Today celebrates one of the most mythical, unachievable feats in all of sports. 50 years ago on this day in 1962, Wilt Chamberlain, playing for the Philadelphia Warriors, dropped 100 points on the New York Knicks at the Hershey Sports Arena in Hershey, Pa.. The 7-foot-1, 275-pound center shot 36-for-63 from the field and an incredible 28-for-32 from the free throw line. Being that he was a lifetime 51% free throw shooter, this was amazing.
Up until that time, the most points he had ever scored in an NBA was a 79 point game. Since then, only one other person has even sniffed at that record. On January 22nd, 2006, Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakes scored 81 points against the Toronto Raptors. Tracy McGrady, who scored 62 points for the Orlando Magic in a 2004 game, has a difficult time seeing a player score 100. “Not the way the game is played nowadays,” he says. “It’s just hard for me to see anyone even scoring 80 again. You don’t even see 50 no more.”
When WIlt Retired, the official record books had him holding 128 different NBA records. As of last year, 98 of those records still stood, and that’s 39 years after he had retired. Because of all this, it is very hard to argue against Wilt Chamberlain being greatest NBA player of all time. He does have one record that will NEVER be broken!
On October 12, 1999, rescuers found him dead upon being summoned to his Bel Air, California, home. His agent reported, after speaking with Chamberlain’s cardiologist, that Chamberlain died of congestive heart failure.
“I couldn’t have come close without my teammates’ help because the Knicks didn’t want me to make 100.” – Wilt Chamberlain
50 years ago today Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points in a Warriors victory over the Knicks. We look back here: http://t.co/ydfaunsh
Over course of Wilt Chamberlain’s career only 2 players could score 100 points combined in back-to-back games (Elgin Baylor, Rick Barry).
The thing I’m most amazed about Wilt Chamberlain is that he didn’t have any kids!!!!