Re: The Boston Celtics Mailing List Digest V5 #123

["Cecil Wright" <cecil@hfx.andara.com>]

Gotta agree with Mishra on this topic.  Russell never signed autographs, yet
IMO was probably the most unselfish plaer of alltime.  He was quick enough
to score alot more than he did, but he bought into Red's philosophy that his
job was to play defense and rebound, which he did perfectly.

One reason that he didn't sign autographs was due to the poor treatment he
and his family were subjected to be some idiotic people.  One thing about
Russ, he stood up for his beliefs.  I can also remember that he was among
the black athletes who attended the press conference when Ali was stripped
of his title for refusing to enter the military.

My point is some athletes have reasons that we may be unaware of for
thinking the way they do.  I don't equate whether an athlete signs an
autograph to his selfishness on the court.

Cecil
-----Original Message-----
From: Shailendra K Mishra <smishra@ix.netcom.com>
To: Defguy2 <Defguy2@aol.com>; Celtics@igtc.COM <Celtics@igtc.COM>; Vinny
Natale <vnatale@map.com>
Date: Monday, March 30, 1998 12:37 PM
Subject: Re: The Boston Celtics Mailing List Digest V5 #123


>By the same token, take the example of Bill Russell in my book the greatest
>celtic ever, never signed an autograph so he is selfish too. Right, but it
>doesn't dimnish my respect for Russ because he performed where it counts. -
>Mishra
>
>>At 09:56 PM 3/29/98 -0500, Defguy2 wrote:
>>>No I thing it can all be summed up in his refusal to sign an autograph
for
>a
>>>fan who was collecting Kentucky Wildcat signatures.  He got Pitino,
Mercer
>>and
>>>McCarty but the Wiggle man said no.  He is selfish and that is all there
>>is to it.
>
>