Wilton Norman Chamberlain has been said to be the greatest basketball player to ever play the game. Giant like statue Wilt stood at 7’1”and weighed in at 275lbs as a rookie in 1959. Wilts parents Olivia Johnson and William Chamberlain had nine total children, Wilt Chamberlain being born in Philadelphia Pennsylvania on August 21st 1936. Chamberlains Mother worked as a homemaker and domestic worker while his father was good with his hands working as an welder. Chamberlain himself contributed to the family income working as a bellhop at a local hotel.
Although Wilt is known for being a giant and powerful athlete he was fragile as a child. Having a near death experience as a youth with pneumonia like symptoms. He missed an entire year of school due to his illness. When wilt was healthy enough for sports basketball was not his first love. He enjoyed track and field more than anything. By age 10 Wilt sprouted standing at …show more content…
Due to his excellent shot blocking skills and outstanding and scoring he earned nicknames such as “Goliath” and “The Big Dipper”. In 1953 Chamberlain lead Overbrook in scoring averaging 31 points per game. As a sophomore chamberlain posted a school record 71 points against Roxborough high in a regular season game. The team went on to a flawless 19-0 on their way to win a Public league title. His final year in high school Chamberlain’s scoring was uncontainable breaking his own record reaching a season high of 90 points. Scoring a total of 2,252 points in three years and leading his team to two consecutive titles and a record of 56-3, universities from all over the nation was banging at his door. According to ESPN journalist Hal Bock, Chamberlain was "scary, flat-out frightening... before he came along, most basketball players were mortal-sized men. Chamberlain changed
Although Wilt is known for being a giant and powerful athlete he was fragile as a child. Having a near death experience as a youth with pneumonia like symptoms. He missed an entire year of school due to his illness. When wilt was healthy enough for sports basketball was not his first love. He enjoyed track and field more than anything. By age 10 Wilt sprouted standing at …show more content…
Due to his excellent shot blocking skills and outstanding and scoring he earned nicknames such as “Goliath” and “The Big Dipper”. In 1953 Chamberlain lead Overbrook in scoring averaging 31 points per game. As a sophomore chamberlain posted a school record 71 points against Roxborough high in a regular season game. The team went on to a flawless 19-0 on their way to win a Public league title. His final year in high school Chamberlain’s scoring was uncontainable breaking his own record reaching a season high of 90 points. Scoring a total of 2,252 points in three years and leading his team to two consecutive titles and a record of 56-3, universities from all over the nation was banging at his door. According to ESPN journalist Hal Bock, Chamberlain was "scary, flat-out frightening... before he came along, most basketball players were mortal-sized men. Chamberlain changed