Man, Russell referred to Boston as a “flea market of racism, city had corrupt, city hall-crony racists, brick-throwing, send-’em-back-to-Africa racists, and in the university areas phony radical-chic racists.” In the fall of 1963, When Russell and his family returned to their home in the Boston suburb of Reading, they found their house vandalized. Burglars had broken in, spray-painted racial epi- thets on the wall, smashed some of his trophies and defecated in his bed. After his playing career was over, Russell eventually left Boston moved to the west coast permanently. Over the decades, Russell’s viewpoint may have mellowed toward the Boston fans, media, and the city. In 1998, the Celt- ics re-retired his number in a ceremony that he attended, and the reception from fans in attendance was overwhelming appreciative. In 2013, Russell visited Boston to observe the unveiling of his statue at City Hall Plaza to honor his legacy. On August 10, 2022, the Reading, MA Select Board voted to honor its former resident with a formal proclama- tion.The Select Board of the Town of Reading, MA “honors his civil rights legacy by actively supporting the vision of an inclusive and welcoming commu- nity; and celebrate Bill Russell’s life, his impact on our community, his impact on race relations, as well as his unparalleled success on the basketball court. Our world and our town are better places because of his tireless efforts.” Post-Playing Career After three trailblazing years as play- er-coach of the Celtics, Russell retired from playing professional basketball after winning the NBA Championship after the 1968-69 season. He transi- tioned to television, working as an NBA game analyst in the 1970s and 1980s. He started at ABC in 1971 on its “Game of the Week” telecasts and Olympic basketball. After a few years as a game analyst, Russell returned to the NBA in 1973 as head coach of the Seattle Supersonics. Russell led the Seattle franchise for four seasons, compiling a
Former Cleveland Browns Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown presides over a meeting of top African American athletes on June 4, 1967, to show support for boxer Muhammad Ali's refusal to fight in Vietnam. Those present are: (front row) Bill Russell, Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown, Lew Alcindor; (back row) Carl Stokes, Walter Beach, Bobby Mitchell, Sid Williams, Curtis McClinton, Willie Davis, Jim Shorter, and John Wooten. (Photo by Tony Tomsic/Getty Images)
attitude has provoked racist responses, and these have tended to obscure the very basic issue of the right to privacy. Any professional athlete, and certainly any Black professional athlete, is sup- posed to feel grateful to others for the fame he or she has achieved.” In 1972, when the Celtics franchise retired his No. 6, Russell insisted the ceremony be conducted in an empty Boston Garden with only his teammates and no fans. Like another legendary Boston sports icon, baseball Hall of Famer, the late Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox, Russell had an acrimonious relationship with the Boston sports- writers. In contrast, Williams did not have the element of race in his media relations that Russell had. The Boston sports media did not embrace Russell, the city’s first Black sports superstar. The Boston sportswriters frequently had less than flattening articles and editori- als about Russell. For several Boston sportswriters, Russell was characterized as arrogant, surly, curt, and standoffish. Russell on the media, “I do not mind speaking with the media if they knew what to ask me.” In his 1979 autobiography, Second Wind: The Memoirs of an Opinionated
Russell and Boston Russell once stated, “I played for the Celtics, period. I did not play for Bos- ton. I was able to separate the Celtics institution from the city and the fans.” While he played his entire professional basketball career for the Boston Celtics, Russell held no positive feelings toward some Celtic fans, the Boston sportswrit- ers, or the city of Boston. Despite team success, the Black players on the Celt- ics, especially Russell, faced ugly racial epithets during road games and from the Celtic fans at the Boston Garden. Russell felt the fans did not appreciate him nor liked the presence of multiple Black players on the Celtic roster. The Celtics were the first NBA to comprise a starting line of all Black players. Some Celtic fans did not like how Russell carried himself, seemingly keeping fans at arm’s length. Russell’s daughter Karen in a 1987 New York Times article on her father and fan perceptions: “My father has never given auto- graphs, because he thinks they are impersonal. He would rather shake a person’s hand or look that person in the eye and say, “Pleased to meet you.” His
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