This article is within the scope of WikiProject Biography, a collaborative effort to create, develop and organize Wikipedia's articles about people. All interested editors are invited to join the project and contribute to the discussion. For instructions on how to use this banner, please refer to the documentation.BiographyWikipedia:WikiProject BiographyTemplate:WikiProject Biographybiography articles
This article is within the scope of WikiProject Athletics, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of the sport of athletics on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page and join the discussion.AthleticsWikipedia:WikiProject AthleticsTemplate:WikiProject AthleticsAthletics articles
This article is within the scope of WikiProject National Basketball Association, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of the NBA on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks.National Basketball AssociationWikipedia:WikiProject National Basketball AssociationTemplate:WikiProject National Basketball AssociationNBA articles
This article is within the scope of WikiProject College basketball, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of college basketball on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks.College basketballWikipedia:WikiProject College basketballTemplate:WikiProject College basketballcollege basketball articles
This article is within the scope of WikiProject Basketball, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of Basketball on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks.BasketballWikipedia:WikiProject BasketballTemplate:WikiProject BasketballBasketball articles
This article is within the scope of WikiProject Olympics, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of Olympics on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks.OlympicsWikipedia:WikiProject OlympicsTemplate:WikiProject OlympicsOlympics articles
This article is within the scope of WikiProject United States, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of topics relating to the United States of America on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the ongoing discussions.
This article is within the scope of WikiProject California, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of the U.S. state of California on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks.CaliforniaWikipedia:WikiProject CaliforniaTemplate:WikiProject CaliforniaCalifornia articles
Latest comment: 2 years ago3 comments2 people in discussion
This was previously discussed on this page twelve years ago at #First NBA Af-Am coach. Some media outlets are currently reporting (and in the past have previously reported), erroneously, that Russell is the "first black head coach in professional sports" or in "North American professional sports" or "pro American sports" or similar. This is not actually true. Fritz Pollard was the first black head coach in pro American sports in the NFL in 1921. The New York Times obituary of Russell addresses this:
Russell was not the first Black head coach in professional sports, but he had the greatest impact as the first to be chosen, in 1966, to lead a team in one of America’s major sports leagues. Fritz Pollard, a star running back, had coached in the National Football League, but that was in the 1920s, when it was a fledgling operation.
I've edited the article to change the claim of first black head coach in pro sports to first black head coach in the NBA, citing the NYT obit. There are other ways this could be phrased, such as "first black head coach in a major pro American sport", or maybe first black head coach in the modern era, but I think "major" and "modern area" is kind of subjective when applied to "pro sports" (as opposed to a specific sport). Anyway, thought I'd drop this explanatory note here. Levivich (talk) 15:21, 1 August 2022 (UTC)Reply
...but I think "major" and "modern area" is kind of subjective...: It's fine per WP:DUE if that's how most reliable sources describe him, like here. A bigger Russell fan might want to vet this out further. It feels at least like something that might belong in an explanatory footnote, especially since this is an WP:FA.—Bagumba (talk) 16:07, 6 August 2022 (UTC)Reply
Latest comment: 2 years ago2 comments2 people in discussion
This edit request has been answered. Set the |answered= or |ans= parameter to no to reactivate your request.
Change in incorrect photo caption; "Russell (first from left) watching while Walt Bellamy tries to block Chicago Pakers player Tommy Heinsohn in a 1961 game" to "Russell (first from left) watching as Chicago Packers player Walt Bellamy attempts to block Tommy Heinsohn in a 1961 game" 2601:98B:C100:30E0:212F:CCA2:614F:E46B (talk) 01:54, 12 August 2022 (UTC)Reply
Latest comment: 1 year ago3 comments3 people in discussion
Under college ball, the article says at one point "He led USF to NCAA championships in 1955 and 1956, including a string of 55 consecutive victories, and an unofficial double triple-double with 26 points, 27 rebounds, 20 blocks, 3 steals, and an assist."
I don't care for the terminology, but it's supposed to mean a triple double in which every one of the three double-figure categories is 20 or higher (i.e., double what's needed for a triple double).—Myasuda (talk) 13:06, 3 April 2023 (UTC)Reply
I just saw this and agree that the wording is going to be confusing to readers who aren't hardcore basketball fans. I gave it a bit of a rewording, which hopefully fixed the problem. Giants2008 (Talk) 21:29, 29 April 2023 (UTC)Reply