Yvonne Crittenden is married to Oscar Robertson, a retired professional basketball player. He broke the assists record by Bob Cousy, who had recorded 715 assists two seasons earlier, by logging 899, and joined Johnny Green and Elgin Baylor as the only players in NBA history with the height of 6'5 or smaller to have grabbed 900+ rebounds in a season. Oscar Robertson. Robertson, too poor to own a basketball as a child, signed for $33,000 per year. [33] The initiative sought exclusive grow rights for the group members while prohibiting all other cultivation except small amounts for personal use. In 1994, a nine-foot bronze statue of Robertson was erected outside the Fifth Third Arena at Shoemaker Center, the current home of Cincinnati Bearcats basketball. Throughout the decade Robertson averaged at least 25 points, 6 rebounds and 8 assists. In the 196970 season, the sixth disappointing season in a row, fan support was waning. But it was hap-, those are happy days. ", Oscar Robertson and wife Yvonne Crittenden at Tony La Russa's 2nd annual Leaders & Legends gala for Animal Rescue Foundation on November 22, 2013 | Photo: Getty Images. This article was created by a combination of a few writers and editors from Sporty Tell. He led the league in assists six times and in free throw percentage twice. [2] Robertson himself stated that the main reason was that clubs basically owned their players: players were forbidden to talk to other clubs once their contract was up, because free agency did not exist until 1988. 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. Robertson led the NBA in free-throw percentage, scored a career-high 31.4 points per game, and averaged 9.9 rebounds and 11.0 assists per game. Oscar Robertson | Biography & Statistics | Britannica In 1970, much to everyone's surprise, Oscar Robertson was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks. The story of Oscar Robertson is one of a shy black child growing up in a city so segregated that, until he is ten years old, his only exposure to white people is the distant memory of two. Associated With He played alongside Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - then named Lew Alcindor - on the 1971 NBA Champion Milwaukee Bucks. Just how good was he? [41] In 2017, it was announced that a life-sized bronze sculpture of Robertson would be featured alongside other Indiana sports stars at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis' Old National Bank Sports Legends Avenue of Champions, located in the museum's sports park opening in 2018. If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. His third season in the NBA, the 1963/64 season, saw him claim the league MVP, the only player to win it aside Wilt Chamberlian and Bill Russell in the 1960s. He remained the only player to do so for more than 50 years until Russell Westbrook matched his feat in 2016-17. Research genealogy for Oscar Robertson of Oklahoma, as well as other members of the Robertson family, on Ancestry. 2022-23 Panini Prizm Draft Oscar Robertson Stained Glass SSP Cincinnati Bearcats. The couple got married in Cincinnati, Ohio. ROBERTSON, Oscar Palmer (b. He was the second highest ranked point guard on the list again behind only Johnson. This is why you don't see just one author for this article. Early Oscar Robertson highlights. Many observers believed it was Cousys jealousy of Robertson that led to the trade. Yvonne Crittenden: Fact About Oscar Robertson's Wife Robertson had what for him was a typical late-career season: Playing every game but one, he tallied 19.4 points, 8.2 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per contest. And it took Chamberlains prodigious point totals to keep Robertson from winning a scoring title. In 1961-62, the season he averaged a triple-double, Robertson led the Royals to the first of six straight trips to the playoffs. [2] As a testament to Robertson's importance to the Bucks, in the season following his retirement the Bucks fell to last place in their division with a 3844 record in spite of the continued presence of Abdul-Jabbar.[26]. Unlike many other boys who preferred baseball, the NBA star was drawn to basketball, which he saw as "a poor kids' game." But drafted players won the right to snub their prospective employers for a year and reenter the draft. 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. 1938, in Charlotte, Tenn., he moved with his family to the "Dust Bowl" slum of . 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). This honor brought the award full circle for Robertson, as he had won the first two awards ever presented. about - Oscar Robertson Seller assumes all responsibility for this listing. In 2006, the statue was relocated to the entrance of the Richard E. Lindner Athletics Center at the University of Cincinnati. With Twyman continuing to put up big numbers, Cincinnati battled past the Syracuse Nationals in the division semifinals. After their championship game wins, the team was paraded through town in a regular tradition, but they were then taken to a park outside downtown to continue their celebration, unlike other teams. With Alcindor in the low post and Robertson running the backcourt, the Bucks charged to a league-best 6616 record, including a then-record 20-game win streak, a dominating 122 record in the 1971 NBA playoffs, and crowned their season with the NBA title by sweeping the Baltimore Bullets 40 in the 1971 NBA Finals. 