(LOT 109)
1957-'58 Topps #77 Bill Russell Rookie Card SGC 6 EX-MT
RUSSELL ROOKIE!!! One of the hobby's most coveted rookie cards is the 1957 Topps #77 Bill Russell subject, presented here in a superb SGC 6 EX-MT. Synonymous with this card's championship caliber is Bill Russell's unparalleled resume that includes a miraculous 11 NBA Championships in his 13 seasons with the Boston Celtics. Arguably the greatest "winner" in American sports history, Russell's uncanny success dated back to his college days at the University of San Francisco where he led his team to two consecutive NBA championships in 1955 and 1956. If that wasn't enough, before he graced the hardwood court in Boston, he added an Olympic Gold Medal to his blossoming list of superlatives, leading the 1956 U.S. basketball team to an 89-55 clinching win over the Soviet Union in Melbourne, Australia. While choosing the finest NBA all-time player is a seemingly impossible task, there are many historians who give Bill Russell this distinguished nod, based on his unparalleled winning legacy.

He claimed five League MVPs and played in 12 All-Star games, with iconic coach John Wooden always claiming Russell was basketball's greatest defensive player. Save hockey great Henri Richard (who also claimed 11 professional championships), no American athlete has ever enjoyed Bill Russell's unparalleled level of winning success; not Ruth, Mantle, DiMaggio, Gretzky, Brady or even Michael Jordan. Regarding this awe-inspiring marvel, the classic Russell pose donning his immortal white #6 Celtic jersey has stubbornly defied father-time by retaining a majority of its original surface attributes, including fine clarity and a host of sparkling hues. Typical with virtually all Russell rookie cards, the image reveals imperfect centering, in this case only moderately favoring the upper left edges. While no obtrusive flaws are evident, the background does exhibit some typical surface snow that, along with the aforementioned off-centering issues, plagues a myriad of Russell's inaugural Topps subjects. In closing, this SGC 6 marvel clearly emulates Russell via its "winning" attributes, and is truly destined to be awarded a final resting place in any esteemed basketball or rookie card collection!

MIN BID $7,500
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