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A14 sports
Monday 1 august 2022

Bill Russell, NBA great and Celtics

legend, dies at 88

England's Chloe Kelly, right, celebrates with teammates
after scoring her side's second goal during the Women's Euro
2022 final soccer match between England and Germany at
Wembley stadium in London, Sunday, July 31, 2022.
Associated Press
England beats Germany

2-1 in European

Championship final

(AP) — England beat Germany 2-1 in the final of the
European Championship after extra time on Sunday
Former NBA great Bill Russell speaks during a news conference at the NBA All-Star basketball to win its first major women’s soccer title.
weekend, Feb. 14, 2009, in Phoenix. Chloe Kelly scored the winning goal on a rebound in
Associated Press
the second half of extra time after Germany failed
By Jimmy Golen Player and 12-time All-Star, Russell in 1980 to clear a corner. The game had finished 1-1 after 90
(AP) — Bill Russell, the NBA great who was voted the greatest player in the NBA minutes.
anchored a Boston Celtics dynasty that history by basketball writers. He remains Ella Toone latched onto a long pass from Keira Walsh
won 11 championships in 13 years — the the sport’s most prolific winner as a player to get in behind the German defense in the 62nd min-
last two as the first Black head coach in and an archetype of selflessness who ute and cleverly sent a lobbed shot over goalkeeper
any major U.S. sport — and marched for won with defense and rebounding while Merle Frohms and into the net for the opening goal.
civil rights with Martin Luther King Jr., died leaving the scoring to others. Toone’s goal, six minutes after she entered the game
Sunday. He was 88. Often, that meant Wilt Chamberlain, the from the bench, sparked celebrations among the
His family posted the news on social media, only player of the era who was a worthy crowd of 87,000 at Wembley Stadium as England
saying Russell died with his wife, Jeannine, rival for Russell. manager Sarina Wiegman — the winning coach with
by his side. The statement did not give the But Russell dominated in the only stat he the Netherlands in 2017 — raised both arms in joy.
cause of death. cared about: 11 championships to two. Facing its first defeat in nine European finals, Ger-
“Bill’s wife, Jeannine, and his many friends The native of Louisiana also left a lasting many came close when Lea Schüller hit the post and
and family thank you for keeping Bill in your mark as a Black athlete in a city — and then leveled the score in the 79th when Lina Magull
prayers. Perhaps you’ll relive one or two of country — where race is often a flash point. knocked a low cross past England goalkeeper Mary
the golden moments he gave us, or recall He was at the March on Washington in Earps, taking the game to extra time.
his trademark laugh as he delighted in 1963, when King gave his “I Have a Dream” Germany was without captain Alexandra Popp —
explaining the real story behind how those speech, and he backed Muhammad Ali the team’s leading scorer with six goals — after she
moments unfolded,” the family statement when the boxer was pilloried for refusing reported a muscle problem in the warmup. She was
said. “And we hope each of us can find induction into the military draft. replaced in the lineup by Schüller while Svenja Huth
a new way to act or speak up with Bill’s In 2011, President Barack Obama took over as captain. q
uncompromising, dignified and always awarded Russell the Medal of Freedom
constructive commitment to principle. alongside Congressman John Lewis,
That would be one last, and lasting, win for billionaire investor Warren Buffett, German
our beloved #6.” Chancellor Angela Merkel and baseball
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a great Stan Musial.
statement that Russell was “the greatest “Bill Russell, the man, is someone who
champion in all of team sports.” stood up for the rights and dignity of all
“Bill stood for something much bigger men,” Obama said at the ceremony. “He
than sports: the values of equality, respect marched with King; he stood by Ali. When
and inclusion that he stamped into the a restaurant refused to serve the Black
DNA of our league. At the height of his Celtics, he refused to play in the scheduled
athletic career, Bill advocated vigorously game. He endured insults and vandalism,
for civil rights and social justice, a legacy but he kept on focusing on making the
he passed down to generations of NBA teammates who he loved better players
players who followed in his footsteps,” and made possible the success of so many
Silver said. “Through the taunts, threats who would follow.”
and unthinkable adversity, Bill rose above Russell said that when he was growing
it all and remained true to his belief that up in the segregated South and later
everyone deserves to be treated with California his parents instilled in him the
dignity. calm confidence that allowed him to facebook.com/arubatoday/
A Hall of Famer, five-time Most Valuable brush off racist taunts.q