St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1960-01-29
Predict Chamberlain
Will Win Athlete
Of Year" Award
BY Jack Saunders

BY Jack Saunders
Philadelphia, Pa. amp wilt
Chamberlain, current rage of pro-
fessional basketball, is fast devel-
oping into a phenom of superstar
proportions; one calculated to shat
ter all existing records and win
acclaim as Athlete OF The Year
Of 1860"
Here are the records the 7 foot
l inch Chamberlain will establish
if he isn't purposely put out of
action by the MIA "hatchetmen"
who are not even trying to hide
their desire to render Wilt hors de
combat as quickly as possible:
Most points scored in a sea-
son;
Most rebounds grabbed in
season;
3.-Most shots taken in a sea-
son;
4.-Most field goals made in a
season;
5.-Most foul shots taken in a
season;
6.-Most foul shots missed in a
season;
Most shots blocked in a sea-
son;
To OutscOre Petit
Rolling up points at a record
SCATTERING average of 81 a game,
Chamberlain should score in excess
of $500 for the season, 500 more
than Bob Petitts existing mark
registered during the 1889 sea-
son.
Consequently, professional bas-
ketball is realizing its most lucra-
tive season in history-all because
of Philadelphia Wilt Chamberlain.
And the Philadelphia Warriors
gate attendance is 40 percent above
last season's-all because of THE
Big Dipper."
Also because of Chamberlain,
and no other reason, the Warriors,
who finished in the cellar last
year, are odds-on favorites to win
the MIA Eastern title the champ
ionship playoffs, and finally the
Worlds Championship.
Mr.. Basketball
Today, Wilt Chamberlain is to
basketball what Ernie Banks is to
baseball; Ingemar Johansson is
to boxing; Jimmy Brown and John
ny Unitas to professional football,
and Ray Norton to track-the king
of all he surveys.
In his rookie year, the fantas-
tic Big Dipper" is accomplishing
feats no other player, let alone
Rookie, ever approached.
He has led the Warriors to thrill
ling victories on every court in the
country, including Boston, Mime
apolis, st. Louis, Cincinnati, New
York, Detroit and Syracuse. He
has completely disorganized team
after team, forcing them to change
their attacks in the middle of a
play and completely annihilating
their offenses by blocking shots
and frightening shooters into pass
ing off. His only weak point is
foul-shooting, but he'll soon rectify
that.
Can't Stop Him
Some, who have never seen him
in action, may consider The Big
Dipper" nothing more than a
freak of nature" or a player who
must depend solely on his great
height to score. Nothing could be
farther from the truth. For Wilt
Chamberlain scores so percent of
Ills POhANo VII AodS-o"dy JUMPS dLlu
right and lefthanded hooks. Be
cause of the three-escond rule of
the MIA, player can't play the
pivot in the foul lane under the
basket more than three seconds.
Were the rule eliminated, Wilt
Chamberlain would average so
points a game without any trouble.
Many believe that the prospect of
Chamberlain eventually entering
the MIA was responsible for the
three-second rule.
Russell's Toughest Opponent
Wilt has been taking a terrible
beating" from rival centers thus
far, and the officials haven't been
calling half as many fouls as they
should against the men playing
him. Chamberlain takes his worst
beating from Bib Charley Share
and Giant Clyde Lovelette of the
st. Louis Hawks. And yet he readi-
ly comedies that the toughest man
to play him thus far has been Big
Bill Russell Of the Boston Celtics. |