Bill Russell Organised A Strike Before The 1964 All-Star Game That Forced The NBA To Implement A Pension Plan For Players

3 Min Read

Credit: Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

The great Bill Russell is no longer with us, but his legacy lives on for eternity. Russell was a strong voice on the issues that were prevalent in American society and was a key figure in the fight against racism. While he is deservedly well known for that, he also played another big role in helping the players of today by forcing the NBA to implement a pension plan.

The league in the 1960s had been holding off on providing pensions despite repeated efforts from players, and as their pleas went unheeded, they finally decided to take a stand in 1964. As the All-Star game of 1964 was set to be the first one to be televised, it was a big deal for the league and its owners, who saw it as their chance to grow the popularity of the game and bring in more money to their pockets. Some of the players realized that it made for the perfect time to take action, and they made their intentions known to NBA commissioner Walter Kennedy that they were going on strike unless their demands were met.

The impact of going through with this cannot be understated, as it was going to take a group of bold players to take a drastic step, in order to effect change. Not everyone would be willing to go that far, which explains why the vote wasn’t unanimous, but they all eventually agreed to it. The Los Angeles Times gave an account of what transpired on the day and how the league finally relented with major TV exposure on the line.

via LA Times:

The minutes moved rapidly inside the locker room. Tipoff time was approaching. A chance at major TV exposure was evaporating quickly.

Finally, Kennedy made a decision. The commissioner met the demands of the players, who were overjoyed.

“He formally recognized the players’ association and agreed to the pension plan and all the other things,” Heinsohn said.

The game was delayed about 15 minutes. The Eastern Conference defeated the West, 111-107, but all the players were winners that night.

It was a landmark moment for the players and this wasn’t the first time that Russell was involved in something as unprecedented as this. In 1961, he led a boycott of an NBA exhibition game, which was a shocking step at the time, because of the way his teammate KC Jones was treated at the hotel they were at.

It was his way of fighting racism in the country as he wanted everyone to know that black players were going to stand up for themselves. His actions towards ensuring the greater good of those who came after him will never be forgotten.

Newsletter

Stay up to date with our newsletter on the latest news, trends, ranking lists, and evergreen articles

Follow on Google News

Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We appreciate your support.

Share This Article
Follow:
Gautam Varier is a staff writer and columnist for Fadeaway World from Mumbai, India. He graduated from Symbiosis International University with a Master of Business specializing in Sports Management in 2020. This educational achievement enables Gautam to apply sophisticated analytical techniques to his incisive coverage of basketball, blending business acumen with sports knowledge.Before joining Fadeaway World in 2022, Gautam honed his journalistic skills at Sportskeeda and SportsKPI, where he covered a range of sports topics with an emphasis on basketball. His passion for the sport was ignited after witnessing the high-octane offense of the Steve Nash-led Phoenix Suns. Among the Suns, Shawn Marion stood out to Gautam as an all-time underrated NBA player. Marion’s versatility as a defender and his rebounding prowess, despite being just 6’7”, impressed Gautam immensely. He admired Marion’s finishing ability at the rim and his shooting, despite an unconventional jump shot, believing that Marion’s skill set would have been even more appreciated in today’s NBA.This transformative experience not only deepened his love for basketball but also shaped his approach to sports writing, enabling him to connect with readers through vivid storytelling and insightful analysis.
Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *