonder,
and the motion has something to say.
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In 1964, Russell greeted
Chamberlain in their first ever NBA Finals
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with a near-perfect balance
of art and war.
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He ignited the Celtics
when they needed energy
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and guided them when they needed poise.
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The Celtics went up three games to one,
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and in the last seconds of game five,
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Russell delivered a statement
to end the season.
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The rebound is stuffed in
by big Bill Russell
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with ten seconds to go. That clinches it.
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Boston fans have already started to carry
Coach Red Auerbach off the court.
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The win proved Bill could lead
a championship team without Cousy.
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For the Celtics,
it was their sixth straight Finals win,
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their seventh since Bill Russell
arrived in Boston,
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and Bill's first without the Cous.
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Guiding this team of champions
was their larger-than-life coach.
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The team Red built was crafted
to work in perfect harmony.
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After Cousy left, the starting lineup
consisted of K.C. Jones, Bill Russell,
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Tom Heinsohn,
Satch Sanders, and Sam Jones.
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But before a game
against St. Louis in December 1964,
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Heinsohn was out with a foot injury.
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Red Auerbach could have substituted
sixth man John Havlicek.
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Instead, he turned
to the more experienced Willie Naulls.
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So, you had Bill Russell at center,
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Tom Sanders as one forward,
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Willie Naulls as the other forward,
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Sam and K.C. Jones.
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When the Celtics started
five African Americans,
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that was a powerful signal.
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It was a routine ABC equation
for us.
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We were only interested in winning.
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"This is our best team today.
This is who we're putting on the floor."
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Five Black guys on the court at once?
Really? We didn't notice.
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He wanted to win,
and you win with the best players.
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Auerbach did what he was supposed to do,
not what he was pressured to do
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or that he was trying to make a mark.
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But the writers
pressed for a comment.
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We had just made history.
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History, like Red would have said,
can kiss my ass in Macy's window.
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It's undeniable
that the Celtics broke tradition
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with their all-Black starting lineup.
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But Bill demanded that first
be put in its proper historical context.
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There used to be a lot
of emphasis on the first Negro to do this,
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the first Negro to do that.
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It's unimportant who was
the first and who was the last.
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The important thing is how many.
The rest is tokenism.
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I don't consider anything I've done
as contributing to society.
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I consider professional basketball
as marking time,
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the most shallow thing in the world.
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Of course, I'm practical.
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Where else but in basketball
could I command this salary?
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A man does what he has to do.
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But the contribution
I'd like to make as a person,
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to my kids and little Black kids
all over the world,
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is to make life better,
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so their ambitions aren't stilted
when they face the world.
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To give them the opportunity
to do what they're most skilled at.
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I could have a burning ambition
to get my kids a million dollars.
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If I gave them that alone,
I'd be giving them nothing.
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For some young fans,
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Russell and his teammates
provided more than inspiration.
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They created a spectacular model
of collaborative action.
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I'm in a white neighborhood.
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A white, segregated, as all of Boston was,
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rife with racism.
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And little white boys were running
around the basketball court
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at age five and six and seven,
trying to throw it up there,
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and saying, "I'm K.C. Jones."
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"I'm Sam Jones."
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"I'm Bill Russell."
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When the Celtics came to town,
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everybody was there,
hanging from the rafters,
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because they always wanted to see,
not only Russell, just a great team.
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The Celtics finished
the 1964-'65 season
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with a league-best record of 62 and 18.
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In the playoffs,
the Celtics faced the Philadelphia 76ers,
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who added a familiar face.
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Wilt's previous team, the Warriors,
dealt with his high salary demands,
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and their losing record, by trading him.
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Back home, Chamberlain made
the Sixers a viable contender.
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The two teams swapped wins
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as they faced hostile fans
in each other's hometowns.
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Chamberlain swings
at an imaginary object.
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We were playing
the Philadelphia 76ers
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for the Eastern Championships.
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It was the seventh and final game.
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All through the game,
we made runs forward,
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and every time,
Chamberlain and Greer and the rest of them
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closed in on us again.
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We couldn't shake them.
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The Celtics built
a seven-point lead with 1:45 remaining.
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Once again, Philly fought back,
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and with only a few seconds left,
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it looked like Boston would survive
and advance to the NBA Finals.
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Chamberlain
turns and stuffs the ball.
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There are five seconds left.
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We figured we'd inbound the ball,
and the game would be over.
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I did not trust anybody else
to take it out but me.
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I wanted to take it out 'cause
I'd make sure I could make a good pass.
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We have a chance to ice the game,
and Russell is gonna take the ball
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out of bounds.
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But unbeknownst to him,
he was underneath a wire
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that attached to the balcony
that used to stabilize the basket.
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Now, Russell is…
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-He loses the ball off the support!
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Russell lost the ball off the support!
Boston's only leading by one point.
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And the ball goes to Philadelphia
with five seconds left.
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Boston only has a one-point lead.
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I mean, I heard it
on the radio in the car.
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And I was too young to drive,
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but I'm telling you…
…nobody with a car radio on
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should have been moving at the time.
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110 to 109.
Now, the tension is really there.
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We go in a huddle. All I could say was,
"Guys, we got to do something."
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"You gotta bail me out of this."
I was beside myself. I… I was embarrassed.
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Russell said, "Hey, will someone
take these goat horns off of me?"
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"Because I'm wearing the horns."
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I don't think that my teammates
had ever heard me say anything like that.
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"I screwed up. Get me off the hook."
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Other guys would have made excuses,
not Russell.
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It exhibited to me humility
and a belief in his teammates.
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This is a bad situation.
This is the ball game.
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Five seconds. Philadelphia has the ball
directly under the Celtics basket.
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Greer is going
to throw the ball in.
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The whole sequence
of all the World Championships
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and the Eastern Championships
and the record and everything else
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had come down to the final second.
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When the official
hands the ball over,
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he has five seconds to put it in play.
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I start counting to myself,
one thousand, one,
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one thousand, two,
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one thousand, three.
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I got to "one thousand, four,"
and nothing had happened yet.
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Well, at that time,
I was able to, for a very split second,
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take a peek.
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I saw the ball released.
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00:15:57,581 --> 00:15:59,458
Greer is putting
the ball into play.
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He gets it out deep,
and Havlicek steals it!
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00:16:01,835 --> 00:16:05,547
Over to Sam Jones.
Havlicek stole the ball!
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It's all over! It's all over!
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00:16:08,926 --> 00:16:12,012
Johnny Havlicek is being mobbed
by the fans.
237
00:16:12,096 --> 00:16:14,056
It's all over!
238
00:16:14,139 --> 00:16:16,684
Johnny Havlicek stole the ball!
239
00:16:16,767 --> 00:16:20,646
Johnny Most screams,
"Havlicek stole the ball…"
240
00:16:21,397 --> 00:16:25,901
…into that radio in a way
that went right through your body.
241
00:16:29,029 --> 00:16:32,574
Bill Russell wants
to grab Havlicek. He hugs him.
242
00:16:32,658 --> 00:16:34,827
He squeezes John Havlicek.
243
00:16:34,910 --> 00:16:37,246
Havlicek saved this ball game,
244
00:16:37,788 --> 00:16:38,956
believe that!
245
00:16:39,039 --> 00:16:41,625
Johnny Havlicek saved this ball game.
246
00:16:41,709 --> 00:16:44,086
I tell Havlicek,
"I made you famous."
247
00:16:44,169 --> 00:16:46,463
"Havlicek stole the ball!
Havlicek stole the ball!"
248
00:16:46,547 --> 00:16:50,426
I said, "If I didn't mess up,
nobody would have heard of you."
249
00:16:54,096 --> 00:16:56,724
Having finally disposed
of the 76ers,
250
00:16:56,807 --> 00:17:00,644
the Celtics moved on
to their perennial rivals in Los Angeles.
251
00:17:01,437 --> 00:17:05,774
Boston made short work of the Lakers,
winning the title in five games.
252
00:17:18,162 --> 00:17:21,999
It was their eighth championship
since Bill Russell joined the team.
253
00:17:31,717 --> 00:17:33,969
For the public,
the only rivalry that mattered
254
00:17:34,053 --> 00:17:37,181
was the one between Bill Russell
and Wilt Chamberlain.
255
00:17:37,681 --> 00:17:39,475
Bill was open and consistent
256
00:17:39,558 --> 00:17:42,853
about his hopes for Black children
and Black communities.
257
00:17:42,936 --> 00:17:46,857
For Wilt, dominating the game
was rooted in a radical demand
258
00:17:46,940 --> 00:17:49,485
for compensation based on talent.
259
00:17:51,278 --> 00:17:53,614
Actually, we're out here to make money.
260
00:17:53,697 --> 00:17:55,741
We're playing something we love to do,
261
00:17:55,824 --> 00:17:58,744
but the primary interest
really is how much you can make.
262
00:17:58,827 --> 00:18:01,955
Bill Russell was involved
in the civil rights movement
263
00:18:02,039 --> 00:18:05,876
and encouraging people to effect change.
264
00:18:05,959 --> 00:18:09,004
Wilt, you know, lived very well,
265
00:18:09,088 --> 00:18:11,840
but he didn't really care
about anything else
266
00:18:11,924 --> 00:18:14,676
other than his own comfort and his life.
267
00:18:14,760 --> 00:18:18,138
I mean, Wilt had a racehorse
and, you know, a Rolls-Royce.
268
00:18:18,639 --> 00:18:21,100
He lived very well.
269
00:18:21,183 --> 00:18:23,393
He kept getting
these good salaries.
270
00:18:23,477 --> 00:18:27,189
So, "Wait. If money's there for him,
it's gotta be there for me too."
271
00:18:27,272 --> 00:18:29,399
I remember, over the radio or something,
272
00:18:29,483 --> 00:18:33,445
that Wilt had just signed
a contract for $100,000.
273
00:18:34,363 --> 00:18:36,156
It wasn't just a rumor.
274
00:18:36,240 --> 00:18:39,785
Chamberlain had signed
a three-year contract with the 76ers
275
00:18:39,868 --> 00:18:43,664
for a record annual salary of $100,000,
276
00:18:43,747 --> 00:18:46,458
the equivalent of one million today.
277
00:18:46,542 --> 00:18:49,586
When we heard this,
I was talking to Red Auerbach.
278
00:18:50,587 --> 00:18:52,798
We're talking about
my contract for the next year.
279
00:18:52,881 --> 00:18:55,467
I said, "Well, that does it.
I know what I want."
280
00:18:55,551 --> 00:18:56,510
He says, "What?"
281
00:18:56,593 --> 00:18:58,846
I said, "I want $100,001."
282
00:19:00,514 --> 00:19:01,849
He just turned white.
283
00:19:03,100 --> 00:19:04,434
"Whiter," I'm sorry.
284
00:19:08,355 --> 00:19:11,191
That's petty in a great way.
That's petty in a great way.
285
00:19:11,275 --> 00:19:13,819
If it's one dollar,
that means I'm better than him.
286
00:19:13,902 --> 00:19:16,280
It just shows you the competitor in him.
287
00:19:16,363 --> 00:19:18,740
That's him. That's him to the core.
288
00:19:18,824 --> 00:19:20,868
You weren't kidding
about that extra buck, were you?
289
00:19:20,951 --> 00:19:22,327
Every little bit helps.
290
00:19:24,580 --> 00:19:26,498
We'll get you one dollar
for doing the show.
291
00:19:27,457 --> 00:19:29,168
Is there
any truth to these rumors
292
00:19:29,251 --> 00:19:31,253
that you're asking for astronomical sums?
293
00:19:31,336 --> 00:19:35,007
Uh, "astronomical,"
that… that sounds high.
294
00:19:35,090 --> 00:19:38,927
He can get you 20 points
on pick-and-rolls and rim runs.
295
00:19:39,011 --> 00:19:42,598
He can block five shots,
and he can get you 20 rebounds.
296
00:19:42,681 --> 00:19:47,060
He's not a $100,000 man.
He's a $500 million player today.
297
00:19:47,144 --> 00:19:50,189
I said,
"I just won the MVP in this league."
298
00:19:51,148 --> 00:19:52,357
"I should be the highest paid."
299
00:19:53,025 --> 00:19:54,818
I called my dad on the phone,
300
00:19:54,902 --> 00:19:58,113
and I said, "You won't believe this.
I got this deal."
301
00:19:58,197 --> 00:20:00,157
"You don't have to work anymore."
302
00:20:00,240 --> 00:20:03,577
He says, "Well, son,
I can't quit working."
303
00:20:03,660 --> 00:20:05,162
I said, "Why not?"
304
00:20:05,245 --> 00:20:08,415
He says, "I've been working
this foundry 25 years."
305
00:20:09,333 --> 00:20:12,753
I said, "A foundry, 25--
That's a great reason to quit."
306
00:20:12,836 --> 00:20:14,796
He said, "Oh no."
307
00:20:14,880 --> 00:20:18,133
He said, "Listen, son,
I've given these people
308
00:20:18,217 --> 00:20:20,636
25 of the best years of my life."
309
00:20:20,719 --> 00:20:22,888
"Now, I'll give them
a few of the bad ones."
310
00:20:29,728 --> 00:20:30,979
That's great.
311
00:20:37,778 --> 00:20:41,365
While Russell played a game
of one-upmanship with Chamberlain,
312
00:20:41,865 --> 00:20:44,409
he took a sharper stance
against the economic treatment
313
00:20:44,493 --> 00:20:46,745
of Black people in the United States.
314
00:20:47,287 --> 00:20:50,499
There are other answers
that are still to be found.
315
00:20:53,168 --> 00:20:57,256
I intend to call a White House conference
316
00:20:57,339 --> 00:21:03,387
of scholars and experts
and outstanding Negro leaders
317
00:21:03,470 --> 00:21:08,767
of both races to fulfill these rights.
318
00:21:08,850 --> 00:21:12,479
Its object will be
to help the American Negro
319
00:21:13,730 --> 00:21:15,565
fulfill the rights,
320
00:21:16,108 --> 00:21:19,486
which after the long time of injustice,
321
00:21:20,279 --> 00:21:24,032
he is finally about to secure.
322
00:21:24,825 --> 00:21:28,120
Bill Russell was one
of 2,400 invited delegates,
323
00:21:28,203 --> 00:21:32,374
including entertainers,
business leaders, and prominent activists.
324
00:21:33,875 --> 00:21:37,671
But in the end, he felt the meeting
produced only empty promises.
325
00:21:38,922 --> 00:21:42,718
Russell believed real change
depended on economic opportunity.
326
00:21:45,137 --> 00:21:48,265
What good is education
without jobs?
327
00:21:49,266 --> 00:21:51,310
There prevails a lack of leadership
328
00:21:51,393 --> 00:21:54,271
in helping to create
a more favorable atmosphere
329
00:21:54,354 --> 00:21:57,649
to break down the economic barriers
that the Negro faces
330
00:21:57,733 --> 00:22:01,194
in becoming part of the mainstream
of the American economy.
331
00:22:02,779 --> 00:22:04,197
The blood of this nation
332
00:22:04,281 --> 00:22:07,034
flows through the veins
of commerce and industry.
333
00:22:07,117 --> 00:22:09,661
If the resources of big business
are called upon
334
00:22:09,745 --> 00:22:13,665
by the president of the nation
and mobilized for concerted action,
335
00:22:13,749 --> 00:22:17,544
we will greatly accelerate
the achievement of the goals we seek.
336
00:22:20,380 --> 00:22:22,007
In Boston that spring,
337
00:22:22,090 --> 00:22:27,304
the uproar over school desegregation
boiled over, and Russell joined the fight.
338
00:22:27,387 --> 00:22:31,767
For three years, the city school committee
had dug in its heels on the issue,
339
00:22:31,850 --> 00:22:35,812
and so had its controversial
former chair, Louise Day Hicks.
340
00:22:35,896 --> 00:22:39,149
…stated as his policy
that a racially imbalanced school
341
00:22:39,232 --> 00:22:41,401
is not educationally harmful.
342
00:22:42,027 --> 00:22:44,071
-Well…
343
00:22:44,154 --> 00:22:47,699
Superintendent Ohrenberger and yourself
do not have children
344
00:22:47,783 --> 00:22:49,701
in a racially imbalanced school,
345
00:22:49,785 --> 00:22:52,996
so you do not know
what the effect is on our children.
346
00:22:56,750 --> 00:22:59,294
One day, she came to give
a graduation talk
347
00:22:59,378 --> 00:23:01,588
at Roxbury Junior High School.
348
00:23:01,671 --> 00:23:04,424
When the preacher
and a little ad hoc committee of activists
349
00:23:04,508 --> 00:23:06,802
made a fuss, she had him arrested.
350
00:23:08,095 --> 00:23:10,680
Meanwhile, those kids
didn't have their graduation,
351
00:23:10,764 --> 00:23:14,309
so we hosted a special ceremony
for them at a local church,
352
00:23:14,393 --> 00:23:16,561
and I gave the commencement speech.
353
00:23:21,608 --> 00:23:26,613
I ask myself, "Where are
the other voices crying out for change?"
354
00:23:26,696 --> 00:23:30,075
And there are small fires
all over the United States,
355
00:23:30,158 --> 00:23:32,244
and there's a fire here in Roxbury.
356
00:23:33,161 --> 00:23:36,164
And nobody's listening.
There's nobody listening.
357
00:23:36,248 --> 00:23:38,667
What the people don't realize is
358
00:23:38,750 --> 00:23:42,796
that a fire that consumes Roxbury
consumes Boston. The fire will spread.
359
00:23:44,548 --> 00:23:47,884
To me, Boston itself
was the flea market of racism
360
00:23:47,968 --> 00:23:50,053
in all the varieties, old and new.
