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Fresh Air

Remembering Celtics Legend Bill Russell

Fresh Air

NPR

Tv & Film, Arts, Society & Culture, Books

4.434.4K Ratings

🗓️ 5 August 2022

⏱️ 46 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Russell, who led the Boston Celtics to 11 NBA titles, died Sunday at the age of 88. He was also the first Black head coach in the NBA and a civil rights activist. He spoke with Terry Gross in 2001. Also, we remember a champion of traditional Irish music, Mick Moloney. He died last week at 77. He was a musician and a musicologist who revived forgotten Irish songs. His passion was finding connections between Irish, African and American roots music.

And Ken Tucker reviews Beyoncé's RENAISSANCE.

Transcript

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0:00.0

This is Freshair.

0:01.2

I'm Dave Davies in for Terry Gross.

0:03.8

Bill Russell, one of the most iconic players in Pro Basketball history, died Sunday at

0:08.8

the age of 88.

0:10.5

Russell was a big man who was the game's first noted shot blocker and his rebounding and

0:15.2

passing made him the ultimate team player.

0:18.2

He led the Boston Celtics to eight straight NBA titles, 11 in all in his 13 seasons.

0:24.5

He was a five time league most valuable player.

0:27.5

In 1967, Russell became the NBA's first African American head coach when he replaced Celtics

0:33.3

coach Red Hourback.

0:35.4

Russell served as a player coach for three years.

0:38.8

Russell had an uneasy relationship with Boston fans.

0:42.2

In 1987, his daughter wrote an essay detailing the racism Russell had faced, including racist

0:48.3

vandalism visited upon the family home in 1960.

0:52.6

Russell refused to sign autographs and when his number was retired by the team in 1972

0:57.4

he insisted it be at a private ceremony at the Boston Garden.

1:02.5

Russell was also active on civil rights issues.

1:05.0

He joined the 1963 March on Washington and was in the front row for Martin Luther King's

1:09.8

I Have a Dream speech.

1:11.7

He went to Mississippi after civil rights leader Medgar Evers was murdered.

1:16.0

In 2011, President Barack Obama awarded Russell the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

1:21.6

Terry spoke to Bill Russell in 2001 when he published a book called Russell Rules, 11

...

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