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). [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. Oscar Robertson | Cincinnati Royals | NBA.com Oscar Robertson: College basketball stats, best moments, quotes He has just a few children, all of whom bear his family. Ahead of the 1971 season, Robertson was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks. Most Popular #23600 84 Year Old First Name Oscar November 24 Basketball Player Born in 1938, Robertson grew up dirt-poor in a segregated housing project in Indianapolis. Omissions? > Archive 75: Oscar Robertson| 75 Stories: Oscar Robertson. Oscar Robertson's Lawsuit Against the NBA Changed the Way Players Get Paid Robertson was the first selection of the 1960 NBA draft and earned Rookie of the Year honours that season with the Cincinnati Royals. Regarding basketball, Robertson has stated that legendary Harlem Globetrotters players Marques Haynes and "clown prince" Goose Tatum were his idols. AmoMama creates engaging, meaningful content for women. He is a member of famous Producer with the age 84 years old group. There is no more complete player than Oscar.. To help attract the public, 41-year-old head coach Bob Cousy made a short comeback as a player. Magic was only one year old when Robertson made his NBA debut. The Royals gave Robertson a $33,000 signing bonus. Check out some rarely seen Oscar Robertson highlights with the Royals! 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. Robertson was born into poverty in Charlotte, Tennessee. Heaviest Sumo Wrestler List, 25 Best 80s Tennis Players. He was able to use his size to gain position for scoring and rebounding. 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. He lists woodworking as his prime hobby. Basketball, Team, School. Exhibition Label. Unlike many other boys who preferred baseball, the NBA star was drawn to basketball, which he saw as "a poor kids' game. Aromando, Damian; Robertson, Oscar (2000). "Big O" got to play with an all-star team of players, such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Despite the peril, he and his family faced, Oscar Robertson was attracted to sports. A Letter to My Bucks Family by Oscar Robertson - The Players' Tribune The case led to the amendment of the free agency and college draft clauses. [18] The Royals earned a berth to the 1962 NBA playoffs; however, they were eliminated in the first round by the Detroit Pistons. [2], On the hardwood, the veteran Robertson still proved he was a valuable player. 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. 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. Oscar Robertson Biography, Life, Interesting Facts Oscar Palmer Robertson (born Nov 24, 1938) is a retired professional basketball player from the United States, who played in the NBA between 1960 and 1974. The triple-double is just a stat. $6.00. Oscar Robertson was born in Charlotte, Tennessee, on November 24, 1938. The Robertson v. National Basketball Assn case delayed the merger of the ABA and NBA. Oscar Palmer Robertson - Genealogy Cincinnati had missed the playoffs two years in a row, and attendance was suffering. Oscar Robertson Highlights | 4K | Mr. Triple Double - YouTube His teams made the playoffs in 10 of his 14 years in the league. Free shipping for many products! In three seasons of collegiate basketball, he averaged 33.8 points per game and helped the Cincinnati Bearcats twice reach the Final Four of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) basketball tournament. On February 10, 1962, Robertson recorded 32 points, 21 rebounds, and 16 assists in a 134118 win over the Hawks. During the wedding ceremony, which occurred at the Carmel Presbyterian Church in front of family and friends, Oscar wore a black morning coat while Yvonne looked as beautiful as always. [1] The averages for his first five NBA seasons are a triple-double: 30.3 points, 10.4 rebounds and 10.6 assists per game. Oscar Robertson Birthday, Real Name, Age, Weight, Height, Family, Facts In those days, Southern university programs such as Kentucky, Duke, and North Carolina did not recruit black athletes, and road trips to segregated cities were especially difficult, with Robertson often sleeping in college dorms instead of hotels. As a sophomore Robertson scored 56 points in a tournament game at Madison Square Garden, and he scored 62 points in another contest. Oscar Robertson is known as one of the greatest basketball players of all time.A standout at the University of Cincinnati, he went on to become a star National Basketball Association (NBA) player for the Cincinnati Royals (now the Sacramento Kings) and the Milwaukee Bucks, and a co-captain of an Olympic team considered by some to be the . Robertson was trained by his high school coach, whose emphasis on a fundamentally sound game had a positive effect on the star's style of play. Oscar was named to the 35th NBA anniversary All-time team in 1980 and was crowned one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history in 1996. "ESPN Sports Century", 30-minute program on Oscar Robertson as one of the 20th Century's fifty greatest athletes, first aired 1999. Family Life He married Yvonne Crittenden in 1960, and they had two daughters together. His college career was marred by racism. 