361
00:23:50,971 --> 00:23:54,057
The city had
corrupt City Hall crony racists,
362
00:23:54,141 --> 00:23:57,227
brick-throwing "send them
back to Africa" racists,
363
00:23:57,310 --> 00:24:01,148
and in the university area,
phony radical chic racists.
364
00:24:02,107 --> 00:24:06,319
Nevertheless, everybody in Boston
used to speak in favor of Dr. King.
365
00:24:06,820 --> 00:24:08,029
I was mystified.
366
00:24:09,239 --> 00:24:13,076
Perhaps, Dr. King's dream
of a color-blind society based on love
367
00:24:13,160 --> 00:24:15,787
was being misinterpreted by Bostonians.
368
00:24:16,538 --> 00:24:20,167
To them, "color-blind" meant
that Blacks would be invisible,
369
00:24:20,250 --> 00:24:24,463
which would be fine with them
and not much different from reality.
370
00:24:27,048 --> 00:24:28,842
Bill Russell is gonna make it known
371
00:24:28,925 --> 00:24:31,553
that this is what's happening,
and people need to know about it.
372
00:24:31,636 --> 00:24:36,057
Why do we march? Why are we protesting?
What is that actually doing?
373
00:24:36,141 --> 00:24:38,435
People were afraid to speak out.
374
00:24:38,518 --> 00:24:40,896
He knew his platform.
375
00:24:40,979 --> 00:24:43,690
He knew how strong
and powerful his voice was.
376
00:24:43,773 --> 00:24:47,694
Opening doors, opening avenues
for the younger generation.
377
00:24:47,777 --> 00:24:51,615
When we take action
and when we come together and we speak,
378
00:24:51,698 --> 00:24:52,699
people do listen.
379
00:24:53,450 --> 00:24:57,496
Big, high-profile athlete,
there was a forum there for me
380
00:24:58,038 --> 00:24:59,414
if I choose to use it.
381
00:25:00,457 --> 00:25:03,752
Russell was never reluctant
to voice his opinions,
382
00:25:03,835 --> 00:25:05,629
but there were plenty of basketball fans
383
00:25:05,712 --> 00:25:08,507
who preferred
that he would just "shut up and play."
384
00:25:09,049 --> 00:25:13,595
It developed through my career
that, uh, I really didn't want a lot to do
385
00:25:13,678 --> 00:25:15,805
with the people outside of the Celtics.
386
00:25:15,889 --> 00:25:18,975
I played for the Celtics.
I didn't play for Boston.
387
00:25:19,976 --> 00:25:24,940
So I think that he was
kind of jarring to a lot of white people,
388
00:25:25,023 --> 00:25:29,152
who just expected you to be genuflecting
because you were there.
389
00:25:29,236 --> 00:25:31,071
Bill Russell did not genuflect.
390
00:25:32,822 --> 00:25:34,199
At home in Reading,
391
00:25:34,282 --> 00:25:37,661
he and his family were often treated
as unwelcomed invaders.
392
00:25:39,829 --> 00:25:41,831
I don't think
anyone knew the sort of things
393
00:25:41,915 --> 00:25:45,001
that were going on behind the scenes
to my dad and my parents.
394
00:25:45,502 --> 00:25:48,630
When the Russells returned home
after a weekend trip,
395
00:25:48,713 --> 00:25:52,425
they found that vandals broke in
and ransacked the house.
396
00:25:53,468 --> 00:25:57,806
They come home, and it's… it's…
The place is trashed and everything.
397
00:25:57,889 --> 00:26:02,310
It's crystal clear that it was someone
who objected to, uh,
398
00:26:02,394 --> 00:26:05,272
not just him living in the neighborhood
but him being him.
399
00:26:05,355 --> 00:26:07,190
Wrote all kinds of things on the wall.
400
00:26:07,274 --> 00:26:09,901
You know, racial slurs and threats.
401
00:26:10,986 --> 00:26:15,031
Returning to our home
after a vacation, we found it trashed.
402
00:26:15,115 --> 00:26:17,742
"Nigger" was painted on the wall
with excrement,
403
00:26:17,826 --> 00:26:21,162
and the pool table had been ripped up
and covered with beer.
404
00:26:21,246 --> 00:26:26,293
People, uh, smashed his trophies.
They defecated in my parents' bed.
405
00:26:26,376 --> 00:26:31,590
I was shocked. I didn't… I didn't know…
I didn't know how racist the town was.
406
00:26:31,673 --> 00:26:34,926
That Bill and the family had to go
through it, it's heartbreaking.
407
00:26:35,010 --> 00:26:36,553
Just heartbreaking.
408
00:26:37,178 --> 00:26:40,932
The local police were unable
to come up with any suspects.
409
00:26:41,016 --> 00:26:45,937
Some argue that my "arrogant attitude"
may have contributed to the home invasion.
410
00:26:46,730 --> 00:26:48,356
When you talk about Russell,
411
00:26:48,440 --> 00:26:51,818
you're talking about a guy
who was already, um, pissed off
412
00:26:51,901 --> 00:26:57,157
all the time, anyway,
about the way Blacks were being treated.
413
00:26:57,240 --> 00:27:01,202
He never did talk
about those things publicly.
414
00:27:01,703 --> 00:27:04,873
That sort of goes back to,
"Well, he's misunderstood."
415
00:27:04,956 --> 00:27:07,667
He could've easily held
a press conference and said,
416
00:27:07,751 --> 00:27:10,045
"These animals broke into my house,
417
00:27:10,128 --> 00:27:14,174
and this is why you people
might think I have a bad attitude."
418
00:27:16,509 --> 00:27:19,012
Bill was defined as an angry Black man
419
00:27:19,095 --> 00:27:21,765
because he wasn't going
to let people forget
420
00:27:21,848 --> 00:27:23,808
the reality of life in America.
421
00:27:24,392 --> 00:27:28,063
I mean, people have to admit to the truth
before we can move on.
422
00:27:28,563 --> 00:27:32,150
Every single time he had
an opportunity to play,
423
00:27:32,984 --> 00:27:38,448
he was able to take all of that
and focus and put it into the game.
424
00:27:38,531 --> 00:27:44,371
I had never run across anyone
with such a singular attitude and focus.
425
00:27:45,747 --> 00:27:49,376
Always look for an edge.
That's one thing I got from Auerbach.
426
00:27:49,459 --> 00:27:53,046
Do everything you can to turn
the percentages in your favor,
427
00:27:53,713 --> 00:27:56,299
intellectually, emotionally,
and physically.
428
00:27:57,300 --> 00:27:58,968
I did talk a little trash.
429
00:28:01,721 --> 00:28:04,516
Most guys talk trash
just to be talking trash.
430
00:28:04,599 --> 00:28:06,976
Bill Russell was not that type of guy.
431
00:28:07,060 --> 00:28:08,687
Bill did it in a way
432
00:28:08,770 --> 00:28:13,108
that it was going
to directly affect the game.
433
00:28:13,191 --> 00:28:16,528
He's gonna say something
434
00:28:16,611 --> 00:28:19,447
because he knows
that it's gonna get up under your skin.
435
00:28:19,531 --> 00:28:23,034
And sure enough,
it helped the Celtics to win.
436
00:28:26,162 --> 00:28:28,081
Part of my responsibility
to the team
437
00:28:28,164 --> 00:28:31,751
was to divert an extra portion
of the opponent's attack on myself.
438
00:28:31,835 --> 00:28:34,796
Sometimes I'd make a speech
out of the jump circle.
439
00:28:34,879 --> 00:28:37,507
"All right, guys,"
I'd say to the other team.
440
00:28:37,590 --> 00:28:39,092
"Ain't no layups out here tonight."
441
00:28:39,175 --> 00:28:42,971
"I ain't gonna bother you with 15-footers
because I don't feel like it tonight,
442
00:28:43,054 --> 00:28:44,597
but I ain't gonna have no layups."
443
00:28:45,306 --> 00:28:48,977
Or I'd lean over to one of the forwards
and say, "If you shoot a layup,
444
00:28:49,060 --> 00:28:52,897
you better bring your salt and pepper
because you'll be eating basketballs."
445
00:28:53,565 --> 00:28:55,275
Of course, I wouldn't say
anything like that
446
00:28:55,358 --> 00:28:57,485
to Oscar Robertson or Jerry West.
447
00:28:57,569 --> 00:28:59,863
There are some guys you don't do that to.
448
00:29:00,363 --> 00:29:02,907
Bill didn't trash-talk
against me or anything like that
449
00:29:02,991 --> 00:29:04,909
when he went into the basket
450
00:29:04,993 --> 00:29:07,787
to make a layup
because it might've backfired on him.
451
00:29:09,080 --> 00:29:11,583
-I think my rookie year,
452
00:29:11,666 --> 00:29:14,961
Russell was over here,
and Satch and I were over here.
453
00:29:15,044 --> 00:29:17,505
And Russell looks at Satch
454
00:29:18,089 --> 00:29:19,716
and then looks at me
455
00:29:19,799 --> 00:29:22,135
and then looks at Satch and says…
456
00:29:22,218 --> 00:29:24,012
Can you guard that motherfucker?
457
00:29:24,679 --> 00:29:26,514
Well, that shocked Bradley.
458
00:29:27,348 --> 00:29:30,560
He'd never been
called that before.
459
00:29:33,605 --> 00:29:36,941
That thought made me
start thinking, "What did he mean?"
460
00:29:37,025 --> 00:29:38,651
"What is that about?"
461
00:29:38,735 --> 00:29:42,530
A person with a high intellect
that talks trash, that's the worst.
462
00:29:42,614 --> 00:29:45,575
Because they're thinking about you
and not the game.
463
00:29:50,079 --> 00:29:52,582
Russ had
that little game within a game.
464
00:29:52,665 --> 00:29:56,961
He goaltended about two shots
a game, on purpose.
465
00:29:57,045 --> 00:29:59,005
Sure, the baskets counted,
466
00:29:59,088 --> 00:30:01,591
but what it did
was send a message to the players,
467
00:30:01,674 --> 00:30:04,719
"Look how close I came
to blocking your shot."
468
00:30:04,803 --> 00:30:06,095
He was a master.
469
00:30:06,179 --> 00:30:10,016
Out to Baylor, driving the lane.
He lays it up. It's blocked by Russell.
470
00:30:11,017 --> 00:30:14,062
Blocked by Russell.
What a play by Bill Russell!
471
00:30:14,729 --> 00:30:17,607
Russell was definitely arrogant,
an intimidator.
472
00:30:17,690 --> 00:30:20,944
Off the court, he intimidated people
who'd come up to him.
473
00:30:22,737 --> 00:30:25,824
He'd just stand like that
and stare at them.
474
00:30:25,907 --> 00:30:27,408
Wouldn't say anything.
475
00:30:27,492 --> 00:30:30,787
He was this interesting mix
of athlete and thinker.
476
00:30:30,870 --> 00:30:34,666
He always could pick a certain move
and visualize it in his head
477
00:30:34,749 --> 00:30:38,461
over and over and over again
before he actually went out and tried it.
478
00:30:38,545 --> 00:30:41,214
He studied the game so diligently.
479
00:30:41,297 --> 00:30:47,053
The idea that you could calculate
the angle of the player coming at you,
480
00:30:47,637 --> 00:30:51,558
know their abilities, how they like to go,
481
00:30:51,641 --> 00:30:53,643
and then also see the rest of the court
482
00:30:53,726 --> 00:30:57,897
to know that, "If I do this, the angle
of trajectory will take it there."
483
00:30:57,981 --> 00:30:59,691
This guy's a mathematician.
484
00:31:00,275 --> 00:31:03,403
Bill's on-court mastery
had always involved math.
485
00:31:04,028 --> 00:31:05,947
Back in college at USF,
486
00:31:06,030 --> 00:31:09,158
along with his Celtics teammate
K.C. Jones,
487
00:31:09,242 --> 00:31:11,369
Bill pioneered alternative ways to think
488
00:31:11,452 --> 00:31:14,539
about the role of angles
and equations in basketball.
489
00:31:16,165 --> 00:31:19,669
We decided that basketball
is basically a game of geometry,
490
00:31:19,752 --> 00:31:22,171
of lines, points, and distances.
491
00:31:23,590 --> 00:31:28,136
I had been daydreaming about solo moves,
but he liked to work out strategies.
492
00:31:28,219 --> 00:31:32,265
K.C. had an original basketball mind,
and he taught me how to scheme
493
00:31:32,348 --> 00:31:34,976
to make things happen,
particularly on defense.
494
00:31:35,059 --> 00:31:38,855
In those days, almost every player
and coach thought of defense
495
00:31:38,938 --> 00:31:40,231
as pure reaction.
496
00:31:40,315 --> 00:31:42,108
K.C. thought differently.
497
00:31:42,191 --> 00:31:44,861
He was always figuring out ways
to make the opponent
498
00:31:44,944 --> 00:31:49,574
take the shot he wanted him to take
from the place he wanted the man to shoot.
499
00:31:50,283 --> 00:31:52,035
He'd let a man have an outside shot
500
00:31:52,118 --> 00:31:54,829
just beyond the perimeter
of his effectiveness,
501
00:31:54,913 --> 00:31:58,750
and instead of harassing the player,
would take off down the court,
502
00:31:58,833 --> 00:32:03,212
figuring I'd get the rebound and throw him
a long pass for an easy basket.
503
00:32:03,713 --> 00:32:06,466
He and I dreamed
dozens of plays like these
504
00:32:06,549 --> 00:32:11,012
and fed into our equations what we knew
about the weaknesses of our opponents.
505
00:32:11,095 --> 00:32:15,224
Gradually, K.C. and I created
a little basketball world of our own.
506
00:32:15,725 --> 00:32:17,226
We were inspired.
507
00:32:17,310 --> 00:32:19,354
Rocket scientists in sneakers.
508
00:32:21,439 --> 00:32:24,776
He always had this regal being
about himself.
509
00:32:24,859 --> 00:32:28,488
I look at pictures of him.
There's one particular picture of him.
510
00:32:28,571 --> 00:32:32,367
It's him standing at half-court
with both hands on his hips,
511
00:32:33,284 --> 00:32:35,578
in a sold-out Boston Garden.
512
00:32:36,496 --> 00:32:39,916
And when I look at that, it was like
513
00:32:41,376 --> 00:32:45,004
a king overlooking his fiefdom.
514
00:32:47,090 --> 00:32:50,468
But as much as Russell
was considered a genius on the court,
515
00:32:50,551 --> 00:32:53,054
fans and sportswriters
often criticized him
516
00:32:53,137 --> 00:32:55,807
for being moody, aloof, and arrogant.
517
00:32:56,432 --> 00:32:59,018
I am arrogant. I'll admit that.
518
00:32:59,519 --> 00:33:02,355
But it's in whose definition of arrogant?
519
00:33:03,481 --> 00:33:05,149
If a white athlete
had done the same thing,
520
00:33:05,233 --> 00:33:09,028
they wouldn't call it arrogant.
They'd call it competitive, high-strung.
521
00:33:09,737 --> 00:33:11,614
When you're Bill Russell,
522
00:33:11,698 --> 00:33:14,617
and you live in a country
that ostracizes you,
523
00:33:14,701 --> 00:33:17,370
that only celebrates you
for your athleticism,
524
00:33:17,453 --> 00:33:20,999
"Here's what I'm going to do.
Y'all get me in the arena."
525
00:33:21,749 --> 00:33:25,837
"Outside of the arena,
allow me to live my life."
526
00:33:25,920 --> 00:33:28,506
As proof
of Russell's perceived arrogance,
527
00:33:28,589 --> 00:33:31,217
critics cited his refusal
to sign autographs.
528
00:33:32,635 --> 00:33:35,513
As a player, after 1964,
he never signed them.
529
00:33:37,181 --> 00:33:39,600
I always felt funny
about autographs,
530
00:33:39,684 --> 00:33:42,311
even as a recognized basketball player
in college.
531
00:33:42,395 --> 00:33:44,647
At first, I didn't pay much attention
to the feeling.
532
00:33:44,731 --> 00:33:47,692
I just signed my name
because it was what everyone did.
533
00:33:48,359 --> 00:33:50,236
But in the early 1960s,
534
00:33:50,319 --> 00:33:53,865
I noticed that after a session
of signing 50 or 60 autographs,
535
00:33:53,948 --> 00:33:57,035
I felt strange about it
for two or three days.
536
00:34:00,329 --> 00:34:03,374
The public and the media
was really upset.
537
00:34:04,333 --> 00:34:05,793
And took it personal
538
00:34:05,877 --> 00:34:10,423
that he chose not to share
his personal space
539
00:34:11,007 --> 00:34:12,759
and sign autographs.
540
00:34:12,842 --> 00:34:16,763
You can't let the fans own you
or dictate what it is that you do.
541
00:34:17,805 --> 00:34:22,060
I cannot imagine the value
of a scribbled name on a piece of paper.
542
00:34:22,143 --> 00:34:24,312
What value can my signature possibly have,
543
00:34:24,395 --> 00:34:26,064
and why should I have to sign it?
544
00:34:26,731 --> 00:34:29,817
I give my money's worth
on the playing court, period.
545
00:34:29,901 --> 00:34:32,153
I am a public property when I play.
546
00:34:32,236 --> 00:34:34,739
I'm a private property
when I'm not playing.
547
00:34:34,822 --> 00:34:36,616
If I want to sign, I will,
548
00:34:36,699 --> 00:34:39,410
but no one has ever forced me
to do anything.
549
00:34:39,494 --> 00:34:42,747
You either buy me
as Bill Russell the man, or you don't.
550
00:34:42,830 --> 00:34:45,333
My signature isn't going
to make any difference.
