Bill Russell - Amazing Athlete, Person, Leader, Winner, Champion

Immortal basketball great passes on at age 88. Others will give accolades, share the amazing stories of his long life, and fill the details of this great man's accomplishments. Many, many, many people and many, many, many achievements.

He was an African-American pioneer in many respects. I do not know of any negatives. He was not perfect.

Others know more and will share more.

I cannot add too much, but I have written of him before.

He did a lot for the sport of basketball, for our country, for his race, for humanity. 

I saw him at a baggage claim, very close, around 1998. It was probably San Francisco. (Actually, possibly Seattle. I read that he lived there.) I wanted to say something. I turned to the complete stranger next to me to see if he was tracking. He was not. Not even the sport. I told him in hushed speech, " He is one of the best basketball players of all time." Meanwhile, another man in the airport went up to him and shook his hand. 

We were waiting for our suitcases and bags.

The next day I thought I could have told him how many people in Boston thought so much of him, and that my parents were from the greater Boston area, and that they did service missions for the Peace Corps in West Africa...

But it would not all make sense. Mostly I just wanted to have a brief conversation with an amazing legend of the sport, a thing that in Indiana we respect and revere.

Rest in peace big guy, and all your blessed loves.

We are a better society and culture because of you.

God bless, all-time American. You were more than the sum of your rings (11!), and you will always be cherished.