He has two brothers, Bailey Jr. and Henry. His teams made the playoffs in 10 of his 14 years in the league. The numbers behind Russell Westbrook's triple-double records The couple later got married on a perfect June day in 1960 right after Oscar's graduation. In 1970, retired merchant navy officer Dougal Robertson was running a dairy farm at Meerbrook, near Leek, with his wife Lyn, 18-year-old son Douglas, daughter Anne, 17, and twin sons Neil and . The 1964/65 season was the beginning of a downward path for the Cincinnati Royals, as their performance saw them defeated in the playoffs in the 1965 to 1967 seasons. A host of former NBA players - current and former - including Oscar Robertson himself, congratulated Russell Westbrook on passing the all-time . His rookie scoring average of 30.5 points per game is the third-highest of any rookie in NBA history, and Robertson averaged more than 30 points per game in six of his first seven seasons. In 1998, in honour of the records and accomplishments in the NCAA, the NCAA Division I Player of the Year was named the Oscar Robertson Trophy. Oscar Robertson Cards and Autographed Memorabilia Guide Born in 1938, Robertson grew up in poverty, first in rural Tennessee and then in a segregated housing project in Indianapolis, Indiana. #OscarRobertson #NBA #GOAT-Music:Neon Nox - Backup Data (https://youtu.be/Xg8aIjF0LCE)Neon Nox - Mass Effect (https://youtu.be/EPkWImlLa78)Retrodict - Close . He remembers a tough childhood, plagued by poverty and racism. [3] In 1996, Robertson was honored as one of the leagues greatest players of all-time by being named to the NBA 50th Anniversary Team. Oscar Robertson and LeBron James share a surprising number of similarities. [4], Robertson continued to excel while playing for the Cincinnati Bearcats, recording a scoring average of 33.8 points per game, the third-highest in college history. In 1960 he won a gold medal in Rome as a member of the U.S. Olympic team. Donald Robertson was buried at Holten Canadian War Cemetery Vii. One of the game's most gifted players, Elgin Baylor made 10 appearances on the All-NBA first team. He was drawn to basketball instead of baseball, which was more popular in the neighborhood, because it was a poor kids game. He learned how to shoot by tossing tennis balls and rags bound with rubber bands into a peach basket behind his familys home. Robertson went on to attend an all black high school, Crispus Attucks High School, where he excelled marvelously. Oscar Palmer Robertson was born on the 24th November 1938, in Charlotte, Tennessee USA, and is a retired basketball player, who played for the Cincinnati Royals and Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was born on November 24, 1938 at Charlotte, Tennessee, United States. Oscar Robertson made a tremendous impact on the NBA both as a player and in his off-the-court actions. . "Big O" got to play with an all-star team of players, such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. On October 30, 1980, Robertson was named to the NBA 35th Anniversary Team. We believe that every person's story is important as it provides our community with an opportunity to feel a sense of belonging, share their hopes and dreams. Top 10 Interesting Facts about Oscar Robertson Oscar Palmer Robertson - Genealogy Biography facts, career and personal life of famous basketball players. But city leaders were uneasy about how the teams celebration might take shape. Though, he is 6 5 in feet and inches and 196 cm in Centimetres tall, he weighs about 205 . Oscar Robertson Net Worth | Bio, Family, Address, Career Roberto Firmino Bio, Facts, Childhood, Career, Net Worth, Life, Novak Djokovic Biography Facts, Childhood, Personal Life, Cristiano Ronaldo Biography Facts, Childhood, Career, Life, Gareth Bale Biography Facts, Childhood, Career, Net Worth, Life, Dwayne Johnson Biography Facts, Childhood, Career, Life, Kubrat Pulev Biography Facts, Childhood, Net Worth, Life, Raheem Sterling Biography Facts, Childhood, Career, Life, Hakeem Olajuwon Biography, Childhood, Career, Life, Facts, Albert Pujols Biography Facts, Childhood, Net Worth, Life, 25 Biggest Sumo Wrestlers. 