551
00:34:45,416 --> 00:34:49,045
And the fact that I'm a basketball player
is just an accident.
552
00:34:51,255 --> 00:34:53,800
I love the fact that he was his own man.
553
00:34:53,883 --> 00:34:57,178
He decided he was going
to just play the game and…
554
00:34:57,261 --> 00:35:00,306
and, uh, interact with his teammates.
555
00:35:00,389 --> 00:35:03,184
He was always in control.
That's what I want to say.
556
00:35:03,267 --> 00:35:05,645
He'd rather be in a deep conversation
557
00:35:05,728 --> 00:35:08,773
or maybe shake a gentleman's hand
or a lady's hand.
558
00:35:08,856 --> 00:35:09,690
That's fine.
559
00:35:09,774 --> 00:35:12,777
If you know Bill Russell
don't sign autographs, don't ask him.
560
00:35:12,860 --> 00:35:15,363
He had his own convictions
that he wouldn't change.
561
00:35:15,446 --> 00:35:16,614
I like that about him.
562
00:35:16,697 --> 00:35:19,659
President of the United States,
he wouldn't sign an autograph.
563
00:35:19,742 --> 00:35:22,995
I went up and asked him for his autograph,
and guess what he said?
564
00:35:23,496 --> 00:35:24,497
No.
565
00:35:24,580 --> 00:35:28,376
And I started laughing,
like, "Yeah, that's funny."
566
00:35:28,459 --> 00:35:30,253
"Here you go. Go ahead and sign this."
567
00:35:30,336 --> 00:35:32,380
He said no again,
and he meant it.
568
00:35:33,047 --> 00:35:36,425
I was trying to get
all the players who I had played with
569
00:35:36,509 --> 00:35:38,219
to sign their pictures,
570
00:35:38,302 --> 00:35:41,556
so I could have them
as a memento or whatever,
571
00:35:41,639 --> 00:35:43,599
and Russell refused.
572
00:35:44,100 --> 00:35:45,393
His statement was,
573
00:35:45,476 --> 00:35:48,646
"Satch, we spend a lot of time together.
We go out together."
574
00:35:48,729 --> 00:35:51,023
"You know I don't sign autographs."
575
00:35:51,107 --> 00:35:54,569
I said, "I'll kill this guy.
You gotta be kidding me, Russ."
576
00:35:54,652 --> 00:36:01,200
These are two
of my non-autographed Bill Russell books,
577
00:36:01,284 --> 00:36:05,121
that I keep right there
between H. Rap Brown and James Baldwin.
578
00:36:05,204 --> 00:36:09,375
I wouldn't have it any other way.
They were personally non-autographed,
579
00:36:09,458 --> 00:36:12,879
uh, for me by, uh, Mr. Bill Russell.
580
00:36:12,962 --> 00:36:17,925
I saw him about three years ago
when he was in town.
581
00:36:18,009 --> 00:36:21,429
He said, "Hey, Satch, what's going on?"
We started talking.
582
00:36:21,512 --> 00:36:25,016
He said, "And I'm still not gonna sign
an autograph!"
583
00:36:27,018 --> 00:36:30,521
I think, in a lot of ways,
my dad was ahead of his time.
584
00:36:30,605 --> 00:36:35,443
And I think if you look
at our celebrity-obsessed culture today,
585
00:36:35,526 --> 00:36:39,572
you can recognize the pitfalls
and perils of being a famous person.
586
00:36:39,655 --> 00:36:42,783
I think he was criticized
for not playing along or going along
587
00:36:42,867 --> 00:36:44,118
and being more open,
588
00:36:44,202 --> 00:36:48,956
and he also, unlike some other stars,
I don't think ever needed that.
589
00:36:49,040 --> 00:36:53,836
He was unapologetically himself
at all times,
590
00:36:53,920 --> 00:36:57,798
and if you can't respect that,
then you got something wrong with you.
591
00:36:59,592 --> 00:37:05,097
1963 through 1965,
the glow had worn off basketball.
592
00:37:05,181 --> 00:37:08,226
I thought it was a child's game
and said so publicly.
593
00:37:08,309 --> 00:37:12,605
How can I play basketball as a grown man
in the same way I played it as a kid
594
00:37:12,688 --> 00:37:15,441
when there are
so many more important things going on?
595
00:37:15,524 --> 00:37:19,570
I wanted to help change the world,
and I was looking for a way to do it.
596
00:37:19,654 --> 00:37:23,741
The Black revolution was beginning,
and many other tides were turning.
597
00:37:24,742 --> 00:37:27,161
You're a Black man playing this game.
598
00:37:27,245 --> 00:37:30,957
It's riddled with racism, number one.
You still can't go places.
599
00:37:31,040 --> 00:37:35,586
And Black folks are catching hell.
They're getting beaten, being attacked,
600
00:37:35,670 --> 00:37:38,714
and here you are playing basketball
for the Boston Celtics.
601
00:37:38,798 --> 00:37:42,635
I think when you step back,
you probably feel survivor's remorse.
602
00:37:42,718 --> 00:37:45,554
Like, "What am I doing playing
in front of all these white people…
603
00:37:45,638 --> 00:37:47,640
-…having them cheer for me?"
604
00:37:47,723 --> 00:37:50,309
"And they don't want me
to live in their neighborhood."
605
00:37:50,393 --> 00:37:53,020
You look at a television,
you're seeing this abuse,
606
00:37:53,104 --> 00:37:55,439
and you have a heart
and a sense of consciousness.
607
00:37:55,523 --> 00:37:58,985
You probably feel terrible.
"Whatever I'm doing is not enough."
608
00:37:59,068 --> 00:38:01,362
There are two societies
in this country,
609
00:38:01,445 --> 00:38:03,447
and I have to recognize it.
610
00:38:03,531 --> 00:38:07,201
To see life for what it is
and not go stark raving mad.
611
00:38:08,119 --> 00:38:10,746
He gives interviews
to Sports Illustrated,
612
00:38:10,830 --> 00:38:12,290
to the Saturday Evening Post,
613
00:38:12,373 --> 00:38:15,835
that speak to his emerging sense
of disillusion with America.
614
00:38:15,918 --> 00:38:17,128
In these articles,
615
00:38:17,211 --> 00:38:20,089
he questions Martin Luther King's strategy
of nonviolence.
616
00:38:20,172 --> 00:38:22,925
He defends Malcolm X
and the Nation of Islam,
617
00:38:23,009 --> 00:38:26,095
which is anathema
to most white Americans at the time.
618
00:38:26,178 --> 00:38:29,974
He says sports isn't an area
of racial enlightenment.
619
00:38:30,057 --> 00:38:33,894
Sports reflects the larger racist patterns
in American society.
620
00:38:33,978 --> 00:38:38,482
What happens when you're that self-aware
about what you're doing?
621
00:38:39,233 --> 00:38:42,194
What does that do
to your enjoyment of doing it?
622
00:38:42,278 --> 00:38:43,863
As Bill Russell struggled
623
00:38:43,946 --> 00:38:47,325
with his role and responsibility
as a Black public athlete,
624
00:38:47,408 --> 00:38:50,161
his team was
about to face a turning point.
625
00:38:50,786 --> 00:38:54,665
Coach Red Auerbach decided
it was time to step down.
626
00:38:54,749 --> 00:38:58,627
The '65-'66 season
would be his last as coach.
627
00:38:59,462 --> 00:39:02,423
I didn't want to go into the season,
628
00:39:02,506 --> 00:39:04,800
and then if we win it,
say, "Now, I retire."
629
00:39:05,509 --> 00:39:07,470
They'd say,
"Oh, you're just quitting a winner."
630
00:39:07,553 --> 00:39:10,639
I said, "I'll quit at the end of this year
regardless of what happens."
631
00:39:10,723 --> 00:39:14,101
The question that mattered
was who would take Red's place.
632
00:39:15,019 --> 00:39:18,606
Red's first choice
was team captain and star, Bill Russell.
633
00:39:19,857 --> 00:39:23,277
What better way
to motivate Bill Russell the player
634
00:39:23,361 --> 00:39:25,363
than Bill Russell the coach?
635
00:39:26,989 --> 00:39:31,243
I was the first guy he asked,
and I told him I didn't want the job.
636
00:39:32,203 --> 00:39:36,248
If not Bill, then who?
That decision would have to wait.
637
00:39:36,332 --> 00:39:39,043
In the meantime,
there was a season to finish,
638
00:39:39,126 --> 00:39:43,297
and with Red's impending retirement,
a little extra incentive to win.
639
00:39:44,924 --> 00:39:48,052
We wanted to make sure,
when Red retired as coach,
640
00:39:48,135 --> 00:39:50,429
that we won the championship
his last year.
641
00:39:50,930 --> 00:39:54,600
We felt that was gonna be
the definition of his career as a coach,
642
00:39:55,309 --> 00:39:56,894
was, "How did he finish?"
643
00:39:57,853 --> 00:40:01,982
Giving Red a championship send-off
would depend on the postseason.
644
00:40:02,066 --> 00:40:04,860
After beating Philadelphia
for the second year in a row
645
00:40:04,944 --> 00:40:07,405
and claiming the Eastern Division title…
646
00:40:07,488 --> 00:40:11,700
Boston
has beaten Philadelphia 121 to 117.
647
00:40:12,493 --> 00:40:15,371
…the Celtics faced the Lakers
for the fifth time.
648
00:40:16,622 --> 00:40:20,668
And as often happened, the series
came down to the closing seconds
649
00:40:20,751 --> 00:40:24,505
of a decisive seventh game,
with the Celtics ahead by four.
650
00:40:24,588 --> 00:40:27,883
Six seconds left, and suddenly,
the Lakers have a chance.
651
00:40:28,384 --> 00:40:31,679
Now it goes to Ellis.
A quick jump shot, Ellis, is good!
652
00:40:31,762 --> 00:40:35,516
Four seconds left,
and the lead is down to two points.
653
00:40:35,599 --> 00:40:38,727
All right, K.C. with the ball,
gets surrounded. One second.
654
00:40:38,811 --> 00:40:40,438
That's it. It's all over!
655
00:40:41,105 --> 00:40:43,858
Havlicek got the pass, and he gets mobbed.
656
00:40:44,358 --> 00:40:45,609
It's all over.
657
00:40:46,360 --> 00:40:47,695
The Boston Celtics…
658
00:40:49,697 --> 00:40:54,243
beat the Los Angeles Lakers 95 to 93.
659
00:40:54,743 --> 00:40:57,913
And this crowd has surged
out onto the floor.
660
00:40:59,248 --> 00:41:04,628
Red and I both really wanted
that game so that he could go out winning.
661
00:41:06,672 --> 00:41:10,217
Red planned to stay
with the Celtics as the general manager,
662
00:41:11,135 --> 00:41:13,345
so he had to name his own successor.
663
00:41:15,222 --> 00:41:18,434
He knew Russell needed
a coach who would inspire him
664
00:41:18,517 --> 00:41:20,686
and keep him interested in the game.
665
00:41:21,270 --> 00:41:24,231
Who better than a current
or former Celtic?
666
00:41:24,315 --> 00:41:29,278
We both made out a list,
and my first choice was Frank Ramsey.
667
00:41:29,361 --> 00:41:32,907
Frank was retired down in Kentucky,
and Frank could not leave.
668
00:41:32,990 --> 00:41:35,159
We went to about three or four other guys,
669
00:41:35,242 --> 00:41:37,578
and none of them
were suitable to both of us.
670
00:41:39,205 --> 00:41:42,541
And he told me, "I have to hire somebody."
671
00:41:43,876 --> 00:41:47,213
He says, "I'm gonna go look
outside the organization."
672
00:41:48,339 --> 00:41:49,548
In desperation,
673
00:41:49,632 --> 00:41:53,427
Red called Alex Hannum,
the coach of the San Francisco Warriors,
674
00:41:53,511 --> 00:41:56,222
formerly the player-coach
for the St. Louis Hawks,
675
00:41:56,305 --> 00:41:59,141
and an old rival Russell did not care for.
676
00:41:59,642 --> 00:42:03,229
I says, "If you hire him, Red,
I'm gonna retire with you."
677
00:42:04,480 --> 00:42:07,983
Sitting with Russell, I said,
"Who's gonna coach when Red retires?"
678
00:42:08,067 --> 00:42:09,693
He said, "Alex Hannum,"
679
00:42:10,361 --> 00:42:12,655
one of Russell's bitterest enemies.
680
00:42:12,738 --> 00:42:14,615
I said, "You can't play for Alex Hannum."
681
00:42:14,698 --> 00:42:16,909
"He's the one guy in the league
you despise."
682
00:42:16,992 --> 00:42:22,206
I said, "Listen, for Christ's sake,
you're going to coach the goddamn team."
683
00:42:22,289 --> 00:42:24,291
"You want to coach it, don't you?" "Yeah."
684
00:42:24,375 --> 00:42:26,544
"So why don't you go tell Red
you'll coach the team."
685
00:42:27,753 --> 00:42:30,631
Now, about 25 minutes later,
686
00:42:30,714 --> 00:42:33,050
I'm sitting in my hotel room,
687
00:42:33,717 --> 00:42:34,885
the phone rings.
688
00:42:35,594 --> 00:42:39,723
And it's Red Auerbach, and he says,
"McSweeny, you son of a bitch."
689
00:42:39,807 --> 00:42:41,600
I said, "Red, what happened?"
690
00:42:41,684 --> 00:42:43,143
Bang, the phone hangs up.
691
00:42:43,227 --> 00:42:47,064
A few minutes later, the door knocks.
It's Russell. He said, "I'm the coach."
692
00:42:48,107 --> 00:42:52,403
I thought I was somewhere--
I just hugged him, and I kissed him,
693
00:42:52,486 --> 00:42:55,281
and I just tugged his beard.
694
00:42:55,364 --> 00:42:57,116
And…
695
00:42:57,199 --> 00:42:59,535
"It's the… It's the most wonderful thing
in the world."
696
00:43:03,122 --> 00:43:05,666
They had Cousy.
They had Auerbach before him,
697
00:43:05,749 --> 00:43:07,376
but they didn't have
the World Championship
698
00:43:07,459 --> 00:43:10,379
until they got Bill Russell,
and now he's the player-coach.
699
00:43:13,215 --> 00:43:15,551
I thought
that if I could try coaching,
700
00:43:15,634 --> 00:43:19,054
it would reenergize
my relationship with the game.
701
00:43:19,555 --> 00:43:22,266
It's basically what he should have gotten
702
00:43:23,183 --> 00:43:24,810
based on what he had done.
703
00:43:26,687 --> 00:43:29,773
Here he is, the new coach of the Celtics.
The best to you.
704
00:43:29,857 --> 00:43:32,276
-Thank you.
705
00:43:32,359 --> 00:43:35,571
Bill, are you gonna be
a carbon copy of Red Auerbach,
706
00:43:35,654 --> 00:43:37,489
or will you be your own coach?
707
00:43:37,573 --> 00:43:40,367
Nobody could be a carbon copy
of Red Auerbach.
708
00:43:44,830 --> 00:43:47,625
I'll have to do it my way.
I'm a brick head too.
709
00:43:48,459 --> 00:43:52,004
That's where I'll follow Red.
I'll be a hardhead just like he is.
710
00:43:55,341 --> 00:43:58,594
At the Celtics' annual
end-of-season breakup dinner,
711
00:43:58,677 --> 00:44:01,221
Russell signaled
that his role might have changed,
712
00:44:01,305 --> 00:44:05,392
but his feelings and expectations
for his teammates remained the same.
713
00:44:06,393 --> 00:44:09,313
I expect a lot
out of this team next season.
714
00:44:09,396 --> 00:44:13,233
I've never been associated with a team
with more heart than this one.
715
00:44:13,317 --> 00:44:16,987
I don't get close to many people,
but you guys made me love you.
716
00:44:17,071 --> 00:44:20,032
You treated me nicer
than I've been treated in my life.
717
00:44:20,115 --> 00:44:22,242
You guys are really my family.
718
00:44:22,326 --> 00:44:24,995
The Celtics are more
than a name or a team.
719
00:44:25,079 --> 00:44:26,622
They are a way of life.
720
00:44:27,289 --> 00:44:30,376
The announcement was momentous
for the Celtics,
721
00:44:30,459 --> 00:44:33,462
for all of sports,
and, really, for the nation.
722
00:44:33,545 --> 00:44:35,631
Russell would be
the first Black head coach
723
00:44:35,714 --> 00:44:38,717
of any professional team in North America.
724
00:44:38,801 --> 00:44:41,762
But the press wasn't quite sure
what to make of it.
725
00:44:45,974 --> 00:44:51,146
Can you do the job impartially,
without any racial prejudice in reverse?
726
00:44:51,939 --> 00:44:52,856
Yes.
727
00:44:56,110 --> 00:44:57,695
Now, you are, of course,
728
00:44:57,778 --> 00:45:01,407
the first Negro
to occupy a major coaching position.
729
00:45:01,490 --> 00:45:03,951
Do you feel it puts extra pressure on you?
730
00:45:04,034 --> 00:45:07,663
No, not at all. Other people put
more emphasis on it than I do
731
00:45:07,746 --> 00:45:12,292
because this is just, I think,
a natural thing that I would get the job
732
00:45:12,376 --> 00:45:13,711
or be offered the job.
733
00:45:15,045 --> 00:45:18,549
Russell becoming the coach
of the Celtics, a team that has won
734
00:45:18,632 --> 00:45:20,175
umpteen titles already,
735
00:45:20,259 --> 00:45:23,887
is a major event in American history,
in terms of American sporting history.
736
00:45:25,305 --> 00:45:26,932
I remember when I heard
737
00:45:27,015 --> 00:45:29,852
that Bill Russell was gonna be
the coach of the Celtics.
