Friends, Family Recall Wilt's Humor
LOS
ANGELES (AP) -- Basketball Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain, who
the
public knew for scoring 100 points in a single game, was remembered by
friends and family more for his curiosity, intellect and quiet
generosity.
Laughter
punctuated the 1{-hour memorial service Saturday at City
of
Angels Church of Religious Science, where about 800 people celebrated
his
life.
Chamberlain
died Tuesday of apparent heart failure. He was 63. His
body
was cremated.
``In
Wilt's life, there were no sad songs. He lived his to the fullest,
''
said Meadowlark Lemon, a Chamberlain teammate on the Harlem Globetrotters.
Others
attending included Bill Russell, whose Boston Celtics teams
twice
beat Chamberlain's teams in the NBA finals; Alex Hannum, who coached
Chamberlain and the Philadelphia 76ers to the NBA title in
1967;
NBA greats Elgin Baylor, Connie Hawkins, Bob Lanier, Nate Thurmond,
Bill
Walton and Jerry West.
Russell,
also a Hall of Fame center, recalled his intense showdowns
with
Chamberlain, who was 3 inches taller and 50 pounds heavier. Although Russell's
Celtics had a 29-20 edge in regular-season games, Chamberlain averaged
25.7 points and 28 rebounds to Russell's 14.9 points and
24.7
rebounds.
``He
sent me through hell so many nights, but it was not a rivalry,
it
was a competition,'' Russell said. ''
As
we got older, the more we liked each other because we knew, basically,
we
were joined at the hips. ... I knew how good he was and he knew
that
I knew how good he was,'' Russell said, drawing laughter.
``I'll
just say that as far as I'm concerned, he and I will be friends
through
eternity.''
Two
photos graced the church's stage: the famous black and white
shot
of the 7-foot-1 Chamberlain holding a piece of paper with ``100'
'
on it after he scored that many points in a game and a color photo
of
him smiling in his Los Angeles Lakers jersey.
Only
one speaker made a passing reference to Chamberlain's incredible
statistics,
including the 100-point game, the 55-rebound game (against
Russell)
and the five seasons averaging at least 40 points.
Most
of the memories focused on Chamberlain off the court, including
his
habit of phoning friends and family at 3 a.m. to quiz them about
geography
or history.
``He
didn't want to be a basketball player, he wanted to be the man
for
all seasons, and I think he was,'' said Sy Goldberg, Chamberlain'
s
attorney and friend of 40 years.
Goldberg
said Chamberlain's tough exterior hid a softer side.
``He
would give money to almost anyone who needed it,'' Goldberg
said.
``The important thing was you were to keep your mouth shut about
it.
No one could publicize his philanthropy.''
David
Shaw co-wrote Chamberlain's first autobiography, which Chamberlain
insisted
on titling: ``Wilt: Just Like Any Other 7-Foot Black Millionaire
who
Lives Next Door.''
Shaw
recalled being with Chamberlain and three others 20 years ago
in
a boat that pulled up 4 feet short of the dock on the San Francisco Bay.
Chamberlain planted his left foot on the dock, his right foot
in
the boat and lifted his four companions like sacks of flour.
``What
I remembered most was not the feat of strength, but the determination
to
overcome any obstacle, the determination to help his friends and
his
ability to laugh at the absurdity of any situation,'' Shaw said.
Chamberlain,
nicknamed ``Stilt'' and ``The Big Dipper'' during his
career,
loved to talk and friends often found themselves doing most
of
the listening.
``I
imagine he's up in heaven now right next to the other Big Dipper
looking
God straight in the eye -- somebody bigger than him finally
--
making some outlandish statement or other,'' Shaw said.
After
retiring from the NBA, Chamberlain played volleyball and ran
marathons.
He wrote books, did some acting and honed his investment
abilities.
``He
was so busy doing, I'm not surprised he had a tired heart,''
said
Barbara O. Lewis, one of Chamberlain's four sisters.
She
recalled Chamberlain as a 5-year-old sneaking outside at 5 a.m.
in
his native Philadelphia to help the men who delivered ice and milk.
When
his mother asked what he was doing, Chamberlain replied, ``I'
m
strong, Mom, and I'm smart. I'm going to make me a lot of money
one
day and I can't stay in the bed. I got things I got to do.''
Copyright
1999 The Associated Press All Rights Reserved
BETH HARRIS, AP Sports Writer, Friends, Family Recall Wilt's Humor.
, AP Online, 10-18-1999.