Bill Russell was a former Boston Celtics center who played
from 1956 to 1969, on eleven championship teams. A member of the
Basketball Hall of Fame, he was a five-time NBA MVP and an All Star
in twelve of the thirteen years he played; many regard him as one
of the greatest basketball players of all time. Russell was the
Celtics' player-coach for three years, becoming the first Black
coach in professional North American sports, and the first to win a
championship. In 2011, President Barack Obama awarded Russell the
Presidential Medal of Freedom for his accomplishments on the court
and in the Civil Rights Movement. Russell is one of seven players
in history to win an NCAA Championship, an NBA Championship, and an
Olympic gold medal.
Bill McSweeny is a journalist, Korean War combat
infantryman, corporate executive, and lifelong humanitarian and
activist for civil and human rights. He is the author of three
books, including Go Up for Glory, which he wrote with
Celtics star Bill Russell in 1965.
Praise for Go Up for Glory:
"A half-century after its first publication, Glory remains
one of the best books of its ilk, an enthralling snapshot of its
era that serves as a reminder of not only how much basketball has
changed, but also how much the rest of the world hasn't. Russell
was unflinching in his description of the racism he encountered
growing up in Louisiana and Oakland...Still, [he] found a measure
of hope."-Sports Illustrated
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