738
00:45:29,935 --> 00:45:32,604
I was very, very happy about that.
739
00:45:32,688 --> 00:45:38,110
And, you know, we're just talking about
just five years from the quota system.
740
00:45:38,610 --> 00:45:42,030
He became not just the face
of the Celtics.
741
00:45:42,114 --> 00:45:45,033
He became the part of the front office
742
00:45:45,117 --> 00:45:47,786
that is most visible
to the rest of the world.
743
00:45:49,204 --> 00:45:51,331
I can't imagine what that's like,
744
00:45:51,415 --> 00:45:55,335
trying to be great at both roles
because they're so different
745
00:45:55,419 --> 00:45:58,130
and require so much energy
and perspective and thought.
746
00:45:58,213 --> 00:46:00,883
So he's a better man than me.
747
00:46:03,969 --> 00:46:06,805
Russell and the Celtics
started the season strong,
748
00:46:06,889 --> 00:46:09,266
winning ten of their first 12 games.
749
00:46:12,519 --> 00:46:14,605
But more than any wins or losses,
750
00:46:14,688 --> 00:46:17,733
one event deeply impacted
Coach Bill Russell.
751
00:46:18,400 --> 00:46:21,820
When the Celtics played
an exhibition game in Louisiana,
752
00:46:21,904 --> 00:46:25,991
Bill's father brought his grandfather
to his first basketball game.
753
00:46:26,658 --> 00:46:30,078
Mr. Charlie came
into the dressing room with the old man.
754
00:46:30,162 --> 00:46:33,248
After a few minutes,
panic shot through both of us.
755
00:46:33,332 --> 00:46:37,002
The old man was crying.
I thought he was having a heart attack.
756
00:46:37,711 --> 00:46:40,339
Then we both saw that he was not in pain.
757
00:46:40,839 --> 00:46:42,841
He was staring as if stunned,
758
00:46:42,925 --> 00:46:47,721
transfixed by the sight of Sam Jones
and John Havlicek in the shower nearby.
759
00:46:49,139 --> 00:46:52,059
My two teammates
were busily lathering up and talking,
760
00:46:52,142 --> 00:46:54,228
oblivious to the old man's emotion.
761
00:46:55,813 --> 00:46:59,149
The old man looked up at us
and made a slow pronouncement.
762
00:47:00,734 --> 00:47:02,653
"I never thought I'd live to see the day
763
00:47:02,736 --> 00:47:06,323
when water would run off
of a Black man onto a white man."
764
00:47:06,406 --> 00:47:08,033
He kept shaking his head.
765
00:47:08,700 --> 00:47:12,454
"You know, I can tell
those two men like each other."
766
00:47:13,997 --> 00:47:17,251
You're in a position
of taking over for the first time.
767
00:47:17,334 --> 00:47:20,796
A long string of victories.
Do you want to make any predictions?
768
00:47:20,879 --> 00:47:24,299
If we don't have any key injuries,
I think we'll go all the way.
769
00:47:30,514 --> 00:47:34,434
He may have taken on more
than he was ready to at that point.
770
00:47:34,518 --> 00:47:37,604
He's playing an average
of about 45 minutes a game
771
00:47:37,688 --> 00:47:40,065
as well as coaching
772
00:47:40,148 --> 00:47:43,819
and making sure we get
to the spots we had to get to,
773
00:47:43,902 --> 00:47:45,696
that the offense was running right,
774
00:47:45,779 --> 00:47:48,240
and the defense was
where it's supposed to be.
775
00:47:49,032 --> 00:47:52,035
I bet you when
he took on the job, he didn't realize
776
00:47:52,911 --> 00:47:57,416
how much more it would take
out of him to do that.
777
00:47:57,499 --> 00:48:02,296
And it just happened to be that was
the year that Wilt finally got it together
778
00:48:02,379 --> 00:48:04,131
and had a tremendous squad in Philly.
779
00:48:08,719 --> 00:48:13,724
Official pregame program, just 35.
The official lineup in the program.
780
00:48:15,058 --> 00:48:19,021
Wilt Chamberlain, read all about it
in the official program lineup.
781
00:48:19,104 --> 00:48:21,857
Over the last two years,
the 76ers had evolved
782
00:48:21,940 --> 00:48:24,735
from a team with promise
into a powerhouse.
783
00:48:30,991 --> 00:48:33,493
They boasted
the best record in the NBA,
784
00:48:34,244 --> 00:48:37,497
and Wilt finally found
a team he could bond with.
785
00:48:37,581 --> 00:48:39,625
Rejection's able to hurt you.
786
00:48:39,708 --> 00:48:41,752
In the past ten years,
the Celtics have won
787
00:48:41,835 --> 00:48:43,670
nine of ten World Championships.
788
00:48:43,754 --> 00:48:46,715
Last year, the 76ers were
the "almost team" of the NBA.
789
00:48:46,798 --> 00:48:49,384
The past cries out, "Beat Boston."
790
00:48:50,552 --> 00:48:53,513
Back out to Greer.
Greer wants to shoot. He does. It's good.
791
00:48:54,139 --> 00:48:56,767
Boy, I tell you,
these two clubs want at each other.
792
00:48:58,393 --> 00:49:01,063
Greer on the left.
He fires. It is no good.
793
00:49:01,146 --> 00:49:04,983
The rebound by Chamberlain.
Lays it in, and he was fouled on the play.
794
00:49:05,651 --> 00:49:10,280
The Sixers dominated the first
three games in the 1967 playoff series.
795
00:49:11,907 --> 00:49:14,868
Wilt, now a veteran,
had adjusted his game,
796
00:49:14,952 --> 00:49:17,746
passing more
and committing to team defense.
797
00:49:24,378 --> 00:49:26,338
Beautiful block, Chamberlain!
798
00:49:26,421 --> 00:49:27,881
Beautiful block, Chamberlain.
799
00:49:28,465 --> 00:49:31,718
In his first year
as player-coach in the NBA,
800
00:49:31,802 --> 00:49:34,846
Russell inherited a solid organization,
but it's leaking.
801
00:49:37,891 --> 00:49:44,398
Went to the Garden, and all the ugly fans
and the malicious attitude that they had.
802
00:49:44,481 --> 00:49:47,150
It was not competition.
It was confrontation.
803
00:49:50,112 --> 00:49:52,155
A fan joins the melee.
804
00:49:54,408 --> 00:49:57,285
The Celtics managed to win
game four in Boston,
805
00:49:57,369 --> 00:49:59,204
only to return to Philly,
806
00:49:59,287 --> 00:50:02,791
where the fans were demanding
the end of the Celtics dynasty.
807
00:50:04,167 --> 00:50:05,919
Walker drives, lays it in.
808
00:50:06,003 --> 00:50:09,297
This has been, I mean,
just a tremendous ball club all year.
809
00:50:09,381 --> 00:50:11,967
To Greer, he's being chased.
He lays it in.
810
00:50:14,720 --> 00:50:17,014
Philadelphia fans were chanting,
811
00:50:17,097 --> 00:50:20,559
"The Celtics are dead.
The Celtics are dead. Finally dead."
812
00:50:25,147 --> 00:50:28,066
Bill Russell watches
a dynasty crumble around him.
813
00:50:28,150 --> 00:50:32,779
Five, four, three, two, one!
814
00:50:39,453 --> 00:50:43,457
Wilt and the Philadelphia 76ers
beat us because they were better.
815
00:50:45,042 --> 00:50:47,002
They almost ran us off the court,
816
00:50:47,711 --> 00:50:50,714
and I got an instant taste
of the loser syndrome.
817
00:50:52,174 --> 00:50:54,885
Though the Celtics had
run off an unprecedented string
818
00:50:54,968 --> 00:50:59,014
of eight consecutive championships,
the fans in Boston hooted me.
819
00:50:59,097 --> 00:51:01,016
"All washed up, huh?"
820
00:51:01,099 --> 00:51:04,311
"I knew it couldn't last.
You guys don't have it anymore."
821
00:51:04,936 --> 00:51:06,480
I had to blink my eyes.
822
00:51:09,232 --> 00:51:12,194
The Sixers went on to win
the NBA Finals that year,
823
00:51:13,612 --> 00:51:15,697
giving Wilt his first championship.
824
00:51:17,199 --> 00:51:21,369
Meanwhile, in Boston, the postmortems
on the Celtics' bitter defeat
825
00:51:21,453 --> 00:51:23,163
focused on one man.
826
00:51:24,456 --> 00:51:26,541
We had gotten
in the habit of winning,
827
00:51:26,625 --> 00:51:30,712
and as long as we were able
to rely on Russell as the anchor…
828
00:51:30,796 --> 00:51:33,840
…we thought
that we would win 'em all.
829
00:51:33,924 --> 00:51:35,550
Russ, being a man of pride,
830
00:51:35,634 --> 00:51:37,844
was really hurt
831
00:51:37,928 --> 00:51:40,472
over the fact that we did not win.
832
00:51:41,139 --> 00:51:42,766
And he was embarrassed.
833
00:51:42,849 --> 00:51:45,977
He was very quiet, didn't want
to talk about the season at all.
834
00:51:46,061 --> 00:51:48,271
That was the kind of guy he was.
835
00:51:48,355 --> 00:51:51,274
He said, "Hey, we'll see
what happens next year."
836
00:51:52,609 --> 00:51:53,985
In case you haven't noticed
837
00:51:54,069 --> 00:51:56,613
with all of the excitement
of the World Series,
838
00:51:56,696 --> 00:52:00,033
the National Basketball Association
is about to start its season
839
00:52:00,117 --> 00:52:01,576
on Saturday night.
840
00:52:01,660 --> 00:52:02,994
Here at the Boston Garden,
841
00:52:03,078 --> 00:52:05,455
all of the veterans
will be back for the Celts,
842
00:52:05,539 --> 00:52:08,375
and they'll be trying once again
to get that crown back
843
00:52:08,458 --> 00:52:11,253
that the Philadelphia 76ers
took away from them.
844
00:52:11,878 --> 00:52:13,547
I never made a prediction before.
845
00:52:13,630 --> 00:52:16,758
All the years I was here,
they'd say, "How you gonna do?"
846
00:52:16,842 --> 00:52:19,678
I'd say, "I don't know.
I don't have anything to say."
847
00:52:19,761 --> 00:52:22,139
Last year, during the playoffs,
they said, "How you gonna do?"
848
00:52:22,222 --> 00:52:24,933
I said, "We're going to win it,"
and we didn't.
849
00:52:25,016 --> 00:52:28,812
So I'm not going to say
anything else anymore, ever.
850
00:52:32,399 --> 00:52:35,610
Russell faced a dual threat
his second season as coach.
851
00:52:36,444 --> 00:52:39,865
One was to prove he could bring
his team back to the championship
852
00:52:39,948 --> 00:52:42,450
after their loss
to the Philadelphia 76ers.
853
00:52:44,411 --> 00:52:47,622
The other would grow out of a brutal war
that would tear America
854
00:52:47,706 --> 00:52:49,332
and the sports world apart.
855
00:52:51,126 --> 00:52:55,046
I developed strong convictions
about Vietnam very early in the war.
856
00:52:55,714 --> 00:52:58,383
It seemed to me
a continuation of the colonial wars
857
00:52:58,466 --> 00:53:02,262
about which, as a Black man
who opposed the colonies in Africa,
858
00:53:02,345 --> 00:53:03,388
I felt sensitive.
859
00:53:04,431 --> 00:53:06,474
In effect, the Vietnamese were saying
860
00:53:06,558 --> 00:53:09,519
they didn't want Occidentals
running their country.
861
00:53:10,270 --> 00:53:12,981
We Americans didn't see it
that way, of course.
862
00:53:13,064 --> 00:53:15,609
As an empire,
we insisted on defining the war
863
00:53:15,692 --> 00:53:18,570
as a matter of communism versus democracy.
864
00:53:19,321 --> 00:53:23,200
The bombs in Vietnam explode at home.
865
00:53:23,283 --> 00:53:26,786
They destroy the dream and possibility
866
00:53:26,870 --> 00:53:28,371
for a decent America.
867
00:53:28,455 --> 00:53:32,542
Hey, hey, LBJ,
how many kids did you kill today?
868
00:53:32,626 --> 00:53:34,753
The fucking commies run this place!
869
00:53:36,755 --> 00:53:41,051
The war had sparked anger
and bitterness and polarized the nation.
870
00:53:41,134 --> 00:53:43,470
-What do we want?
-Peace.
871
00:53:43,553 --> 00:53:45,513
-When do we get it?
-Now.
872
00:53:50,560 --> 00:53:52,354
Among those opposed to the fight
873
00:53:52,437 --> 00:53:55,774
was 25-year-old
heavyweight champion Cassius Clay,
874
00:53:55,857 --> 00:53:59,611
who had converted to Islam
and taken the name Muhammad Ali.
875
00:53:59,694 --> 00:54:02,489
Ali argued that his religious
and ethical convictions
876
00:54:02,572 --> 00:54:05,700
prevented him from fighting
and killing people he didn't know.
877
00:54:05,784 --> 00:54:07,869
I don't think
I should go to Vietnam
878
00:54:07,953 --> 00:54:10,372
and shoot people
that never called me "nigger,"
879
00:54:10,455 --> 00:54:13,667
never lynched me,
never put dogs on me, never raped my mama.
880
00:54:13,750 --> 00:54:16,378
Ali was facing
the loss of his title,
881
00:54:16,461 --> 00:54:17,837
federal prosecution,
882
00:54:17,921 --> 00:54:19,631
a five-year prison sentence,
883
00:54:19,714 --> 00:54:21,508
and a $10,000 fine.
884
00:54:22,425 --> 00:54:24,636
What Muhammad Ali was doing
885
00:54:25,262 --> 00:54:28,598
could bring an end
to his career as a boxer.
886
00:54:28,682 --> 00:54:34,187
He didn't mind losing millions of dollars.
He was certainly very courageous.
887
00:54:34,271 --> 00:54:36,982
He made us proud to be Black athletes
888
00:54:37,065 --> 00:54:40,235
because he was showing me,
through his actions,
889
00:54:40,735 --> 00:54:42,028
what was important.
890
00:54:42,112 --> 00:54:44,322
I don't know too many individual athletes
891
00:54:44,406 --> 00:54:47,367
who would take the kind of course
that he's taking.
892
00:54:47,450 --> 00:54:52,205
This takes a tremendous amount
of willpower and fortitude, etc.
893
00:54:52,289 --> 00:54:53,164
A real belief.
894
00:54:56,001 --> 00:54:59,629
The Cleveland Summit was basically
a response by Black athletes
895
00:54:59,713 --> 00:55:03,383
to the fact that Ali was refusing
to go into the US military.
896
00:55:03,466 --> 00:55:06,553
They wanted to show
their support for their brother.
897
00:55:07,137 --> 00:55:11,099
We never went to Cleveland
to persuade Muhammad to join the Army.
898
00:55:11,182 --> 00:55:13,018
We went to offer him our help.
899
00:55:13,560 --> 00:55:16,354
There's nothing that says
the heavyweight champion of the world
900
00:55:16,438 --> 00:55:21,359
must belong to a particular religion
or not be a conscientious objector to war.
901
00:55:23,486 --> 00:55:27,032
We came out of friendship to Muhammad Ali.
902
00:55:28,700 --> 00:55:32,329
And I know that we wanted
to find out from him…
903
00:55:32,954 --> 00:55:36,291
You read the papers, you see
on television, all this kind of stuff.
904
00:55:36,374 --> 00:55:37,542
…what is going on.
905
00:55:37,625 --> 00:55:42,047
He stood up
under many very difficult questions,
906
00:55:42,130 --> 00:55:45,633
and, in essence, gentlemen, convinced us
907
00:55:45,717 --> 00:55:49,179
that it is, basically,
a religious matter with him.
908
00:55:49,262 --> 00:55:51,181
He believes in his religion
909
00:55:51,264 --> 00:55:53,975
and that his stand
is based wholly on that.
910
00:55:54,517 --> 00:55:56,728
The things that he has gone through
911
00:55:57,354 --> 00:56:00,648
has had to make him a very lonely man.
912
00:56:03,568 --> 00:56:06,321
This is the famous picture.
913
00:56:06,404 --> 00:56:12,660
Probably one of the most iconic photos
of the 20th century.
914
00:56:12,744 --> 00:56:15,997
Seeing these Black men, these stars,
915
00:56:16,081 --> 00:56:19,876
step out of their role
as stars for the Cleveland Browns,
916
00:56:19,959 --> 00:56:23,004
or stars for the Celtics,
or stars for the Packers,
917
00:56:23,088 --> 00:56:25,215
come out and say,
"No, we're Black men first."
918
00:56:25,298 --> 00:56:28,218
They felt a sense of accountability
and responsibility
919
00:56:28,301 --> 00:56:31,346
to leveraging their platform, their voice,
920
00:56:31,429 --> 00:56:35,016
their wants and desires for the changes
that need to be made in this country,
921
00:56:35,100 --> 00:56:37,143
and what it means
to be a Black athlete even.
922
00:56:37,227 --> 00:56:39,145
I think what Bill and I had in common
923
00:56:39,229 --> 00:56:42,482
is that we refused to give up
our individuality
924
00:56:42,565 --> 00:56:45,443
and deal with prejudice
925
00:56:46,694 --> 00:56:48,113
and discrimination
926
00:56:49,197 --> 00:56:51,783
and unfair practices.
927
00:56:51,866 --> 00:56:53,284
If you're a star,
928
00:56:53,368 --> 00:56:57,163
and if you say the right things
and act the right way,
929
00:56:57,247 --> 00:56:58,832
you'll make some money.
930
00:56:58,915 --> 00:57:02,293
And if you're gonna be an activist,
you have to give that up.
931
00:57:02,377 --> 00:57:04,254
Bill was a special individual.
932
00:57:04,337 --> 00:57:06,965
He, uh, could be counted on
933
00:57:07,799 --> 00:57:12,095
to challenge things that were not correct.
934
00:57:12,887 --> 00:57:15,723
Bill Russell
captured the essence,
935
00:57:15,807 --> 00:57:21,479
the soul and heart of what Ali was saying.
936
00:57:21,563 --> 00:57:23,648
When a reporter asked Bill,
937
00:57:25,191 --> 00:57:29,612
"What is going to happen to Muhammad Ali?"
938
00:57:29,696 --> 00:57:31,865
Bill's response was,
939
00:57:33,783 --> 00:57:37,120
"I'm not worried about Muhammad Ali."
940
00:57:37,203 --> 00:57:39,622
"He's done something
I haven't even been able to,
941
00:57:39,706 --> 00:57:42,834
to find something I'm so committed to
as a matter of faith,
942
00:57:42,917 --> 00:57:44,836
I'm willing to put my life on the line."
943
00:57:44,919 --> 00:57:48,548
"I'm not worried about Ali.
I'm worried about the rest of us."
944
00:57:48,631 --> 00:57:51,217
This is
a CBS News special report.
945
00:57:51,301 --> 00:57:53,511
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,
946
00:57:53,595 --> 00:57:56,473
civil rights leader
and Nobel Prize winner,
947
00:57:56,556 --> 00:57:59,267
was shot and killed tonight
in Memphis, Tennessee.
948
00:57:59,350 --> 00:58:03,521
He was standing on the balcony of
the Lorraine Hotel, on the second floor,
949
00:58:03,605 --> 00:58:06,107
when a single shot came
from across the street.
950
00:58:06,191 --> 00:58:08,193
It apparently hit him in the neck.
951
00:58:08,276 --> 00:58:11,613
The dream of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
952
00:58:12,489 --> 00:58:14,199
has not died with him.
953
00:58:15,992 --> 00:58:19,412
America shall not be ruled by the bullet
954
00:58:19,496 --> 00:58:24,250
but only by the ballot
of free and of just men.
955
00:58:25,418 --> 00:58:29,214
I think everybody on every team,
regardless of race or religion
956
00:58:29,297 --> 00:58:30,131
or whatever,
957
00:58:31,674 --> 00:58:32,509
felt a loss.
958
00:58:33,593 --> 00:58:35,553
And it has impact on all of us.
959
00:58:37,639 --> 00:58:41,351
Riots broke out
in more than 150 American cities.
960
00:58:41,935 --> 00:58:46,314
A rampage of arson and looting
unmatched in the history of this nation.
961
00:58:48,983 --> 00:58:53,404
It is the fiber and the fabric
of the republic that's being tested.
962
00:58:59,494 --> 00:59:03,206
Grief and anger exploded
in cities across the country.
963
00:59:03,831 --> 00:59:06,292
In Philadelphia,
the Celtics were scheduled
964
00:59:06,376 --> 00:59:09,128
to play the first game
of the Eastern Division finals
965
00:59:09,212 --> 00:59:11,422
against the 76ers the following day.
966
00:59:12,131 --> 00:59:17,637
No longer are we going to stand around
and wait while our leaders are killed.
967
00:59:19,180 --> 00:59:21,683
I know
I was in a state of shock all day.
968
00:59:22,308 --> 00:59:26,854
I just sat around for four or five hours
before I could speak of anything else.
969
00:59:27,480 --> 00:59:30,900
Then I thought maybe I shouldn't play.
I called Wilt.
970
00:59:31,859 --> 00:59:36,155
Even athletes of the stature,
of the celebrity
971
00:59:37,031 --> 00:59:39,909
of Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain
972
00:59:40,535 --> 00:59:45,206
couldn't get the NBA to say,
"In honor of this great man,
973
00:59:45,290 --> 00:59:47,500
we're gonna pause.
We're not gonna play the game."
974
00:59:48,251 --> 00:59:50,753
With the stadium
already filling with fans,
975
00:59:51,254 --> 00:59:53,840
Chamberlain demanded
a vote in the locker room
976
00:59:53,923 --> 00:59:56,175
whether they wanted to play or not.
977
00:59:58,678 --> 01:00:03,016
We agreed it wouldn't be good
to call off the game at that late date.
978
01:00:03,099 --> 01:00:06,853
You got 10,000 to 12,000 people,
and to call it off could be trouble.
979
01:00:08,938 --> 01:00:11,816
In the end,
the two teams decided to play.
980
01:00:14,319 --> 01:00:17,614
Fans watched a stoic
but unfocused performance,
981
01:00:19,157 --> 01:00:22,577
even by the two great rivals,
Russell and Chamberlain.
982
01:00:37,675 --> 01:00:39,135
There's an eerie atmosphere.
983
01:00:39,218 --> 01:00:42,055
There isn't the same sense
of joy and thrill
984
01:00:42,138 --> 01:00:44,307
that's associated with playoff basketball.
985
01:00:45,975 --> 01:00:49,520
The Celtics managed to win
127 to 118.
986
01:00:53,191 --> 01:00:56,152
Four days later,
King was laid to rest in Atlanta.
987
01:00:57,654 --> 01:01:00,948
King's funeral was attended
by luminaries from politics,
988
01:01:01,032 --> 01:01:04,619
the entertainment industry,
and superstars of the NBA.
989
01:01:05,411 --> 01:01:08,247
Many feared that his dream
had died with him.
990
01:01:10,041 --> 01:01:12,960
I had a great deal of respect
for Dr. King.
991
01:01:13,044 --> 01:01:15,004
He was the last buffer, you know.
992
01:01:15,505 --> 01:01:17,548
Stuff I had said ten years ago,
993
01:01:17,632 --> 01:01:20,385
that everybody dismissed
as "an angry Negro talking,"
994
01:01:20,468 --> 01:01:23,805
is coming out today,
and that's what is so sad.
995
01:01:25,056 --> 01:01:27,850
Nothing constructive
ever comes out of violence.
996
01:01:27,934 --> 01:01:30,436
Here's a man that believed in nonviolence,
997
01:01:30,520 --> 01:01:32,271
and someone cuts him down.
998
01:01:32,980 --> 01:01:34,273
It's a real tragedy.
999
01:01:35,316 --> 01:01:38,569
On April 10th,
the day after King's funeral,
1000
01:01:38,653 --> 01:01:41,447
the playoff series resumed
at Boston Garden.
1001
01:02:01,509 --> 01:02:05,263
The 76ers outplayed
and outscored their opponents,
1002
01:02:05,346 --> 01:02:08,516
and the Celtics lost 115 to 106.
1003
01:02:09,934 --> 01:02:12,520
Philadelphia won
the next two games as well.
1004
01:02:15,189 --> 01:02:18,151
No team, not even the Celtics,
had ever recovered
1005
01:02:18,234 --> 01:02:20,236
from a three-to-one deficit in a series.
1006
01:02:23,865 --> 01:02:27,201
The fat lady hasn't sung, yet.
1007
01:02:28,327 --> 01:02:31,205
And until the fat lady starts singing,
it's not over.
1008
01:02:37,420 --> 01:02:40,173
The Celtics came roaring back
in game five,
1009
01:02:40,256 --> 01:02:43,301
pummeling Philadelphia 122 to 104.
1010
01:02:46,512 --> 01:02:48,306
Now, the momentum had shifted,
1011
01:02:48,389 --> 01:02:50,933
and the Celtics won
the next game at the Garden.
1012
01:02:56,981 --> 01:03:00,193
With relentless blocking
and solid coaching by Russell,
1013
01:03:00,276 --> 01:03:02,779
they took the series finale
in Philadelphia
1014
01:03:02,862 --> 01:03:04,989
to prove they were still champions.
1015
01:03:05,656 --> 01:03:08,576
Russell called it
his most satisfying victory.
1016
01:03:09,076 --> 01:03:12,455
The Celtics would go on
to beat the Lakers in the Finals,
1017
01:03:12,538 --> 01:03:16,584
Russell's tenth championship,
and his first as head coach.
1018
01:03:17,084 --> 01:03:19,670
Bill Russell, congratulations
on a great game and season.
1019
01:03:19,754 --> 01:03:20,588
Thank you.
1020
01:03:20,671 --> 01:03:25,384
Did operating as the coach and player
take any more out of you this season
1021
01:03:25,468 --> 01:03:26,761
than in past seasons?
1022
01:03:26,844 --> 01:03:27,845
I don't think so.
1023
01:03:30,431 --> 01:03:32,141
Do you think
the new Black athlete
1024
01:03:32,225 --> 01:03:35,269
can collectively bring about
any social or political change?
1025
01:03:35,353 --> 01:03:37,897
I can say things that I did…
I said over the years,
1026
01:03:37,980 --> 01:03:41,484
it's because I had a position of power,
and that I was very good.
1027
01:03:42,401 --> 01:03:45,363
But conversely, that made me
have more to lose,
1028
01:03:46,697 --> 01:03:49,534
in the sense
of what they were talking about.
1029
01:03:49,617 --> 01:03:53,037
But it was nothing to lose to me
because if I don't have my manhood,
1030
01:03:53,120 --> 01:03:54,288
I don't have anything.
1031
01:03:54,372 --> 01:03:57,041
Athletes are products rather than people.
1032
01:04:01,254 --> 01:04:05,007
I've been constantly harassed.
I've been in solitary confinement
1033
01:04:05,091 --> 01:04:07,176
for approximately three months now.
1034
01:04:07,260 --> 01:04:09,178
-What are you?
-Black Panthers!
1035
01:04:10,638 --> 01:04:12,765
Nothing's more important
than stopping fascism,
1036
01:04:12,849 --> 01:04:14,350
because fascism will stop us all.
1037
01:04:29,115 --> 01:04:31,367
I tell you,
I really feel totally inadequate.
1038
01:04:35,121 --> 01:04:38,457
Because after I've seen
what the people are going through,
1039
01:04:39,834 --> 01:04:42,587
that my contribution is very, very minute.
1040
01:04:44,797 --> 01:04:50,136
Russ had threatened
to retire the last three, four years.
1041
01:04:50,219 --> 01:04:53,389
I said,
"Russ, you can't retire, man."
1042
01:04:53,472 --> 01:04:59,270
I said, "We need you to keep playing
so that we can keep winning championships
1043
01:04:59,353 --> 01:05:03,566
and keep those championship checks
coming in, okay?"
1044
01:05:03,649 --> 01:05:05,276
"We can't win without you."
1045
01:05:06,110 --> 01:05:08,446
On March 15th 1969,
1046
01:05:08,529 --> 01:05:11,073
during a game
against the Baltimore Bullets,
1047
01:05:11,157 --> 01:05:14,118
the Celtics tied the score
in the final seconds.
1048
01:05:15,119 --> 01:05:18,748
After gaining possession,
Coach Russell called a timeout.
1049
01:05:19,707 --> 01:05:23,336
I was yelling, "We got them
by the gym shoes! Let's kill 'em!"
1050
01:05:24,295 --> 01:05:27,548
Suddenly, I burst out laughing,
and I couldn't stop.
1051
01:05:27,632 --> 01:05:29,592
The players thought I was crazy.
1052
01:05:29,675 --> 01:05:31,761
I was saying, "This is really something."
1053
01:05:31,844 --> 01:05:34,764
"Here I am, a grown man
running around seminude
1054
01:05:34,847 --> 01:05:37,433
in front of thousands of people,
playing a game
1055
01:05:37,516 --> 01:05:39,310
and yelling about killing people."
1056
01:05:42,563 --> 01:05:46,484
I looked at my teammates as if
I had really said something profound.
1057
01:05:46,984 --> 01:05:50,196
They looked back blankly
as if I hadn't said anything.
1058
01:05:50,821 --> 01:05:52,990
We threw the ball away,
and the Bullets won.
1059
01:05:53,783 --> 01:05:56,577
In all my years of laughs
in pro basketball,
1060
01:05:56,661 --> 01:05:58,829
I had never mocked the game itself.
1061
01:06:01,874 --> 01:06:04,293
You can't give out what a game requires
1062
01:06:04,377 --> 01:06:07,546
if you start focusing
on its ridiculous aspects.
1063
01:06:08,631 --> 01:06:12,593
I already knew that there are
no final victories in sports.
1064
01:06:12,677 --> 01:06:14,136
The games just keep going,
1065
01:06:14,220 --> 01:06:17,181
and the only final victory
you can have is to walk away
1066
01:06:17,264 --> 01:06:19,141
from that last game intact.
1067
01:06:19,725 --> 01:06:22,269
I told myself, and no one else,
1068
01:06:22,853 --> 01:06:24,897
that I was playing my last season.
1069
01:06:26,273 --> 01:06:28,818
It was a brutal season
for the Celtics,
1070
01:06:28,901 --> 01:06:30,861
who, in the eyes
of the rest of the league,
1071
01:06:30,945 --> 01:06:32,905
seemed to be losing their edge.
1072
01:06:33,864 --> 01:06:37,743
The spells of inspired basketball
became less frequent.
1073
01:06:37,827 --> 01:06:42,373
I knew that sometimes this happened
because I was coaching as well as playing,
1074
01:06:42,456 --> 01:06:45,418
but a lot of it
was that I just couldn't keep up.
1075
01:06:46,711 --> 01:06:49,213
Russell was obviously
in his twilight.
1076
01:06:49,296 --> 01:06:52,633
Sam Jones, Satch Sanders
were up in age, you know.
1077
01:06:52,717 --> 01:06:54,760
We used to call them geriatric.
1078
01:06:55,553 --> 01:06:59,473
When you start the game, these guys
got bandages all over their knees.
1079
01:06:59,557 --> 01:07:01,225
They look like they're from the '40s.
1080
01:07:01,308 --> 01:07:03,686
They got
the old black high-top sneakers on.
1081
01:07:03,769 --> 01:07:05,855
You're actually feeling sorry for them.
1082
01:07:05,938 --> 01:07:11,068
I'm at a stage in my career
where each season is punishment.
1083
01:07:11,152 --> 01:07:13,779
The Celtics finished fourth
in the Eastern Division that year.
1084
01:07:13,863 --> 01:07:15,573
It was supposed to be over.
1085
01:07:15,656 --> 01:07:17,366
No one expected them to win.
1086
01:07:17,950 --> 01:07:21,162
Despite their lackluster
performance and the dire predictions,
1087
01:07:21,245 --> 01:07:24,206
Boston made it
to the Eastern Division semifinals
1088
01:07:24,290 --> 01:07:26,000
to face the 76ers.
1089
01:07:27,460 --> 01:07:30,337
The Celtics overwhelmed Philadelphia.
1090
01:07:30,421 --> 01:07:33,799
Now, they would face the Knicks
for the division title.
1091
01:07:33,883 --> 01:07:36,635
Philadelphia, we just knew
we could beat Philadelphia.
1092
01:07:36,719 --> 01:07:37,720
We knew that.
1093
01:07:37,803 --> 01:07:39,472
New York, we had a problem.
1094
01:07:44,643 --> 01:07:46,562
Everything just clicked perfectly
for the Knicks.
1095
01:07:46,645 --> 01:07:51,150
They had a hardworking but skilled leader
at center in Willis Reed.
1096
01:07:51,233 --> 01:07:53,152
They had the cerebral forward
Bill Bradley.
1097
01:07:53,235 --> 01:07:55,321
They had the dynamic guard
with Walt Frazier.
1098
01:07:55,404 --> 01:07:58,032
At the start of the season,
we were talking championship.
1099
01:07:58,115 --> 01:08:00,242
So now, here we are in the locker room,
1100
01:08:00,326 --> 01:08:03,329
saying, "Hey, man, this is it.
This is what we talked about."
1101
01:08:03,412 --> 01:08:05,790
"This is why we play, so let's do it."
1102
01:08:05,873 --> 01:08:07,666
And we thought we could win.
1103
01:08:07,750 --> 01:08:10,586
The Knicks, they thought
they had us that year
1104
01:08:10,669 --> 01:08:14,340
'cause they won six of seven games
that we played in the regular season.
1105
01:08:15,382 --> 01:08:18,469
Willis Reed was the backbone
of their defense.
1106
01:08:19,178 --> 01:08:20,721
He was helping everybody out.
1107
01:08:23,599 --> 01:08:26,477
And so I started changing
our offense each game.
1108
01:08:26,560 --> 01:08:30,856
When they'd adjust to the low-post game,
then I would go to the high-post offense.
1109
01:08:31,690 --> 01:08:34,777
By doing that, I changed
the flow of the defense.
1110
01:08:34,860 --> 01:08:36,904
But everything considered,
we were just a better team.
1111
01:08:39,573 --> 01:08:41,242
They didn't want to hear that.
1112
01:08:44,787 --> 01:08:47,706
Russell's game-to-game
adjustments worked.
1113
01:08:47,790 --> 01:08:49,667
The Knicks went down in defeat.
1114
01:08:49,750 --> 01:08:53,003
Now, an 11th championship was in sight.
1115
01:08:55,339 --> 01:09:00,386
The Celtics would face the Lakers
in the NBA Finals for the seventh time.
1116
01:09:05,975 --> 01:09:08,769
Coach, you just got Wilt Chamberlain.
1117
01:09:08,853 --> 01:09:11,730
How many people
did you make mad doing that?
1118
01:09:11,814 --> 01:09:14,650
No, I think I made a lot of people happy.
1119
01:09:14,733 --> 01:09:17,319
I know I made all the coaches
in the Eastern Division happy
1120
01:09:17,403 --> 01:09:19,196
because they think
they have a better chance.
