William C. (Bill) Bridges (April 4, 1939 – September 25, 2015) was an American

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...

player who earned an

NBA The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United St ...

championship and multiple

NBA All-Star The National Basketball Association (NBA) All-Star Game is an annual exhibition basketball game. It is the main event of the NBA All-Star Weekend. Originally, the All-Star Game featured a conference-based format, featuring a team composed of al ...

honors.

Early years

Born on April 4, 1939, Bridges grew up in

Hobbs, New Mexico Hobbs is a city in Lea County, New Mexico, Lea County, New Mexico, United States. Its population was 40,508 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, increasing from 34,122 in 2010. Hobbs is the principal city of the Hobbs, New Mexico microp ...

. He attended

Hobbs High School Hobbs High School (HHS) is located in Hobbs, New Mexico, United States. It had a student population of about 1900 students as of 2017. In addition to Hobbs it serves Monument, Nadine, and North Hobbs. Ralph Tasker coached basketball at HHS ...

and played for the Hobbs Eagles and legendary high school basketball coach Ralph Tasker. Bridges led

to New Mexico state high school basketball championships in 1956 and 1957.

College career

Bridges enrolled at the

University of Kansas The University of Kansas (KU) is a public research university with its main campus in Lawrence, Kansas, United States, and several satellite campuses, research and educational centers, medical centers, and classes across the state of Kansas. Tw ...

for the 1957-1958 school year as a non-scholarship “walk-on". With freshmen ineligible for varsity competition until 1972, Bridges competed effectively in practice sessions during his ‘redshirt’ season against fellow Jayhawk

Wilt Chamberlain Wilton Norman Chamberlain (; August 21, 1936 – October 12, 1999) was an American professional basketball player who played as a Center (basketball), center. Standing at tall, he played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for 14 yea ...

who was playing his second and final season at Kansas. Bridges' performance in practices in the 1957-1958 season earned him a scholarship for his remaining three years. During his subsequent three seasons of competition 1958-1959, 1959-1960, and 1960-1961 for the

Kansas Jayhawks The Kansas Jayhawks, commonly referred to as simply KU or Kansas, are the athletic teams that represent the University of Kansas. KU is one of three schools in the state of Kansas that participate in NCAA Division I. The Jayhawks are also a mem ...

, Bridges averaged 13.2 points and 13.9 rebounds per game. Bridges was chosen All- Big Eight all three seasons, and was an honorable mention All-American in 1961.

Professional playing career

After graduation from Kansas in 1961, Bridges was drafted by the Chicago Packers (currently Washington Wizards) with the 32nd pick in the 3rd round of the

1961 NBA Draft The 1961 NBA draft was the 15th annual draft of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The draft was held on March 27, 1961, before the 1961–62 season. In this draft, nine NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball playe ...

. Instead of signing with the Packers, Bridges played for the

Kansas City Steers The Kansas City Steers were an American basketball team based in Kansas City, Missouri from 1961 to 1963. They were a member of the American Basketball League History The American Basketball League played one full season, 1961–1962, an ...

of the American Basketball League prior to entering the NBA. Bridges led the ABL in rebounding during both seasons he played for the Steers and led the league in scoring during his second season. He set the ABL single-game scoring record with 55 points on December 9, 1962. The league folded at the end of 1962, and the Steers were declared ABL champions. Bridges then entered the

National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United S ...

and spent 13 seasons (1962–1975) as a member of the St. Louis/Atlanta Hawks,

Philadelphia 76ers The Philadelphia 76ers, colloquially known as the Sixers, are an American professional basketball team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The 76ers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eas ...

Los Angeles Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...

, and

Golden State Warriors The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. Founded in 194 ...

. Bridges won an

championship with the

1975 It was also declared the ''International Women's Year'' by the United Nations and the European Architectural Heritage Year by the Council of Europe. Events January * January 1 - Watergate scandal (United States): John N. Mitchell, H. R. ...

and was elected to three NBA All-Star teams in

1967 Events January * January 1 – Canada begins a year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of Confederation, featuring the Expo 67 World's Fair. * January 5 ** Spain and Romania sign an agreement in Paris, establishing full consular and ...

1968 The year was highlighted by protests and other unrests that occurred worldwide. Events January–February * January 5 – "Prague Spring": Alexander Dubček is chosen as leader of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia. * Januar ...

, and

1970 Events January * January 1 – Unix time epoch reached at 00:00:00 UTC. * January 5 – The 7.1 Tonghai earthquake shakes Tonghai County, Yunnan province, China, with a maximum Mercalli intensity scale, Mercalli intensity of X (''Extrem ...

. Though undersized at 6’6” for his position as a

power forward The power forward (PF), also known as the four, is one of the five traditional Basketball positions, positions in a regulation basketball game. Traditionally, power forwards have played a role similar to center (basketball), centers. When on Of ...

