My Life Likeing Bill Russell

Inspired by excellence

Legendary Celtic Bill Russell passed away the other day.  Hundreds of obituaries have been written extolling his greatness as an athlete and his importance as a civil rights activist.  I don't really have anything to add to these conversations -- I am too young to remember Russell's prime years.  But Russell had an impact on me nonetheless.  One of my first attempts to be a writer was a grade school book that I put together (with perhaps typical solipsism) entitled "My Life Likeing Bill Russell."  I present it here as testament to the myriad ways that one man's excellence can serve as an inspiration even to people well outside his orbit.