1121
01:09:19,280 --> 01:09:21,949
You have
what amounts to a triple threat,
1122
01:09:22,032 --> 01:09:23,993
with three big players over there.
1123
01:09:24,076 --> 01:09:27,955
-What do you think you'll do this season?
-I know one thing. We'd better win.
1124
01:09:28,038 --> 01:09:30,082
If we don't, then I won't have a job.
1125
01:09:30,166 --> 01:09:32,668
I've always felt
that I wanted to play on a team
1126
01:09:32,751 --> 01:09:36,589
with guys like Jerry West and Elgin Baylor
1127
01:09:36,672 --> 01:09:38,465
and the other stalwart players
on the Lakers.
1128
01:09:38,549 --> 01:09:41,260
I feel very, very happy
that I am being traded.
1129
01:09:41,343 --> 01:09:45,222
I'm being traded to a team that I believe
may stand a chance to go down
1130
01:09:45,306 --> 01:09:47,933
on the record as one of the best teams
in basketball ever.
1131
01:09:54,523 --> 01:09:57,151
The Lakers had never beat
the Celtics in the Finals,
1132
01:09:57,735 --> 01:10:01,947
but in 1969, with Chamberlain
joining West and Baylor,
1133
01:10:02,031 --> 01:10:05,284
the team featured
the NBA's original Big Three.
1134
01:10:05,993 --> 01:10:09,455
We were a better team, period. Period.
1135
01:10:09,538 --> 01:10:12,499
Boston was not worthy
to be in the same league with us.
1136
01:10:12,583 --> 01:10:15,502
It was a team that was pulling straws.
1137
01:10:15,586 --> 01:10:19,798
Number 13, from Kansas,
Wilt Chamberlain!
1138
01:10:23,677 --> 01:10:26,639
Everybody keeps talking about,
"The Celtics are so old now."
1139
01:10:26,722 --> 01:10:27,890
"They can't win again."
1140
01:10:27,973 --> 01:10:31,018
Do you, deep down in your heart,
feel you can do it again?
1141
01:10:31,101 --> 01:10:31,936
Yes.
1142
01:10:33,187 --> 01:10:35,898
This is
for the World Championship of basketball,
1143
01:10:35,981 --> 01:10:38,108
ladies and gentlemen.
It's all on the line.
1144
01:10:44,281 --> 01:10:46,825
As Russell and Wilt
battled back and forth,
1145
01:10:46,909 --> 01:10:51,205
the game was decided by Jerry West,
who scored 53 points
1146
01:10:51,288 --> 01:10:53,916
and led the Lakers to a game one victory.
1147
01:10:56,752 --> 01:11:01,215
Jerry West had the best game
of any player that I've ever seen.
1148
01:11:01,298 --> 01:11:02,758
He was unstoppable.
1149
01:11:03,592 --> 01:11:06,720
The Boston Globe had asked Russell
to write a daily dispatch,
1150
01:11:06,804 --> 01:11:09,348
giving readers
his perspective on each game.
1151
01:11:09,431 --> 01:11:12,434
As always, he was outspoken and candid.
1152
01:11:13,852 --> 01:11:16,355
West's scoring was a big factor
in the game,
1153
01:11:16,438 --> 01:11:19,650
but it was a two-point game,
and that is a loss.
1154
01:11:20,150 --> 01:11:22,861
It wouldn't make any difference
if he got 100 points,
1155
01:11:22,945 --> 01:11:25,364
and we won by one or two points.
1156
01:11:25,447 --> 01:11:27,408
The win is the important thing.
1157
01:11:28,033 --> 01:11:31,120
In game two,
West scored 41 points,
1158
01:11:31,203 --> 01:11:34,206
once again leading Los Angeles to victory.
1159
01:11:34,290 --> 01:11:37,001
The confident Lakers now had
a commanding two-game lead
1160
01:11:37,084 --> 01:11:38,627
on Russell's Celtics.
1161
01:11:39,295 --> 01:11:40,713
The Celtics were in trouble.
1162
01:11:40,796 --> 01:11:43,966
No team had ever lost the first two games
and come back to win.
1163
01:11:44,049 --> 01:11:47,386
We allowed an average
of 119 points a game.
1164
01:11:47,469 --> 01:11:50,556
We can't afford to give up
that many points every game.
1165
01:11:50,639 --> 01:11:53,142
It doesn't matter
who gets the points for the team.
1166
01:11:54,560 --> 01:11:57,271
The series moved to Boston
for the next two games,
1167
01:11:57,354 --> 01:11:59,398
and the Celtics knew they had to win both
1168
01:11:59,481 --> 01:12:02,151
to give themselves a chance
at an 11th title.
1169
01:12:02,901 --> 01:12:04,403
They took game three.
1170
01:12:04,486 --> 01:12:07,656
But in game four,
the Lakers were ahead by one point
1171
01:12:07,740 --> 01:12:11,368
when the Celtics took possession
with seven seconds remaining.
1172
01:12:13,412 --> 01:12:17,249
Sam Jones comes flying
around three guys, throwing a pick.
1173
01:12:17,333 --> 01:12:18,292
Throws it up.
1174
01:12:19,293 --> 01:12:20,169
Bingo.
1175
01:12:20,836 --> 01:12:23,589
There's a second left,
but the game is over.
1176
01:12:23,672 --> 01:12:25,257
Sloppy, but I'll take it.
1177
01:12:25,341 --> 01:12:28,135
Sam, the old man,
came through with the clutch basket.
1178
01:12:29,219 --> 01:12:31,889
As the home team won
each of the first four games,
1179
01:12:31,972 --> 01:12:36,894
the trend continued when the Lakers
cruised to a game five win in Los Angeles.
1180
01:12:37,978 --> 01:12:40,606
Some things
are better left unsaid.
1181
01:12:40,689 --> 01:12:42,316
So regarding Thursday night's game
1182
01:12:42,399 --> 01:12:45,402
with the Lakers,
I have absolutely no comment.
1183
01:12:48,113 --> 01:12:51,575
Bill's disdain showed up
on his home court the next night,
1184
01:12:51,658 --> 01:12:55,412
holding the man who once scored
100 points in a single game
1185
01:12:55,496 --> 01:12:56,663
to only eight.
1186
01:12:58,582 --> 01:13:01,377
Home court advantage
had predicted the series,
1187
01:13:01,460 --> 01:13:04,046
and with Los Angeles
set to host the final game,
1188
01:13:04,129 --> 01:13:06,256
the Lakers remained the favorites.
1189
01:13:06,924 --> 01:13:11,136
I can't help but wonder, how do you feel
about going into another seventh game,
1190
01:13:11,220 --> 01:13:13,430
this time on somebody else's floor?
1191
01:13:13,514 --> 01:13:15,057
We've done it before.
1192
01:13:28,320 --> 01:13:33,117
Boston trying
for its 11th championship in 13 years.
1193
01:13:33,700 --> 01:13:36,453
A dynasty,
and the Lakers trying to end it.
1194
01:13:37,079 --> 01:13:40,874
The seventh game
on the Lakers' home court,
1195
01:13:40,958 --> 01:13:46,213
the Lakers were finally gonna win
that championship
1196
01:13:46,296 --> 01:13:50,217
that they had never been able
to gain against the Boston Celtics.
1197
01:13:50,300 --> 01:13:51,927
Jerry West has summed it up.
1198
01:13:52,010 --> 01:13:53,679
He said, "We can beat this club."
1199
01:13:53,762 --> 01:13:56,181
And he said,
"I may never get another chance."
1200
01:13:56,974 --> 01:13:59,226
We thought
that we were gonna have problems.
1201
01:13:59,309 --> 01:14:02,563
To be frank with you,
we weren't exactly as confident
1202
01:14:02,646 --> 01:14:04,481
as we had been in earlier times.
1203
01:14:04,565 --> 01:14:07,484
This is the big night,
the night the Lakers could take it all.
1204
01:14:07,568 --> 01:14:09,987
They could become
the World Champions of basketball.
1205
01:14:12,573 --> 01:14:16,660
Jack Kent Cooke had balloons
put in the rafters of the Forum
1206
01:14:16,743 --> 01:14:19,163
that were gonna be let go
after the Lakers won.
1207
01:14:24,626 --> 01:14:28,005
How could anyone even think
of something so stupid
1208
01:14:28,088 --> 01:14:29,798
to put those balloons up there?
1209
01:14:30,424 --> 01:14:33,635
Jack Kent Cooke put out
a sheet in all the seats.
1210
01:14:34,219 --> 01:14:37,723
When the Lakers win the championship,
the USC band would play,
1211
01:14:37,806 --> 01:14:40,934
the balloons in the rafters
would fall down.
1212
01:14:41,894 --> 01:14:44,104
Well, I took this back to Russell.
1213
01:14:45,105 --> 01:14:48,942
Sam showed me that, and I said,
"Well, it is humanly impossible
1214
01:14:49,026 --> 01:14:53,197
for the Lakers to win the game tonight.
The Lakers can't beat us."
1215
01:14:53,280 --> 01:14:56,200
If somebody messes with you
1216
01:14:56,992 --> 01:14:58,744
or talks about your mama
1217
01:14:58,827 --> 01:15:01,580
or pulls on Superman's cape, you know,
1218
01:15:01,663 --> 01:15:03,665
or steps on your corns, whatever,
1219
01:15:03,749 --> 01:15:05,334
or throws sand in your face,
1220
01:15:05,417 --> 01:15:09,296
you get angry,
and anger takes you to another level.
1221
01:15:10,005 --> 01:15:11,715
Russell against Chamberlain.
1222
01:15:11,798 --> 01:15:14,009
The ball is tipped
by Russell to Sam Jones.
1223
01:15:14,092 --> 01:15:17,137
He gives to Havlicek,
who will drive against Baylor.
1224
01:15:17,221 --> 01:15:21,433
Havlicek, 20-foot fallaway is good.
Havlicek with a basket in ten seconds.
1225
01:15:21,517 --> 01:15:24,645
Russell's whole strategy
of what we were gonna do in the game,
1226
01:15:25,312 --> 01:15:28,273
we said, "We're gonna run them
and run them and run them."
1227
01:15:28,357 --> 01:15:30,400
Sam, down the middle,
shovel shot, good.
1228
01:15:30,484 --> 01:15:34,613
Around Siegfried, underneath,
puts it up. Russell blocks it! Great play.
1229
01:15:34,696 --> 01:15:38,450
The Celtics are very fresh.
The Lakers are standing around more.
1230
01:15:38,534 --> 01:15:40,827
They seem to be a little more tired
than the Celtics.
1231
01:15:41,411 --> 01:15:44,998
The Celtics ran their way
to a 17-point fourth-quarter lead.
1232
01:15:45,082 --> 01:15:47,793
The Lakers are down by 17 points.
1233
01:15:50,212 --> 01:15:53,131
But Jerry West and the Lakers
refused to give up.
1234
01:15:53,215 --> 01:15:55,968
His shooting reinvigorated the Forum crowd
1235
01:15:56,969 --> 01:15:58,971
and brought the Lakers to within nine.
1236
01:16:02,724 --> 01:16:04,893
And all eyes shifted to Wilt.
1237
01:16:06,770 --> 01:16:09,648
Havlicek shoots, 15-footer,
no good. Rebound is up.
1238
01:16:09,731 --> 01:16:13,110
Chamberlain's got it. Chamberlain is hurt.
He hurt his right knee.
1239
01:16:13,193 --> 01:16:16,363
Chamberlain's at the other end, injured.
He hurt his right knee.
1240
01:16:17,030 --> 01:16:19,658
Officials' timeout. Injury--
1241
01:16:19,741 --> 01:16:22,160
Chamberlain
may have to leave the game.
1242
01:16:22,244 --> 01:16:24,705
Wilt has to leave. Wilt cannot continue.
1243
01:16:27,374 --> 01:16:29,585
Van Breda Kolff was furious.
1244
01:16:29,668 --> 01:16:31,253
"That big SOB!"
1245
01:16:31,336 --> 01:16:33,380
"How can he come out of the game?"
1246
01:16:34,089 --> 01:16:35,757
For my own selfish reasons,
1247
01:16:35,841 --> 01:16:38,635
I was offended
the instant Wilt left the game.
1248
01:16:38,719 --> 01:16:40,721
I didn't think he was hurt that badly.
1249
01:16:40,804 --> 01:16:43,056
And even if he was, I wanted him in there.
1250
01:16:43,140 --> 01:16:46,768
We were close, oh, so close
to finishing with a great game.
1251
01:16:46,852 --> 01:16:49,688
Wilt's leaving was like finding
a misspelled word
1252
01:16:49,771 --> 01:16:51,607
at the end of a cherished book.
1253
01:16:51,690 --> 01:16:55,235
Mel Counts is going
to come in for Wilt Chamberlain.
1254
01:16:55,319 --> 01:16:57,571
Mel Counts came in. He played really well.
1255
01:16:57,654 --> 01:17:00,198
One-bounce dribble,
12-footer by Mel. Good!
1256
01:17:03,201 --> 01:17:05,829
With Wilt out,
the Lakers pushed the pace,
1257
01:17:05,912 --> 01:17:08,206
taking advantage of the aging Celtics.
1258
01:17:08,290 --> 01:17:11,043
You can see
the momentum changing here
1259
01:17:11,126 --> 01:17:13,337
as the Lakers have a renewed spirit.
1260
01:17:14,004 --> 01:17:15,922
And almost evened the score.
1261
01:17:17,799 --> 01:17:21,803
They see the World Championship.
They want it so bad, they can taste it.
1262
01:17:22,929 --> 01:17:24,556
The Lakers trail by one.
1263
01:17:25,641 --> 01:17:27,434
So Wilt says to me,
1264
01:17:27,517 --> 01:17:28,435
"Tell the man
1265
01:17:28,935 --> 01:17:31,146
I'm ready to go back in the game."
1266
01:17:35,192 --> 01:17:40,447
Van Breda Kolff,
in all of his hysteria and his madness,
1267
01:17:40,530 --> 01:17:43,575
says, "Tell him, go fuck himself."
1268
01:17:43,659 --> 01:17:47,829
"We don't need him." And never put
Chamberlain back in the game.
1269
01:17:50,082 --> 01:17:53,085
They've clawed back
but still haven't caught them.
1270
01:17:53,168 --> 01:17:56,421
And the Lakers will come back
without Wilt Chamberlain.
1271
01:17:57,589 --> 01:18:00,008
We were behind by one point,
1272
01:18:00,967 --> 01:18:03,553
with just a little over a minute to play.
1273
01:18:03,637 --> 01:18:07,349
I was guarding Havlicek, he had the ball,
was dribbling around,
1274
01:18:07,891 --> 01:18:11,311
and I reach behind
and knock the ball away from him,
1275
01:18:11,395 --> 01:18:13,730
right into Don Nelson's hands.
1276
01:18:13,814 --> 01:18:15,482
Standing on the free-throw line.
1277
01:18:15,565 --> 01:18:18,360
Don Nelson grabs the ball
and takes the shot.
1278
01:18:18,443 --> 01:18:20,195
Quickly just pushed a shot off.
1279
01:18:20,278 --> 01:18:22,531
It hit the back of the rim
and went straight up.
1280
01:18:22,614 --> 01:18:24,533
It bounced over the backboard.
1281
01:18:24,616 --> 01:18:26,493
It went about 13 feet in the air.
1282
01:18:32,541 --> 01:18:34,167
And went into the basket.
1283
01:18:35,043 --> 01:18:36,253
Erickson…
1284
01:18:36,753 --> 01:18:38,714
Knocked away, but Nelson gets it!
1285
01:18:40,799 --> 01:18:43,301
The shot
is like a slow-motion dagger.
1286
01:18:45,095 --> 01:18:46,346
Don Nelson.
1287
01:18:48,306 --> 01:18:50,809
That is pure luck. Pure luck.
1288
01:18:50,892 --> 01:18:55,272
And it's like some other greater power
didn't want us to win.
1289
01:18:55,355 --> 01:18:58,191
And the Boston Celtics
have done it again!
1290
01:19:01,862 --> 01:19:04,740
Sometimes, I would think
that Jerry was right
1291
01:19:04,823 --> 01:19:07,242
in thinking he was cursed
when they played the Celtics.
1292
01:19:07,993 --> 01:19:10,704
Some people can get over it.
I never got over that stuff.
1293
01:19:10,787 --> 01:19:12,581
I still haven't today.
1294
01:19:12,664 --> 01:19:16,710
It's like there's a…
there's a hole in my heart.
1295
01:19:17,586 --> 01:19:20,172
It probably was
the greatest disappointment
1296
01:19:20,255 --> 01:19:22,632
in my life as an athlete,
not to beat them once.
1297
01:19:22,716 --> 01:19:25,719
The difference-maker
was always gonna be Bill Russell.
1298
01:19:25,802 --> 01:19:28,764
Many, many balloons
hang in the rafters,
1299
01:19:28,847 --> 01:19:30,724
but they will not be released.
1300
01:19:31,892 --> 01:19:35,228
You say, "Well, the Celtic gods
are with them in the Forum."
1301
01:19:35,312 --> 01:19:37,063
That's some Boston Garden stuff.
1302
01:19:41,109 --> 01:19:43,528
And, of course,
you'll have to say
1303
01:19:43,612 --> 01:19:46,156
that the Celtics are
the greatest sports dynasty
1304
01:19:46,239 --> 01:19:48,325
in the history of professional athletics.
1305
01:19:50,786 --> 01:19:54,080
My teammates had played so hard
1306
01:19:54,581 --> 01:19:57,292
and had held up so marvelously
1307
01:19:57,375 --> 01:20:00,921
that I was just so proud
of those guys and myself.
