Column on Wilt Chamberlain's Death (as it appeared in Drexel's Triangle on 10/15/1999)
On Tues evening the news ran across the ESPN Bottom Line (sports news ticker)
and left me breathless. It wasn't the usual pointless announcement of a random
player's arrest on drug charges. No, this horrible briefing spoke of something
much more disturbing.
"Wilt Chamberlain dead at the age of 63 - believed to be the result of
a heart attack," it read.
Wow.
I only knew Wilt Chamberlain through the many stories I've heard. And those
tales, no matter who the teller, always revolved around the undeniable truth
of how enormous the man was.
When people think of Wilt the Stilt, they usually picture a gigantic, seven-foot
phenomenon that seemingly defied the laws of nature.
Sport has seen its share of incredibly tall people, but never did it see one
with the raw athleticism of Chamberlain.
During his high school days at Overbrook High in West Philadelphia, he ran cross-country,
the 400 meter, and was the 1955 city champion in the high jump and shot put.
In basketball, he led the Panthers to three consecutive Public League titles
and two city championships from 1953-55.
In 1955 the "Big Dipper" scored 90 points in one game, a record that
still and forever will stand as the Philadelphia and surrounding counties men's
record. Coincidentally, that '55 team has been voted the greatest team in the
history of this basketball enriched town.
Many people make the argument that what he did against a league comprised of
few African American players and many smaller, less athletic competitors would
be just slightly better than say what Shaq or Patrick Ewing can do today.
Although it is simply impossible to know what he could have accomplished in
today's NBA, it is inevitable that he would have been a star.
Granted, Chamberlain probably couldn't score 100 points versus one of today's
premier centers, but his all-around skills would have given him a distinct advantage
over anyone then or now.
In a career that spanned from 1959 - 1973, the Stilt wore four different uniforms,
those of the Philadelphia Warriors, (a franchise that later moved to southern
California,) the Philadelphia 76ers, and ultimately the Los Angeles Lakers.
Chamberlain won two World Championships; one of which came as a Sixer in 1967
for a team that is still widely heralded as the greatest basketball team ever.
The Dipper was four times the MVP of the league, 13 times an All-Star, won one
Finals MVP and one All-Star MVP award. He also holds NBA career marks in rebounds
(23,924), rebounds per game (22.9), and most points in a season (4,029). Wilt
also best in history in categories such as most points in one game (100), most
rebounds in one game (55 - against Bill Russell of the World Championship Boston
Celtics), consecutive scoring titles (7), and consecutive games with over 50
points (7).
Chamberlain owns approximately 50 NBA records once totaled. He scored 60 points
32 times, 50 points 118 times (including 45 times in one season), he once played
every minute of an entire year and once led the league in assists - only because
he did not enjoy people saying he couldn't accomplish a goal.
In 1978, when asked what team he would like to be forever enshrined in the Hall
of Game as a member of, Wilt chose the Los Angeles Lakers. That move in addition
to his choice to leave the Sixers over a contract dispute in the late 60's,
has made way for other Philly legends such as Julius Erving and Charles Barkley
to be more reverend at times.
However on March 18, 1991 Chamberlain came back to Philadelphia's Spectrum and
took part in a memorable ceremony to retire his number 13. That night, although
the crowd was a few thousand short or capacity, the native son partially made
up for some of the shortcomings the fans had accused him of.
With that in mind I wonder what his legacy should be to our generation, one
which knows for certain that Michael Jordan is the greatest player we've ever
known and one ever likely to see.
Perhaps we should just accept what all other generations prior to ours know
as fact; Wilt was the man of his era, and Michael the king of his. Any attempt
at comparisons between generations and positions would be like pitting apples
against oranges.
My father one met Wilt and the U.S. Open tennis championship in Flushing Meadows,
NY during the mid-80's. They exchanged a few words and Chamberlain shook my
dad's hand. To this day, all my father speaks of the encounter is of having
his entire hand totally hidden by Wilt's gigantic palm.
That probably emulates how I can remember Chamberlain, as a man of mythic proportions
who accomplished unthinkable feats in an era I will never know but am obligated
to respect.
R.I.P.