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). In August 2018, Robertson auctioned off his 1971 championship ring, Hall of Fame ring, and one of his Milwaukee Bucks game jerseys. 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. Shipwrecked by whales: The Robertson family survival story . In 2003, his autobiography The Big O: My Life, My Times, My Game was published. 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. This encouraged the signing of more free agents and eventually led to higher salaries for all players. His team won the NBA title in his first season there and dominated the entire season. Under new coach Jack McMahon, Robertson flourished. As Robertson was the president of the Players Association, the case bore his name. His family was of modest means, and he lived on a housing project in Indianapolis. [39] He has been an honorary spokesman for the National Kidney Foundation ever since. [38] These numbers are even more astonishing if it is taken into account that the three-point shot, which benefits sharpshooting backcourt players, did not exist when he played. Updates? The name of his father is Bailey Robertson and Oscar's mother's name is known to be Mazell Robertson. [15] On November 15, 1960, Robertson recorded a then-career-high of 44 points to go along with 15 rebounds and 11 assists in a 124115 win over the Philadelphia Warriors. The name Oscar Robertson has become a household name over the years. Grace, Kevin; Hand, Greg; Hathaway, Tom; Hoffman, Carey (1998). "To me, the top two are (Elgin) Baylor and Robertson. Robertson was also an integral part of Robertson v. National Basketball Ass'n of 1970. Blue Bloods Amy Carlson Is a Loving Wife to Husband Syd Butler for 17 Years & Doting Mom of 2 Kids, James MacArthur Called Wife of 25 Years Hard Boiled Yet Their Marriage Was Better than Anything', Anthony Hopkins Is Happily Married to 'Wonderful' Wife of 18 Years Who Loves Spending His Money, Paul Newmans 50-Year Marriage Started at the Expense of His Relationship with His 1st Wife, Billy Joel Is Happily Married to 4th Wife Who Is 33 Years His Junior & the Mom of His Youngest Kids, Jerry Mathers Wife Left Him for Another Man While a Doctor Warned He Could Have 3 to 5 Years Left to Live, Tiger Woods Was Married With 2 Children & Felt That He Alone Was to Blame After Reports of His Cheating, Coach Sees Students Drawings on Bus, Next Day Gives the Boy a Set of Markers in the Hospital - The Story of the Day, Adam Sandler Locked Eyes & Fell Deep for a Girl Serving Drinks in His Film - They Are Together for 24 Years. Oscar Robertson real name is Oscar Palmer Robertson. Biography facts, career and personal life of famous basketball players. His personal best may have been his line of 45 points, 23 rebounds, and 10 assists against Indiana State in 1959. It was also the first state championship won by an Indianapolis team in the Hoosier tournament. Furthermore, in 2006, ESPN named Robertson the second greatest point guard of all time, praising him as the best post-up guard of all time and placing him only behind Johnson. When he was approximately 18 months old, his parents moved to Indianapolis, Indiana, where he grew up in a segregated housing project. [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. . Full Name:Oscar Palmer Robertson Nickname:The Big O Date of Birth:November 24, 1938 Age:84 years old Place of Birth:Charlotte, Tennessee, USA Nationality:American Zodiac Sign:Sagittarius Height:6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) Weight: 93 kg (205 lb) Education High School:Crispus Attucks High School College:University of Cincinnati It was a feat that would not be repeated until Russell Westbrook managed to achieve it during the 201617 season. [5] In January 2011, Robertson joined a class action lawsuit against the NCAA, O'Bannon v. NCAA, challenging the organization's use of the images of its former student athletes. In his first NBA finals game, Robertson recorded 22 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists for the Bucks. Oscar Robertson Net Worth | Bio, Family, Address, Career [5] He was ranked as the 36th best American athlete of the 20th century by ESPN. In 2004, an 18" bronze statue of Robertson was sculpted by world-renowned sculptor Harry Weber. But city leaders were uneasy about how the teams celebration might take shape. Oscar Robertson is a well-recognized public figure with a global reputation. Oscar Robertson Biography, Facts, Childhood, Career, Life The Bucks also retired the No. Oscar Robertson Biography, Age, Height, Wife, Net Worth, Family First call Dandridge got after HOF news was from the 'Big O'. It's not rare for our writers and team members to collaborate and work together to create the articles you read on the site. For seven games, the former Celtics point guard partnered with Robertson in the Royals' backcourt, but they missed the playoffs. Breaking down the Golden State-Los Angeles matchup with 3 things to watch, 1 X-factor and a series prediction. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Donald Oscar Robertson. Henry Aaron Roberto Clemente Rube Foster Cito Gaston Josh Gibson Frank Robinson Willie Mays Satchel Paige Jackie Robinson Basketball Greats A lot of people are familiar with the old Negro Baseball Leagues, but less have heard about the African American basketball teams known as "the Black Fives", named after the starting five players.