Auction Item Details
Lot 160
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Lot Number: 160
Description: Historically Significant Bill Russell 10,000th Point Basketball with photographic provenance. December 12, 1964 at the Boston Garden was an evening that contained somber reverence and celebrated accolades. The Celtics were playing the Baltimore Bullets in the "JFK Memorial Game" to benefit the Kennedy Library Fund before a crowd of 12,025 fans. At halftime, a check for $35,000 was received by two members of the Kennedy family to benefit the fund. The lights were then dimmed, and Ave Maria was sung to a quieted arena by Luigi Vena who had performed the same song at the slain President's funeral. Less than one hour before the moving ceremonies the Garden roared with a thunderous ovation as their star center Bill Russell dunked a ball in the first period to become the 23rd player in NBA history to reach the 10,000-point level. The game was halted, and Russell was presented the actual ball used to score his 10,000th and 10,001st points by his coach and beloved friend Red Auerbach. This very occurrence was memorialized in both The Boston Advertiser and Boston Sunday Globe with an image of Russell receiving the ball from Auerbach and a paragraph noting, "Russell became the 23rd player in NBA history to go over the 10,000 point mark, and he was given the ball as a souvenir." Rare Wilson model B1210 J.Walter Kennedy official NBA basketball which shows evident use throughout including some surface soiling and remaining in an outstanding state of preservation having been carefully preserved within Bill Russell's trophy case over the years. Period white paint applied to the back panel of the ball, "Bill Russell 10,000 Points Dec. 12, 1964, Boston Celtics vs. Baltimore Bullets". It is especially noteworthy to consider the period photographic and written documentation accompanying the offered ball along with Bill Russell's legacy as one of the greatest players in NBA history. Regarding same, the offered must be ranked among the most significant milestone basketballs ever presented at public auction. Includes two-page sections from Bill Bussell's personal scrapbook (matted and framed) which contain the mentioned articles/photograph referencing the game and 10,000th point ball, LOA from Hunt Auctions, and signed letter of provenance from Bill Russell: EXEstimated Price Range: ($50,000-$100,000)
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