Auction of Bill Russell’s memorabilia nets on summit of $5M

BOSTON (AP) The jersey that Boston Celtics Hall of Famer Bill Russell wore for his unmovable game – the 1969 NBA Finals clincher that earned him his 11th championship – sold for anew $1.1 million at an auction held Friday night at the TD Garden.

Other lots drawing excited bidding included Russell’s first championship showground, which went for $705,000, and his 1956 Olympic gold medal, which sold for $587,500. Russell’s five NBA MVP trophies were along with going on for auction, to the front their combine sale prices topping $1.3 million.

The auction featured 429 lots accumulated by Russell beyond a career in which he won two NCAA titles, 11 NBA championships in 13 years and the 1956 Olympic gold medal. The top 18 items alone brought in gone more $5.3 million.

Russell was with fresh in the civil rights motion, marching when Martin Luther King Jr. and standing considering Muhammad Ali taking into consideration than he was stripped of his heavyweight title for refusing induction into the Vietnam War. A page from Russell’s scrapbook that included a signed letter from Jackie Robinson sold for $94,000.

The 87-year-primordial Russell has pledged some of the proceeds to MENTOR, which connects teenager people following advisers who can find the maintenance for them considering opportunities they might instead miss out something also, and to the Boston Celtics United for Social Justice, which fights racial injustice and social inequities in the Greater Boston place.