YEAR: 1966
SIGNIFICANCE: Bill Russell became the 1st African-American Head Coach in North American professional sports history
Aside from his heartwarming cackle, lanky 6’10” frame, and white hair, Bill Russell is widely recognized as the man with more NBA Championship rings than fingers. After winning their ninth championship, however, the Boston Celtics’ legendary HC Red Auerbach decided to step down after an extremely successful 17 years at the helm. The vacant position was offered to three of Auerbach’s former players — Frank Ramsey, Bob Cousy, and Tom Heinsohn — but all declined. Heinsohn, the third to be offered the job, however, suggested his former teammate for the position: current Celtics C Bill Russell.
He humbly accepted the position with a player-coach designation and a public announcement was made on April 18th, 1966 with Russell commenting to reporters, “I wasn’t offered the job because I’m a negro; I was offered it because Red figured I could do it.” Opening the 1966-67 season on this day 54 years ago in the midst of a Civil Rights movement, Bill Russell officially became the very first black HC in the history of North American professional sports with a 121-113 victory over his hometown San Francisco Warriors.
He would win two more championships with the Celtics (1968, ’69) before retiring as a player in 1969 and moving on to the Seattle SuperSonics and eventually the Sacramento Kings. In 2011, 23 years after his retirement from coaching, Russell would be given the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his incredible range of accomplishments on and off the court.