Bill Russell remembered as champion off the court for social justice triumphs
By Courtney Cole, WBZ-TV
BOSTON – Celtics legend Bill Russell died on Sunday at the age of 88. While his impact on the court is obvious, the legacy he left behind goes far beyond basketball.
"Bill Russell was the heart and soul of that team. But he stood as the heart and soul not only of that team, but of the community beyond that team," Dan Lebowitz, the executive director of the Center for the Study of Sport in Society, said.
Russell had 11 NBA Championships and five league MVPs to his name, and was the first Black head coach in NBA history. But those who knew Russell best say he will be most remember for what he did off the court.
"He was mindful, he was courageous, he was a champion in ways that most people don't think about championship," Lebowitz said.
Lebowitz said that includes the courage to confront racism.
"He was a Black athlete in the Jim Crow era and he understood the power of his platform, the power of sport, the power of his voice, the power of how he amplified that voice off of that platform," Lebowitz said.
Russell, a civil rights activist, marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, Dr. In the prime of his career, supported Muhammad Ali's decision not to fight in the Vietnam war, and publicly voiced his support against segregation in Boston Public Schools.
"All of the things that he did to make betterment in this country, in this world and that's what it was all about," NBA historian Willie Maye said.
Despite his trying experiences in Boston, Maye said Russell never gave up on working to make things better.
"I asked him about the restaurant that he bought called Slade's Bar and Grill, which is still open. I asked him, why?" Maye said, recalling that Russell responded "'Because, we had nowhere to go. I wanted to place for us to be able to come and enjoy after the game.'"
Lebowitz said Russell was a giant not because of his size, but because of his bravery, strength and his spirit.
