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Bill Russell

[[image of Bill Russell]]

BASKETBALL

COMMISSIONER: Dallas Price, David Price

SITE: The Forum Inglewood

VENUE: One of the world's most beautiful basketball arenas, The Forum is located in Inglewood and is home to the Los Angeles Lakers professional basketball team. Seating capacity is 17,505. The rental agreement was signed on 30 April 1980.

Groundbreaking was held 1 July 1966, and only 16 months later, the Forum opened. The first event, an ice hockey game, was held on 30 December 1967. The Forum's basketball opener was held on 31 December 1967.

The Forum has played host to the National Basketball Association Professional Basketball Championships some six times since opening, with the home team Lakers winning three times (1972, 1980 and 1982).

The facility was visited by Boris Stankovic, Secretary-General of the International Federation for Basketball (FIBA) on 31 March 1981. His comment: "We are very honored to have the basketball tournament in a place such as The Forum."

Co-Commissioners of Basketball are David and Dallas Price. David played basketball at the Unversity of Southern California and later graduated from the UCLA School of Law. He was in the U.S. Navy from 1954-57 as a pilot, and today owns a Steerman biplane and Cessna 210. He is owner of California Golf Tennis, which owns, manages and leases public and private golf courses and tennis courts. A karate enthusiast, he holds an orange belt. His wife, Dallas, is an outstanding athlete in her own right, and a former California State champion in a women's paddle tennis doubles. She also maintains a pilot's license and is an avid supporter of Outward Bound, a wilderness exploration group.

SEATING CAPACITY COMPARISON: 1972—Bsketballhalle, 5,500; 1976—Form, 16,000; 1980—Olympiiski Indoor Stadium, 18,000; 1984—The Forum, 17,505.

DISTANCES: From USC to the Forum—10mi/16km. From USC to the Forum—13mi/21km. From the Press Center to the Forum—9mi/14km.

[[Image of the 1956 U.S. Olympic Basketball Team]]

1956 Olympic Team—Melbourne, Australia—Back Row, L-R: Jim coogan, Manager; Maj. Ralph Johnson, Ass't. Manager; Lou Wilke, Olympic Committee; Bill Houghland, Kansas; Chuck Darling, Iowa; Wally Bock, Trainer; Bill Russell, San Francisco; Dick Boushka, St. Louis; Burdle Haldorson, Colorado; Jim Walsh, Stanford; Gerald Tucker, Couch; Front Row, L-R: Ron Tomsic, Stanford; Bill Evans, Kentucky; K.C. Johnes, San Francisco; Carl Cain, Iowa; Gib Ford, Texas; Bob Jeangerard, U—Colorado.

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