Russell or Wilt? One View

After Bill Russell and the Boston Celtics had beaten Wilt Chamberlain and the Lakers in the 1968-69 NBA championship series, Jerry West was asked who was the better center.

West had been named the MVP of the series. It was the first year the award was given, and he remains the only player from a losing team to have won it. That Boston team, of course, remains the last NBA team to have repeated as champion.

Said West: “I think Wilt Chamberlain is a better basketball player than Bill Russell, but for the one game I think I’d rather have Bill Russell.

“It would be hard to explain without hurting somebody’s feelings. I think Chamberlain is a better rebounder, a better scorer and a better shooter. I think Wilt blocks more shots than Russell. But if I had to pick one guy for one game, it’d be Russell.

“It’s incredible what he does for his team. It’s hard to imagine how one guy can do so much for his teammates. When they see him on the court, they’re different players.

“I can’t think of any guy in any sport at any time that has dominated his game the way Russell has. I think the players in the league respect him the most of any player.”

Said Boston infielder Glenn Hoffman after being recalled from Pawtucket, R.I., home of the Red Sox affiliate in the International League: “Pawtucket was a lot bigger city on the way up than on the way down.”

That recalls this quote by much-traveled pitcher Mickey Mahler of the Texas Rangers last year: “Every player who has played three straight years in the majors I’d send back to Triple-A for a month, just to let them see what it was like so they won’t forget how good they have it.”

The next day, the Rangers sent Mahler to Triple-A.

Said Mahler, of the Oklahoma City 89ers: “Teams think it’s chic to release Mickey Mahler.”

Trivia Time: What do Bob Richards, Bruce Jenner, Mary Lou Retton, Pete Rose, Walter Payton and Chris Evert have in common? (Answer below.)

Jim Harbaugh, the No. 1 draft choice of the Chicago Bears, on his arm: “On a Bo Schembechler team, it’s supposed to be three yards and a cloud of dust, and frankly I’m tired of hearing it. I threw at the scouting combines and my arm was stronger than Chris Miller’s and a lot of those guys.”

Tom Clune, visiting clubhouse attendant for the Kansas City Royals, was asked by the Hartford Courant to name his least-favorite players.

Clune said: “Just make a heading of, ‘Person you hate to see coming to Kansas City.’ That’s Reggie. He’s in a class by himself.”

Clune said he doesn’t like the way Jackson treats his assistants, many of them high school students. “He belittles them,” Clune said.

Said Notre Dame Coach Lou Holtz after learning that Sports Illustrated might rank his football team in the top 20: “I told them the only way they could lose credibility quicker would be to put me in their swimsuit issue.”

Trivia Answer: They are the only six athletes whose pictures have appeared on Wheaties boxes.

Quotebook

Moses Malone of the Washington Bullets, asked if he would have a farewell tour like Julius Erving’s when he retires: “Naw, I’m going to retire by telephone and ask them to mail in the gifts.”