1. NBA 75: At No. 12, Oscar Robertson was more than a triple-double legend [1] He is also famous from other names as The Big O. A Letter to My Bucks Family by Oscar Robertson - The Players' Tribune There will never be another player like the 'Big Dipper', who changed the game with his strength, athleticism and skill. On June 9, 2007, Oscar received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from the University of Cincinnati for both his philanthropic and entrepreneurial efforts. Three times he won the national scoring title, was an All-American, and was named College Player of the Year. Prior to the amendment, free agency was non-existent and basketball franchises owned players which forbade them from discussing with another franchise as long as they had a contract with the franchise. Oscar Robertson averaged 30 points or more in six seasons and was considered the first big guard, averaging 7.5 rebounds for his career. UPDATES Although basketball has changed drastically in the 60 years since Robertson first took the court, he and James have . Dandridge and Robertson were teammates on the Milwaukee . As a result of his accomplishment and performance in his senior year he was named the 1956 Mr. Basketball. Many observers believed it was Cousys jealousy of Robertson that led to the trade. At Crispus Attucks, Robertsons natural physical abilities and instincts were polished by coach Ray Crowe, who was obsessed with teaching the basics of the game. He was Rookie of the Year in 1960-61, played in 12 straight All-Star Games, was selected to the All-NBA First Team nine consecutive seasons, won the MVP award in 1963-64, and helped the Milwaukee Bucks win the championship in 1971. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. 3 Copy quote. If you have concerns about something that doesnt look right in this Oscar Robertson Biography, Facts, Childhood, Career, Life, please dont hesitate to contact us. Although six players have surpassed Robertsons career record of 9,887 assists, some argue that Robertsons total came in an era when an assist was credited much less generously than it is today. Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories! $8.00. The name Oscar Robertson has become a household name over the years. #OscarRobertson #NBA #GOAT-Music:1) Audiomachine - Ashes of Time2) Machinimasound - Battle of the Titans He revealed that he considered Marques Haynes and Goose Tatum who were Harlem Globetrotters players as his basketball idols. Widely considered one of the NBA's most dominant players, Oscar Robertson led the Bucks to a title in 1971. Check out some rarely seen Oscar Robertson highlights with the Royals! In the 196970 season, the sixth disappointing season in a row, fan support was waning. [44] When a biography was going to be written about him in the 1990s, Robertson joked that his life had been "dull" and that he had been "married to the same woman for a long time". Breaking down the Golden State-Los Angeles matchup with 3 things to watch, 1 X-factor and a series prediction. In 1961-62, the season he averaged a triple-double, Robertson led the Royals to the first of six straight trips to the playoffs. A. [2] Robertson is also the first guard in NBA history to ever average more than 10 rebounds per game, doing so three times. Net Worth in 2023: $300 thousand. Oscar Robertson, in full Oscar Palmer Robertson, byname the Big O, (born November 24, 1938, Charlotte, Tennessee, U.S.), American basketball player who starred in both the collegiate and professional ranks and was considered one of the top players in the history of the game. In June 2007, the University of Cincinnati awarded him Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters as an acknowledgement of his entrepreneurial and philanthropic activities. When we won back in '71, it was a big deal. Under new coach Jack McMahon, Robertson flourished. The couple got married in Cincinnati, Ohio. But his father, Bailey, lacked money to acquire farm machinery, so he moved his wife, Mazell, and three children, Bailey Jr., Henry and Oscar, to Naptown, Indiana. [27] His trademark expressions were, "Oh, my!" When he was approximately 18 months old, his parents moved to Indianapolis, Indiana, where he grew up in a segregated housing project. Unlike many other boys who preferred baseball, the NBA star was drawn to basketball, which he saw as "a poor kids' game. He was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1979. The Royals progressed to the Eastern Conference finals but were defeated by the Boston Celtics. Bryant's father moved his family to Indianapolis from Calhoun, South Carolina, when Hallie was 8. His wife is Yvonne Crittenden (25 June 1960 - present) ( 3 children) Oscar Robertson Net Worth [2] Furthermore, he is also credited with having invented the head fake and the fadeaway jump shot, a shot which Michael Jordan later became famous for. [2] Robertson also won his second All-Star Game MVP award that year after scoring 26 points, grabbing 14 rebounds, and dishing off 8 assists in an East victory. [34] Robertson appeared in a television advertisement