1308
01:20:01,004 --> 01:20:02,964
Bill, this must've been
a great win for you.
1309
01:20:03,048 --> 01:20:03,924
Exactly.
1310
01:20:04,633 --> 01:20:07,511
One more time!
One more time!
1311
01:20:09,179 --> 01:20:11,848
I know it's hard to say
what's in your mind right now.
1312
01:20:11,932 --> 01:20:13,850
It must have been a great win.
1313
01:20:13,934 --> 01:20:16,269
This is such a great bunch of guys.
1314
01:20:17,145 --> 01:20:20,649
And it's just been so fabulous
the way they played for me.
1315
01:20:20,732 --> 01:20:24,152
And it sounds all corny
to start talking like that,
1316
01:20:24,236 --> 01:20:28,490
but I told these guys before the game,
"I don't care what happens."
1317
01:20:28,573 --> 01:20:30,992
"I wouldn't trade you
for any guys in the world."
1318
01:20:31,076 --> 01:20:35,247
After the game, I'm looking
at Bill Russell to see when he's alone.
1319
01:20:35,330 --> 01:20:37,833
I'm 25 years old, red hair and freckles,
1320
01:20:37,916 --> 01:20:40,544
and I'm the whitest guy in North America.
1321
01:20:40,627 --> 01:20:41,878
And I go over.
1322
01:20:41,962 --> 01:20:45,549
And so I have to go to Bill,
and I say, "Uh, Bill?"
1323
01:20:45,632 --> 01:20:48,009
And he kind of looks at me, and I said,
1324
01:20:48,718 --> 01:20:51,847
"Is there a chance
that you're gonna retire now?"
1325
01:20:52,347 --> 01:20:54,391
And there's like a pause.
1326
01:20:54,474 --> 01:20:58,228
And Jim Brown, who's sitting there,
he looks up at me, and he says,
1327
01:20:58,311 --> 01:21:02,983
"Retire? The man just won
the World Championship."
1328
01:21:03,608 --> 01:21:06,486
"Why would you ask him
if he's gonna retire?"
1329
01:21:06,570 --> 01:21:11,241
I'm not sure anybody else did realize
that that was Bill Russell's last game.
1330
01:21:11,324 --> 01:21:15,245
He had interests
that were broader than the game,
1331
01:21:15,871 --> 01:21:20,208
and I think his curiosity
was kind of moving other places.
1332
01:21:20,292 --> 01:21:24,129
When Bill Russell told me
that he was gonna retire from basketball,
1333
01:21:24,212 --> 01:21:26,965
I looked at him
because I didn't believe him at first.
1334
01:21:27,048 --> 01:21:29,217
But I saw
he was getting emotional about it,
1335
01:21:29,301 --> 01:21:32,262
then I started really to believe
he was going to leave.
1336
01:21:32,345 --> 01:21:36,766
He ultimately announced his retirement
via an article in Sports Illustrated
1337
01:21:36,850 --> 01:21:38,727
that paid him $25,000 to do so.
1338
01:21:41,104 --> 01:21:44,149
I have a year to go
on my contract for the Celtics.
1339
01:21:44,232 --> 01:21:48,403
It's one of the most lucrative in sports,
and I was very happy with it.
1340
01:21:48,486 --> 01:21:52,657
I had been paid to play, of course, but
I played for a lot of other reasons too.
1341
01:21:53,241 --> 01:21:56,494
I played because I was dedicated
to being the best.
1342
01:21:56,578 --> 01:21:58,163
I was part of a team,
1343
01:21:58,246 --> 01:22:01,291
and I dedicated myself
to making that team the best.
1344
01:22:02,250 --> 01:22:06,588
But so far as the game is concerned,
I've lost my competitive urges.
1345
01:22:07,088 --> 01:22:10,926
If I went out to play now, the other guys
would know I didn't really care.
1346
01:22:11,509 --> 01:22:14,596
That's no way to play.
That's no way to do anything.
1347
01:22:15,096 --> 01:22:16,973
All through this past season,
1348
01:22:17,057 --> 01:22:20,644
I had the eerie feeling
that I'd been through this before.
1349
01:22:20,727 --> 01:22:24,856
Every play, every situation.
Setting a screen, missing a shot.
1350
01:22:25,357 --> 01:22:29,819
I'd seen and done it all before.
Everything had become repetition.
1351
01:22:30,862 --> 01:22:34,240
This is not the attitude
to bring to still another season.
1352
01:22:34,824 --> 01:22:37,202
After… when I heard it,
I said, "Oh my gosh."
1353
01:22:37,285 --> 01:22:41,498
Uh, you know, this is…
this is a pretty historic moment
1354
01:22:41,581 --> 01:22:44,793
for a guy who could still play
at a championship level,
1355
01:22:45,502 --> 01:22:48,129
and for him to say,
"Heck with it, I'm not playing anymore."
1356
01:22:48,797 --> 01:22:50,382
The career was done.
1357
01:22:51,257 --> 01:22:52,801
He wasn't coming back.
1358
01:22:52,884 --> 01:22:57,931
The most outstanding team sport dynasty,
1359
01:22:58,640 --> 01:23:01,893
after that game, it was over.
1360
01:23:38,346 --> 01:23:42,267
Professional basketball
went out of my life in 1969,
1361
01:23:42,350 --> 01:23:44,019
but it had a lot of company.
1362
01:23:45,437 --> 01:23:48,148
Everything in life
seemed an encumbrance to me,
1363
01:23:49,399 --> 01:23:54,195
including my wife of 13 years,
my three children, my Boston friends,
1364
01:23:54,279 --> 01:23:56,031
and my material possessions.
1365
01:23:57,198 --> 01:23:59,451
Within a few months of my retirement,
1366
01:23:59,534 --> 01:24:03,621
I also left behind my life in Boston
and everything that went with it.
1367
01:24:04,122 --> 01:24:06,958
Every breath I took felt a little frosty.
1368
01:24:07,667 --> 01:24:12,338
I was venturing into the outside world
after 13 years in a compression chamber.
1369
01:24:13,006 --> 01:24:16,384
I thought I owed something,
but I wasn't sure what it was.
1370
01:24:16,468 --> 01:24:17,343
In my head,
1371
01:24:17,427 --> 01:24:20,930
I had known that basketball
was not meant to protect me,
1372
01:24:21,014 --> 01:24:23,391
but I had never had to live without it.
1373
01:24:42,619 --> 01:24:46,081
Bill Russell packed one suitcase,
got into his Lamborghini,
1374
01:24:46,164 --> 01:24:47,832
and drove to Los Angeles.
1375
01:24:51,836 --> 01:24:54,881
LA, as far as I'm concerned,
that's where the action is.
1376
01:24:55,507 --> 01:24:58,426
I can promise you,
nobody will have as much fun as I will.
1377
01:24:59,219 --> 01:25:02,305
Another stage,
the entertainment business, beckoned.
1378
01:25:02,388 --> 01:25:05,892
I'd like to welcome one of the greatest
basketball players of all time,
1379
01:25:05,975 --> 01:25:07,227
Mr. Bill Russell.
1380
01:25:08,103 --> 01:25:10,313
-Who wrote that introduction?
-I did.
1381
01:25:10,396 --> 01:25:13,900
Well, what do you mean,
"One of the greatest basketball players"?
1382
01:25:13,983 --> 01:25:15,235
Oh, excuse me, Bill.
1383
01:25:15,318 --> 01:25:17,821
The greatest basketball player
of all time.
1384
01:25:19,197 --> 01:25:22,867
Bill made a few appearances
on comedy shows and talk shows.
1385
01:25:24,494 --> 01:25:27,413
Good, Bill, you keep that up,
they'll put you in a home.
1386
01:25:28,706 --> 01:25:30,250
I'll show you how to do it.
1387
01:25:30,333 --> 01:25:32,127
-Yeah, sure.
-All right? Like this.
1388
01:25:33,503 --> 01:25:35,046
Mr. Tillinghast?
1389
01:25:35,130 --> 01:25:35,964
Yes, sir?
1390
01:25:37,674 --> 01:25:39,884
This is Mr. Tillinghast. Uh…
1391
01:25:43,972 --> 01:25:46,182
He hosted
a short-lived talk show of his own.
1392
01:25:46,266 --> 01:25:47,976
My name is Bill Russell.
1393
01:25:48,059 --> 01:25:49,894
My name is Bill Russell.
1394
01:25:49,978 --> 01:25:51,146
My name is Bill Russell.
1395
01:25:51,229 --> 01:25:52,897
My name is Bill Russell.
1396
01:25:52,981 --> 01:25:55,400
Will the real Bill Russell
please stand up?
1397
01:25:59,237 --> 01:26:03,366
Russell even tried his hand
at acting… with limited success.
1398
01:26:04,075 --> 01:26:05,326
To settle my debt.
1399
01:26:07,453 --> 01:26:10,331
And he appeared
in a few TV commercials.
1400
01:26:12,458 --> 01:26:15,712
I can't miss! I can't miss!
1401
01:26:15,795 --> 01:26:17,005
By a long distance.
1402
01:26:17,088 --> 01:26:20,049
He served as an NBA analyst
for several networks.
1403
01:26:21,009 --> 01:26:24,053
You know how it feels
because you've been here before.
1404
01:26:24,137 --> 01:26:26,347
Me, I haven't scored a point.
1405
01:26:27,265 --> 01:26:29,434
You brought the guys here
that score the points.
1406
01:26:29,517 --> 01:26:30,727
So, you're overpaid.
1407
01:26:32,770 --> 01:26:36,107
Russell also maintained
a steady schedule of lectures,
1408
01:26:36,191 --> 01:26:39,611
sharing his experiences
and philosophies with young people.
1409
01:26:40,486 --> 01:26:44,240
Now, to me, really seriously,
education is the foundation you use
1410
01:26:44,324 --> 01:26:45,658
to think for yourself.
1411
01:26:45,742 --> 01:26:48,494
To be willing to accept responsibility
1412
01:26:49,495 --> 01:26:51,456
of being involved in mankind.
1413
01:26:52,123 --> 01:26:54,500
I'm Rob Chamberlain. I wondered, how--
1414
01:26:54,584 --> 01:26:57,086
-What'd you say your name was?
-Rob Chamberlain.
1415
01:26:57,170 --> 01:26:58,671
-Chamberlain?!
-Yeah.
1416
01:27:08,806 --> 01:27:12,268
-No relation. No relation.
-I kind of figured you weren't related.
1417
01:27:13,228 --> 01:27:16,064
During one talk,
Bill criticized Wilt Chamberlain
1418
01:27:16,147 --> 01:27:19,359
for leaving the '69 Finals
after he was injured.
1419
01:27:19,442 --> 01:27:21,694
Let me read to you what Bill said.
1420
01:27:21,778 --> 01:27:25,406
"I think he copped out in the last series,
in the last game."
1421
01:27:26,032 --> 01:27:29,077
"Any injury short of a broken leg
or a broken back
1422
01:27:29,160 --> 01:27:30,745
isn't good enough."
1423
01:27:30,828 --> 01:27:34,165
He took himself out
of that final game when he hurt his knee.
1424
01:27:34,249 --> 01:27:38,419
I wouldn't have put him back in either,
even though I think he's great.
1425
01:27:38,503 --> 01:27:41,214
I never said Chamberlain
didn't have talent,
1426
01:27:41,297 --> 01:27:43,299
but basketball is a team game.
1427
01:27:43,383 --> 01:27:45,969
I go by the number of championships.
1428
01:27:46,052 --> 01:27:48,388
I play to bring out
the best in my teammates.
1429
01:27:49,180 --> 01:27:53,017
Are you gonna tell me you brought out
the best in Baylor and West?
1430
01:27:53,101 --> 01:27:55,687
He talks a lot
about what he's going to do.
1431
01:27:55,770 --> 01:28:00,024
What it's all about is winning and losing,
and he's done a lot of losing.
1432
01:28:00,984 --> 01:28:03,903
He thinks he's a genius, but he's not.
1433
01:28:04,529 --> 01:28:05,989
The remark went public,
1434
01:28:06,072 --> 01:28:09,200
and the two friends didn't speak
for years after that.
1435
01:28:10,034 --> 01:28:14,414
I shouldn't have said that
because he hadn't done anything to me.
1436
01:28:15,164 --> 01:28:18,751
But I'm too hardheaded to apologize.
So that's the way it goes.
1437
01:28:18,835 --> 01:28:23,464
If somebody says he's hurt,
in my opinion, he's hurt.
1438
01:28:23,548 --> 01:28:27,927
You don't leave a moment like that
unless there's something wrong with you.
1439
01:28:28,678 --> 01:28:31,347
What about now?
Is it ever too late?
1440
01:28:32,223 --> 01:28:36,436
I don't even think about it anymore.
It's something that's passed.
1441
01:28:36,519 --> 01:28:40,523
Uh, I know I shouldn't have done it.
He knows I shouldn't have done it.
1442
01:28:41,482 --> 01:28:43,901
-Would it make a difference?
-Not really.
1443
01:28:46,195 --> 01:28:48,406
I'm sure we're both able to live our lives
1444
01:28:48,489 --> 01:28:50,908
without that interfering with it too much.
1445
01:28:52,285 --> 01:28:54,495
His competitive friendship
with Chamberlain
1446
01:28:54,579 --> 01:28:56,789
was just one more thing
Russell left behind,
1447
01:28:57,373 --> 01:29:00,084
along with the Celtics
and the city of Boston.
1448
01:29:00,960 --> 01:29:04,255
When his number was retired in 1972,
1449
01:29:04,339 --> 01:29:06,883
Russell refused a public ceremony.
1450
01:29:06,966 --> 01:29:09,427
Only his beloved teammates were present.
1451
01:29:10,553 --> 01:29:14,182
In Boston, some of the sportswriters
can get, uh,
1452
01:29:15,558 --> 01:29:17,268
well, kind of tricky, you know?
1453
01:29:17,352 --> 01:29:19,020
And Bill probably resented
1454
01:29:19,103 --> 01:29:21,856
some of the things that happened in Boston
1455
01:29:21,939 --> 01:29:25,193
and probably brought it out.
That was one way of doing it.
1456
01:29:25,276 --> 01:29:29,197
That wasn't the only time Russell
shunned an individual public honor.
1457
01:29:29,280 --> 01:29:34,077
In 1974, he was chosen for induction
into the Basketball Hall of Fame.
1458
01:29:34,160 --> 01:29:37,705
When my selection was announced,
I issued a statement saying
1459
01:29:37,789 --> 01:29:40,750
that, for personal reasons,
I preferred not to be inducted.
1460
01:29:41,501 --> 01:29:43,920
So the sportswriters jumped all over me.
1461
01:29:44,003 --> 01:29:47,465
Most of these writers assumed
I think the Hall of Fame is racist.
1462
01:29:47,548 --> 01:29:50,176
I do, but there's more to it than that.
1463
01:29:51,511 --> 01:29:53,137
The report was that Russell,
1464
01:29:53,221 --> 01:29:55,515
and no one knows
'cause he hasn't said anything yet,
1465
01:29:55,598 --> 01:29:58,267
objected because there were
no Black players.
1466
01:29:58,351 --> 01:29:59,894
And why is that?
1467
01:30:00,937 --> 01:30:04,607
Well, number one, we do have
Black players. Not since 1946.
1468
01:30:04,690 --> 01:30:05,733
We would prefer,
1469
01:30:05,817 --> 01:30:10,696
if he has a legitimate question,
gripe, reservation,
1470
01:30:10,780 --> 01:30:14,617
whatever it is, Bill,
then we would like to know about it. But--
1471
01:30:14,700 --> 01:30:19,580
Because, absolutely,
if we are wrong in some way,
1472
01:30:19,664 --> 01:30:20,957
we want to change.
1473
01:30:21,040 --> 01:30:23,918
On the other hand, we are quite convinced
1474
01:30:24,001 --> 01:30:27,255
that we're as open-minded
as society can be,
1475
01:30:27,338 --> 01:30:29,090
and maybe more so.
1476
01:30:29,173 --> 01:30:32,510
Bill Russell's a real man.
He stood up for what he thought was right.
1477
01:30:33,010 --> 01:30:34,804
He was a no-BS type of guy.
1478
01:30:34,887 --> 01:30:38,307
What it came down to was
that I thought of the Hall of Fame
1479
01:30:38,391 --> 01:30:42,103
the same way I thought about autographs
and having my number retired.
1480
01:30:42,645 --> 01:30:45,690
In each case, my intention
was to separate myself
1481
01:30:45,773 --> 01:30:48,276
from the stars' ideas about fans
1482
01:30:48,359 --> 01:30:50,486
and fans' ideas about stars.
1483
01:30:51,070 --> 01:30:55,825
By 1973, Bill Russell had moved
from California to Washington state
1484
01:30:55,908 --> 01:30:59,412
to be coach and general manager
of the Seattle SuperSonics.
1485
01:31:00,079 --> 01:31:03,708
He brought them to the playoffs
for the first time in their history.
1486
01:31:09,630 --> 01:31:10,715
A decade later,
1487
01:31:10,798 --> 01:31:14,635
he took on another unsuccessful team,
the Sacramento Kings.
1488
01:31:15,303 --> 01:31:17,221
Failing to turn the team around,
1489
01:31:17,305 --> 01:31:20,224
Russell left after little more
than half a season.
1490
01:31:21,017 --> 01:31:24,145
His family worries that, by the 1990s,
1491
01:31:24,228 --> 01:31:26,022
as the decade is closing,
1492
01:31:26,105 --> 01:31:29,525
as the NBA's starting to develop
sort of an appreciation of its past,
1493
01:31:29,609 --> 01:31:31,527
people will forget about Bill Russell.