advocating for passage of the initiative,[35] but it was ultimately defeated. After his retirement Robertson worked to improve the living conditions of African-Americans in his hometown of Indianapolis by helping to build affordable housing. [1] Robertson played point guard and was a 12-time All-Star, 11-time member of the All-NBA Team, and one-time winner of the MVP award in 14 seasons. in reaction to flashy or spectacular situations such as fast breaks, slam dunks, player collisions, etc. Oscar's family could not afford to buy a basketball; the youngster learned to shoot by tossing tennis balls and rags held together with rubber bands into a peach basket. [39] For the Cincinnati Royals, now relocated and named the Sacramento Kings, he scored 22,009 points and 7,731 assists, and is the all-time leader in both statistics for the combined Royals/Kings teams. What should have been a joyous culmination to that 1955 season . [2], Robertson also set yardsticks in versatility. The fine results from Brooks failure to participate in team postgame media availability during the first round. The case led to the amendment of the free agency and college draft clauses. [33] The initiative sought exclusive grow rights for the group members while prohibiting all other cultivation except small amounts for personal use. The family moved to Indianapolis, Indiana, when Robertson was only 18 months old. [1] Robertson also set a then-NBA record for the most triple-doubles during the regular season with 41 triple-doubles; the record would stand for over half a century until 201617, when Russell Westbrook recorded 42 and joined Robertson as the only other player to average a triple-double for an entire season. He also has two siblings and both are his brothers. He ended his career with 26,710 points (25.7 per game, ninth-highest all time), 9,887 assists (9.5 per game), and 7,804 rebounds (7.5 per game). [37] In 2022, to commemorate the NBA's 75th Anniversary The Athletic ranked their top 75 players of all time, and named Robertson as the 12th greatest player in NBA history. This town of Robertson's birth, in 1938, would have been idyllic were life there more practical for his family. He shot 48.5% from the field and 83.8% from the line. In his second season in the NBA, he emerged as the first player in the league to average a triple-double throughout the season. Oscar Robertson's Lawsuit Against the NBA Changed the Way Players Get Paid The Royals gave Robertson a $33,000 signing bonus. Oscar Robertson was then attracted to Yvonne's gorgeousness, intelligence, and talent as a pianist that the duo started dating for two years. He is a member of famous Producer with the age 84 years old group. He averaged 24.0 points and was named Indianas Mr. Omissions? On December 18, 1964, Robertson recorded a career-high 56 points on 17-for-33 shooting from the field, to go along with 9 rebounds and 12 assists in a 111107 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. It was a feat that would not be repeated until Russell Westbrook managed to achieve it during the 201617 season. Oscar Robertson. [39] He has been an honorary spokesman for the National Kidney Foundation ever since. A player with a very eccentric personality, Robertson is seen as a hero in not just basketball but in sports in general as he is one of the stars who rose above the domineering force of racism. Joanna Van Gyseghem (granddaughter) Gertrude Elliott (December 14, 1874 December 24, 1950), later Lady Forbes-Robertson, was an American stage actress, part of an extended family of theatre professionals including her husband, Sir Johnston Forbes-Robertson, and her elder sister, Maxine Elliott . He was able to use his size to gain position for scoring and rebounding. In the postseason, the Royals muscled past the 76ers in five games, only to meet the mighty Celtics in the division finals. [1] Only three other players in the NBA have had more 30+-point-per-game seasons in their career. When Robertson was a junior, Crispus Attucks dominated its opposition, going 311, and winning the 1955 state championship, the first for any all-black school in the nation. In addition to his 1964 regular-season MVP award, Robertson won three All-Star Game MVPs in his career (in 1961, 1964, and 1969). Thats right, man, a layup. Red Auerbach joked that after telling his players to stretch out their fingers extra wide while defending Robertson, Oscar shot the ball through their fingers!. [16] In his rookie season, Robertson averaged 30.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 9.7 assists (leading the league), almost averaging a triple-double for the entire season. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Oscar Robertson McFarlane Hardwood Classic Legends Milwaukee Bucks 2006 at the best online prices at eBay! [2], Robertson attended Crispus Attucks High School, an all-black high school, where he was coached by Ray Crowe, whose emphasis on a fundamentally sound game had a positive effect on his style of play. First call Dandridge got after HOF news was from the 'Big O'. 1 he wore in Milwaukee. He was a 12-time All-Star when he played for a point guard. But drafted players won the right to snub their prospective employers for a year and reenter the draft. When he was 18 months old, the family moved to Indianapolis, where he spent all his childhood in a segregated housing project. Childhood And Early Life American basketball great Oscar Robertson was born on the 24 November 1938 in Charlotte, Tennessee. An All-Star for five consecutive seasons with the Detroit Pistons and a 10-year NBA veteran who retired after the '63-64 season, Baltimore Bullet coach Gene Shue thinks of two men as the best ever. Robertson retired from the NBA in 1974 with 26,710 career points (25.7 per game), 7,804 rebounds (7.5 average), and 9,887 assists (an NBA record at the time). Los Angeles Lakers. He was nothing short of incredible as a collegian, scoring 33.8 points per game with a one-handed style that made his shots virtually unblockable. [9] The landmark NBA antitrust suit, which was filed when Robertson was the president of the NBA Players' Association, led to an extensive reform of the league's strict free agency and draft rules and, subsequently, to higher salaries for all players. > Archive 75: Oscar Robertson| 75 Stories: Oscar Robertson. Throughout the mid-1960s the great Boston and Philadelphia 76ers teams would stand impenetrable, keeping the Royals from advancing to The Finals. [2] He was inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2009. Exhibition Label. Oscar Robertson age, height, weight, net worth 2023, wife, kids, gay We lived in a shotgun-type house, it was very cold; a little pot-bellied stove in the wintertime. Robertson also owns the chemical company Orchem, based in Cincinnati, Ohio.[45]. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. [2] In addition, he worked as a color commentator with Brent Musburger on games televised by CBS during the 197475 NBA season. Barred from hotels until his junior year, Robertson often had to stay in college dorms. Donald Oscar Robertson (1924 - 1946) - Biography and Family Tree Give him two feet and you know what he wants? The two seasons after his first NBA win, he led the Bucks to claim division titles. Basketball as a senior. In what stands as a classic series, an Abdul-Jabbar sky-hook in double-overtime of Game 6 gave the Bucks new life and forced a Game 7. [1] In addition, he was named the 1961 NBA All-Star Game MVP following his 23-point, 14-assist, 9-rebound performance in a West victory; however, the Royals finished with a 3346 record and stayed in the cellar of the Western Division. 14; the retirement continues to be honored by the Kings in their current home of Sacramento. [1] He led the league in assists six time; at the time of his retirement, he was the NBA's all-time leader in career assists and free throws made, and was the second all-time leading scorer behind Wilt Chamberlain. From 1960 to 1968 Robertson was the only player other than Chamberlain or Russell to win the MVP Award. 9 Copy quote. Oscar Palmer Robertson (born November 24, 1938), nicknamed "the Big O", is an American former professional basketball player who played for the Cincinnati Royals and Milwaukee Bucks in the National Basketball Association (NBA). and "Oh, Brent, did you see that!" The Big O | Cigar Aficionado Like Oscar Robertson and other Indianapolis basketball greats, he cut his teeth at the court at . He learned how to shoot by using tennis balls and rags wrapped with rubber bands and tossing them into a peach basket in the back of his family's home. If you were amazed by Curry's record-setting performance on Sunday, let's just say you weren't the only one. [2], On the hardwood, the veteran Robertson still proved he was a valuable player. TOP 25 QUOTES BY OSCAR ROBERTSON | A-Z Quotes The Big O: My Life, My Times, My Game - Oscar Robertson - Google Books The Big O made his first of 12 consecutive trips to the All-Star Game, winning the MVP award after scoring 23 points and setting a record with 14 assists, one better than Bob Cousys previous mark. Ten of the twelve college players on the American squad later played in the NBA, including Robertson as well as future