1494
01:31:31,611 --> 01:31:35,656
It's at that point that Russell
reaches back to the public, really,
1495
01:31:35,740 --> 01:31:37,450
at the end of the 1990s.
1496
01:31:38,075 --> 01:31:40,119
Thirty years after his final game,
1497
01:31:40,203 --> 01:31:42,997
Bill Russell and Boston
have finally made up.
1498
01:31:43,080 --> 01:31:47,376
And the reluctant celebrity
who first had his number retired in 1972,
1499
01:31:47,460 --> 01:31:48,961
without fanfare,
1500
01:31:49,045 --> 01:31:51,380
this time let his fans share.
1501
01:31:51,464 --> 01:31:55,635
It was at the Boston Garden,
a night of celebration for Bill Russell,
1502
01:31:55,718 --> 01:31:59,514
and dignitaries
in the basketball world came.
1503
01:31:59,597 --> 01:32:02,767
I'm here tonight
representing all the men my age
1504
01:32:03,392 --> 01:32:07,897
who grew up utterly in awe
of Bill Russell, the athlete.
1505
01:32:07,980 --> 01:32:12,276
All the men who also learned
from him how to be a man.
1506
01:32:13,152 --> 01:32:15,154
If you don't know anything about him,
1507
01:32:15,655 --> 01:32:18,783
if you can't stand the brutal truth,
1508
01:32:18,866 --> 01:32:20,493
don't talk to Bill Russell.
1509
01:32:20,576 --> 01:32:22,870
When I grew up in the '50s and the '60s
1510
01:32:22,954 --> 01:32:25,873
and had the opportunity
to read his first book, Go Up for Glory,
1511
01:32:25,957 --> 01:32:29,335
my mom was a librarian
and brought it home to me that day,
1512
01:32:29,418 --> 01:32:31,629
Bill Russell became my hero for life.
1513
01:32:31,712 --> 01:32:35,925
Knowing that we played a small role
1514
01:32:36,008 --> 01:32:41,055
on the greatest professional sports
team dynasty that's ever existed…
1515
01:32:42,765 --> 01:32:45,184
…and you are responsible for that, Russ.
1516
01:32:45,893 --> 01:32:48,980
It's those moments
that became key to understanding
1517
01:32:49,063 --> 01:32:51,566
the impact of Russell
on this generation of athletes.
1518
01:32:52,483 --> 01:32:57,154
On behalf of the Celtic organization,
1519
01:32:57,905 --> 01:33:02,076
we'd be very remiss
if we didn't give Bill Russell
1520
01:33:02,159 --> 01:33:03,911
a piece of the floor.
1521
01:33:03,995 --> 01:33:05,788
Upon this parquet,
1522
01:33:06,372 --> 01:33:12,503
you created the championship tradition
of the Boston Celtics.
1523
01:33:12,587 --> 01:33:13,796
And he did!
1524
01:33:14,338 --> 01:33:16,424
-Bill, my pleasure.
1525
01:33:21,095 --> 01:33:23,723
I was totally embarrassed,
to tell you the truth.
1526
01:33:26,517 --> 01:33:30,688
It was enlightening
to have my friends say these things.
1527
01:33:30,771 --> 01:33:32,356
One of the things, I think,
1528
01:33:32,440 --> 01:33:35,526
that is very important
for every person to know
1529
01:33:35,610 --> 01:33:38,404
is that you are not alone in the universe.
1530
01:33:41,115 --> 01:33:43,200
You come here alone and you leave alone,
1531
01:33:43,284 --> 01:33:47,455
but the rest of the time,
the in-between, you're… you're not alone.
1532
01:33:51,167 --> 01:33:52,877
On that magical night,
1533
01:33:52,960 --> 01:33:56,964
one more surprise awaited Bill
in the wings of the Boston Garden.
1534
01:33:57,048 --> 01:34:00,509
Ladies and gentlemen,
Wilt Chamberlain!
1535
01:34:05,765 --> 01:34:08,643
The NBA's first icons
had reunited,
1536
01:34:09,352 --> 01:34:11,187
and after many years apart,
1537
01:34:11,270 --> 01:34:13,439
realized their bond never broke.
1538
01:34:17,443 --> 01:34:19,487
My friend Wilt Norman Chamberlain
1539
01:34:20,488 --> 01:34:23,074
was far and away
the best player I've ever played against.
1540
01:34:23,157 --> 01:34:25,117
Wilt and I could talk…
1541
01:34:26,285 --> 01:34:30,081
…and neither one was asking the other
for anything except friendship.
1542
01:34:39,965 --> 01:34:43,552
I, uh… I thank you for this.
1543
01:34:44,512 --> 01:34:45,721
It's very humbling.
1544
01:34:45,805 --> 01:34:47,848
What I wanted to thank you for
1545
01:34:49,433 --> 01:34:52,353
is letting me come into your life.
1546
01:34:52,436 --> 01:34:56,023
And the folks that came to the Garden
1547
01:34:56,524 --> 01:34:59,902
and the fans, you were part of my life.
1548
01:35:00,403 --> 01:35:01,696
We love you, Bill!
1549
01:35:02,196 --> 01:35:03,322
I love you too.
1550
01:35:09,787 --> 01:35:12,790
Russell's basketball life
was coming full circle,
1551
01:35:14,667 --> 01:35:17,211
but there would be
heartbreaking losses ahead.
1552
01:35:17,294 --> 01:35:21,048
A grim discovery this afternoon
at this mansion in Bel Air, California.
1553
01:35:21,132 --> 01:35:23,551
The body of 63-year-old Wilt Chamberlain,
1554
01:35:23,634 --> 01:35:25,970
widely considered
one of the greatest players
1555
01:35:26,053 --> 01:35:27,847
in the history of basketball.
1556
01:35:27,930 --> 01:35:31,267
The authorities say the cause of death,
an apparent heart attack.
1557
01:35:31,350 --> 01:35:34,562
Some of basketball's greatest
came to Los Angeles
1558
01:35:34,645 --> 01:35:37,148
to pay their respects
to one of the game's legends.
1559
01:35:37,231 --> 01:35:39,316
Former Boston Celtic Bill Russell
1560
01:35:39,400 --> 01:35:41,777
remembered his fiercest opponent
on the court.
1561
01:35:41,861 --> 01:35:44,196
He sent me through hell so many nights.
1562
01:35:48,284 --> 01:35:51,579
But it was not a rivalry.
It was a competition.
1563
01:35:52,288 --> 01:35:55,374
As we got older,
the more we liked each other,
1564
01:35:55,458 --> 01:36:00,463
because we knew, basically,
we were joined at the hips.
1565
01:36:00,546 --> 01:36:03,048
He and I will be friends through eternity.
1566
01:36:04,383 --> 01:36:06,427
What made them both special
1567
01:36:06,510 --> 01:36:08,679
was the fact that, even today,
1568
01:36:09,680 --> 01:36:10,556
here it is,
1569
01:36:11,140 --> 01:36:13,559
we're still talking about both men.
1570
01:36:14,226 --> 01:36:16,979
We need
to carry forth that history.
1571
01:36:17,062 --> 01:36:21,525
We'll be studying
the legacy of Bill Russell
1572
01:36:22,318 --> 01:36:23,569
for years to come.
1573
01:36:25,196 --> 01:36:27,156
This year's
Medal of Freedom recipients
1574
01:36:27,239 --> 01:36:29,158
reveal the best of who we are
1575
01:36:29,241 --> 01:36:31,202
and who we aspire to be.
1576
01:36:31,702 --> 01:36:35,080
Bill Russell made possible the success
of so many who would follow.
1577
01:36:36,207 --> 01:36:38,417
My daughter told me I was gonna get it.
1578
01:36:40,836 --> 01:36:44,673
First thing I did was get in my car
and drove down to California
1579
01:36:44,757 --> 01:36:46,550
and visited my father's grave.
1580
01:36:47,635 --> 01:36:48,677
And, uh…
1581
01:36:49,887 --> 01:36:51,597
And told him about it.
1582
01:36:54,934 --> 01:36:58,229
And, uh… it made me feel a lot better.
1583
01:36:59,855 --> 01:37:02,858
Because, uh, I… basically, I said to him,
1584
01:37:02,942 --> 01:37:04,151
"You know…
1585
01:37:06,654 --> 01:37:08,072
I have to agree with you
1586
01:37:08,906 --> 01:37:10,699
that I did okay."
1587
01:37:13,744 --> 01:37:17,456
I hope one day, in the streets of Boston,
children will look up at a statue
1588
01:37:17,540 --> 01:37:21,710
built not only to Bill Russell the player
but Bill Russell the man.
1589
01:37:21,794 --> 01:37:24,588
After I got
the Medal of Freedom, and Obama says,
1590
01:37:24,672 --> 01:37:28,050
"Someday, there'll be a statue
in Boston of Bill Russell,"
1591
01:37:28,968 --> 01:37:32,346
and I told him
I'd never forgive him for that.
1592
01:37:32,429 --> 01:37:35,474
A statue sounds, to me,
a lot like a tombstone.
1593
01:37:37,017 --> 01:37:40,479
He says, "It's not so much for you
as it is for the city."
1594
01:37:43,190 --> 01:37:48,112
"You've made
a tremendous amount of difference
1595
01:37:49,405 --> 01:37:52,116
in community and race relations."
1596
01:37:54,743 --> 01:37:59,373
One of the most stirring sights
after Colin Kaepernick took a knee
1597
01:37:59,999 --> 01:38:04,378
in protest of police violence
and racial inequity,
1598
01:38:04,461 --> 01:38:06,922
was the sight of Bill Russell
1599
01:38:07,423 --> 01:38:08,716
taking a knee himself
1600
01:38:08,799 --> 01:38:12,052
and looking challengingly,
directly into the camera
1601
01:38:12,136 --> 01:38:16,557
as if to say, "If you're going after him,
then you're also going after me."
1602
01:38:17,433 --> 01:38:21,312
Bill felt a certain connection
with Colin because, for Bill,
1603
01:38:21,395 --> 01:38:25,566
basketball was always about what he did
1604
01:38:25,649 --> 01:38:27,443
and not who he was.
1605
01:38:27,526 --> 01:38:31,447
His legacy will be Malcolm Jenkins
1606
01:38:32,406 --> 01:38:33,782
and Anquan Boldin
1607
01:38:34,491 --> 01:38:36,285
and LeBron James
1608
01:38:36,785 --> 01:38:38,370
and CP3
1609
01:38:39,496 --> 01:38:40,789
and D Wade
1610
01:38:41,457 --> 01:38:42,875
and Renee Montgomery
1611
01:38:42,958 --> 01:38:45,586
and the women of the WNBA and so forth,
1612
01:38:45,669 --> 01:38:48,005
who are stepping up
in this generation and saying,
1613
01:38:48,088 --> 01:38:53,719
"We too have a contribution
to make in terms of this struggle."
1614
01:38:54,595 --> 01:38:57,514
We have, especially as a collective,
1615
01:38:57,598 --> 01:39:01,101
real power to help support change.
1616
01:39:01,185 --> 01:39:04,146
You're saying the things that need
to be said. You're taking a stance.
1617
01:39:04,229 --> 01:39:07,024
You're letting people know
that what is happening is not okay.
1618
01:39:07,107 --> 01:39:09,401
And Bill Russell's whole career was that.
1619
01:39:10,152 --> 01:39:13,697
Players in my generation, it's all about,
"What's next? What's next?"
1620
01:39:13,781 --> 01:39:16,867
But if you don't understand your history,
you won't know where you're going.
1621
01:39:16,951 --> 01:39:19,078
Understanding the power that you do have,
1622
01:39:19,161 --> 01:39:22,289
that your voice
and your opinion definitely matter,
1623
01:39:22,373 --> 01:39:24,500
and it carries on and off the court.
1624
01:39:25,209 --> 01:39:26,627
I love Bill Russell.
1625
01:39:27,628 --> 01:39:30,965
He had a soul.
Some people have no soul. He had a soul.
1626
01:39:31,507 --> 01:39:37,429
Uh, he was just one of the most unique men
I've ever met in my life.
1627
01:39:37,513 --> 01:39:40,015
And I don't say that
because of his success
1628
01:39:40,099 --> 01:39:42,559
as a basketball player. He was a leader.
1629
01:39:43,519 --> 01:39:44,979
He was an activist
1630
01:39:45,521 --> 01:39:48,899
when it wasn't popular to be an activist,
1631
01:39:48,983 --> 01:39:51,902
uh, at the expense
of his own career sometimes.
1632
01:39:51,986 --> 01:39:53,153
The things I knew about Bill,
1633
01:39:53,237 --> 01:39:55,614
when he thought about something
he thought was right,
1634
01:39:55,698 --> 01:39:58,742
that's what he's gonna go by.
That's called a stand-up man.
1635
01:39:58,826 --> 01:40:01,161
That's the way Bill was
on a consistent basis.
1636
01:40:05,290 --> 01:40:09,128
Man can only ultimately be
counted if he thinks he is doing right.
1637
01:40:10,170 --> 01:40:11,380
In the end,
1638
01:40:11,463 --> 01:40:14,174
I live with the hopes that when I die,
1639
01:40:14,258 --> 01:40:16,260
it will be inscribed for me,
1640
01:40:17,261 --> 01:40:19,680
"Bill Russell, he was a man."
1641
01:40:23,684 --> 01:40:26,020
The Boston Celtics lost
an absolute legend today.
1642
01:40:26,103 --> 01:40:30,149
Bill Russell passed away at the age of 88,
but his legacy will live on forever.
1643
01:40:39,116 --> 01:40:42,661
One of my dad's favorite quotes
is, when he passes away,
1644
01:40:42,745 --> 01:40:46,165
he's not sure about heaven.
Heaven could actually be a step down.
1645
01:40:46,248 --> 01:40:50,044
Because for him, heaven was playing
for the Boston Celtics.
1646
01:40:52,004 --> 01:40:55,466
It's incredible to see
the lasting impact of Bill Russell.
1647
01:40:55,549 --> 01:40:58,886
He really wanted to stand up
and let people know
1648
01:40:58,969 --> 01:41:03,223
Black people should not accept
the status quo.
1649
01:41:04,349 --> 01:41:07,227
And that's in sports,
and that's out of sports.
1650
01:41:09,521 --> 01:41:13,776
How much he did for African Americans,
what he stood for as a man,
1651
01:41:13,859 --> 01:41:16,445
what he had to endure
to play the game basketball,
1652
01:41:16,528 --> 01:41:19,490
and how much he wanted
to make life better for others.
1653
01:41:19,573 --> 01:41:21,950
We're still fighting these same battles.
1654
01:41:22,910 --> 01:41:27,498
Leaders and giants in society
like Bill Russell
1655
01:41:28,123 --> 01:41:32,086
lay that foundation to give us
that confidence that we can do it.
1656
01:41:41,345 --> 01:41:44,598
The NBA announced
they were gonna retire Bill's number.
1657
01:41:44,681 --> 01:41:48,060
Nobody else in the NBA
will ever be able to wear number six.
1658
01:41:48,143 --> 01:41:52,022
That's the winningest man to ever play
in this league, and it's well-deserved.
1659
01:41:53,941 --> 01:41:56,318
Bill Russell had a set of convictions,
1660
01:41:56,401 --> 01:41:59,696
not just about the game but about life
1661
01:41:59,780 --> 01:42:01,824
and clearly about the country.
1662
01:42:01,907 --> 01:42:05,661
I mean, he was a patriot as an American.
1663
01:42:06,829 --> 01:42:10,666
And somebody who was never afraid
to speak his mind,
1664
01:42:11,333 --> 01:42:13,544
no matter the consequences.
1665
01:42:13,627 --> 01:42:16,421
An icon, a legend, and a pioneer.
1666
01:42:16,505 --> 01:42:20,008
And he obviously embodies
what being a true champion is all about.
1667
01:42:20,801 --> 01:42:24,972
Everyone should give him 5%
of their contract, big guys. Seriously.
1668
01:42:25,055 --> 01:42:28,100
If it wasn't for him,
we wouldn't be who we are.
1669
01:42:30,644 --> 01:42:33,147
Contemplating, the reflection.
1670
01:42:33,856 --> 01:42:34,982
What was,
1671
01:42:36,692 --> 01:42:37,985
what could have been,
1672
01:42:39,194 --> 01:42:40,404
what will be.
1673
01:42:42,156 --> 01:42:43,407
Bill Russell,
1674
01:42:44,449 --> 01:42:45,701
you've done your job.
1675
01:42:47,119 --> 01:42:48,829
The rest is up to us.
1676
01:42:54,251 --> 01:42:58,172
I can honestly say
that I have never worked to be liked.
1677
01:42:58,255 --> 01:43:00,883
I've only worked to be respected.
1678
01:43:00,966 --> 01:43:03,218
What has my life been? Many things.
1679
01:43:03,302 --> 01:43:06,638
Many places,
many conquests, many failures,
1680
01:43:06,722 --> 01:43:10,142
and a time of fierce loves
and hates and issues.
1681
01:43:10,893 --> 01:43:13,312
I have fought in every way I know how.
1682
01:43:13,937 --> 01:43:17,065
I've fought because I believed
it was right to fight.
1683
01:43:17,566 --> 01:43:20,611
I think that no man
should fear the consequences
1684
01:43:20,694 --> 01:43:24,031
because every man must do
what he believes is right.
1685
01:43:25,073 --> 01:43:29,828
I have fought for the rights of man,
all men, all races, all religions.
1686
01:43:30,329 --> 01:43:33,373
Perhaps I will always march
to the distant drum.
1687
01:43:33,457 --> 01:43:36,084
Perhaps I will never catch
the beat of the tune.
1688
01:43:37,252 --> 01:43:38,545
But I will try.