Basketball Hall-of-Famers West, Jerry Lucas, and Walt Bellamy. This encouraged the signing of more free agents and eventually led to higher salaries for all players. He was the leading scorer of the team,[13] as the U.S. team won its nine games by a margin of 42.4 points. The team, described as the greatest assemblage of basketball talent ever at that point, steamrolled the competition to win the gold medal. In his debut season, he had an amazing performance which earned him the Rookie of the Year award and the 1961 All-star game MVP. Theories attempting to explain the trade abounded. First Call Bob Dandridge Got After Hall-Of-Fame News Was From Oscar Robertson, Oscar Palmer | Encyclopedia.com He has just a few children, all of whom bear his family. Family Life He married Yvonne Crittenden in 1960, and they had two daughters together. Aside from the racism his family endured, they also battled with poverty. For seven games, the former Celtics point guard partnered with Robertson in the Royals' backcourt, but they missed the playoffs. When he was approximately 18 months old, his parents moved to Indianapolis, Indiana, where he grew up in a segregated housing project. This is just one of these examples. Oscar was born in an impoverished family in Charlotte, Tennessee. Debbie and Family, When I think of Oscar my mind goes . In the 196768 season, Robertson became the first of only two players in NBA history to lead the league in both scoring average and assists per game in the same season (also achieved by Nate Archibald). Robertson finished first in the league in both assists (11.0 apg) and free throw percentage (85.3) and ranked second in scoring (31.4 ppg). The all-Black school had brought home Indianapoliss first state championship. This is why you don't see just one author for this article. Oscar Robertson Biography, Life, Interesting Facts In 1956, the team finished with a 310 record and won a second straight IHSAA Men's Basketball Championship, becoming the first team in Indiana to secure a perfect season and compiling a state-record 45 straight victories. Oscar Robertson Biography, Facts, Childhood, Career, Life Heaviest Sumo Wrestler List, 25 Best 80s Tennis Players. During his 14-year NBA career with the Cincinnati Royals and the Milwaukee Bucks, Robertson became the top-scoring guard of all time, amassing 26,710 points, which ranks 15th in NBA history. Among his 14 NCAA records was a career scoring mark that stood until Pete Maravich bested it in 1970. NBA legend Oscar Robertson on player protests, vaccines and triple Robertson, too poor to own a basketball as a child, signed for $33,000 per year. The Robertson v. National Basketball Assn case delayed the merger of the ABA and NBA. When Robertson left college, he was the all-time leading NCAA scorer until fellow Hall-of-Fame player Pete Maravich topped him in 1970. After being stuck with an under-performing team the last six years, he now was paired with the young Lew Alcindor, who would years later become the all-time NBA scoring leader as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. [12], After college, Robertson and Jerry West co-captained the 1960 U.S. basketball team at the 1960 Summer Olympics. There were some big names like Eric Holder, former U.S. Attorney General, and Hall-of-Famer Rick Barry, whom Dandridge . [2], Robertson was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on April 28, 1980. . His love for basketball made him improvise when his parents couldnt afford to buy him a basketball. [14], Prior to the 196061 NBA season, Robertson made himself eligible for the 1960 NBA draft. He was thus given a $33,000 signing bonus. In addition, teams were no longer required to provide compensation when signing a free-agent player. At 6-foot-5 and 210 pounds, Robertson was the first big guard. After his successful high school career, he went on to play for the University of Cincinnati. Oscar Robertson | National Portrait Gallery Check ESPN listings for rebroadcast information. . Oscar Robertson | Cincinnati Royals | NBA.com When Basketball Great Oscar Robertson Stood Up to the NBA to Protect To help attract the public, 41-year-old head coach Bob Cousy made a short comeback as a player. He, however, did not win the NCAA Championship. Before the 1969-70 season, near the end of Robertson's peak as a player, the Royals brought in. As a player with the Cincinnati (Ohio) Royals of the National Basketball Association (NBA) in 196162, he averaged double figures in points (30.8), rebounds (12.5), and assists (11.4) per game, a feat unmatched by any other player until Russell Westbrook did so in 201617.