, Bridges was an elite rebounder and averaged a

double-double In basketball, a double-double is a single-game performance in which a player accumulates ten or more in two of the following five statistical categories: points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocked shots. The first "double" in the term ...

(11.9 points, 11.9 rebounds) over the course of his

career. Bridges’ 11,054 career rebounds is ranked 30th in the history of the

. Bridges is one of four players (

Bill Russell William Felton Russell (February 12, 1934 – July 31, 2022) was an American professional basketball player who played as a center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1956 to 1969. A five-time NBA Most V ...

, and

Willis Reed Willis Reed Jr. (born June 25, 1942) is an American retired basketball player, coach and general manager. He spent his entire professional playing career (1964–1974) with the New York Knicks. In 1982, Reed was inducted into the Naismith Memo ...

were the others) to record more than 35 rebounds in an NBA playoff game. Bridges, then playing for the

Atlanta Hawks The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta. The Hawks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern Conference Southeast Division (NBA), Sou ...

, tallied 36 rebounds in Game 2 of the 1971 Eastern Conference Semifinals versus the

New York Knicks The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the National Basketball Associat ...

. Bridges' league-leading 366 personal fouls during the 1967–68 season was, at the time, an

record.

Post-playing career

After retirement from the

in 1975, Bridges became an environmental consultant based in

Santa Monica, California Santa Monica (; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast (California), South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 United Sta ...

. Bridges died in

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

at the age of 76 following a battle with cancer.

NBA career statistics

Regular season

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St. Louis St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...

, 27 , , , , 13.9 , , .413 , , , , .627 , , 5.3 , , 0.9 , , , , , , 6.1 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 80 , , , , 24.4 , , .397 , , , , .652 , , 8.5 , , 2.3 , , , , , , 8.5 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 79 , , , , 29.9 , , .386 , , , , .676 , , 10.8 , , 2.4 , , , , , , 11.5 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 78 , , , , 34.3 , , .407 , , , , .706 , , 12.2 , , 2.7 , , , , , , 13.0 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 79 , , , , 39.6 , , .455 , , , , .702 , , 15.1 , , 2.8 , , , , , , 17.4 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 82 , , , , 39.0 , , .462 , , , , .717 , , 13.4 , , 3.1 , , , , , , 15.6 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

, 80 , , , , 36.6 , , .453 , , , , .677 , , 14.2 , , 3.7 , , , , , , 11.8 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 82 , , , , 39.9 , , .475 , , , , .734 , , 14.4 , , 4.2 , , , , , , 14.8 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 82 , , , , 38.3 , , .458 , , , , .639 , , 15.0 , , 2.9 , , , , , , 11.9 , - , style="text-align:left;"", , style="text-align:left;",

, 14 , , , , 39.0 , , .381 , , , , .705 , , 13.6 , , 2.9 , , , , , , 9.5 , - , style="text-align:left;"", , style="text-align:left;",

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

, 64 , , , , 34.5 , , .509 , , , , .702 , , 13.5 , , 2.5 , , , , , , 13.2 , - , style="text-align:left;"", , style="text-align:left;",

, 10 , , , , 37.6 , , .376 , , , , .708 , , 12.2 , , 2.3 , , , , , , 14.0 , - , style="text-align:left;"", , style="text-align:left;",

L.A. Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...

, 72 , , , , 34.6 , , .479 , , , , .700 , , 10.9 , , 2.7 , , , , , , 9.8 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 65 , , , , 27.9 , , .421 , , , , .707 , , 7.7 , , 3.9 , , 0.9 , , 0.5 , , 8.4 , - , style="text-align:left;"", , style="text-align:left;",

, 17 , , , , 18.1 , , .351 , , , , .533 , , 5.5 , , 1.0 , , 0.4 , , 0.2 , , 3.3 , - , style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;", , style="text-align:left;", Golden State , 15 , , , , 7.2 , , .417 , , , , .250 , , 2.7 , , 0.3 , , 0.3 , , 0.0 , , 2.1 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 926 , , , , 33.3 , , .442 , , , , .693 , , 11.9 , , 2.8 , , 0.7 , , 0.4 , , 11.9 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", All-Star , 3 , , 0 , , 17.7 , , .813 , , , , .182 , , 7.4 , , 2.0 , , , , , , 9.3

Playoffs

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1963 Events January * January 1 – Bogle–Chandler case: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation scientist Dr. Gilbert Bogle and Mrs. Margaret Chandler are found dead (presumed poisoned), in bushland near the Lane Cov ...

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, 11 , , , , 18.5 , , .427 , , , , .741 , , 7.8 , , 0.8 , , , , , , 9.3 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1964 Events January * January 1 – The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved. * January 5 - In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches since the fifteenth century, Pope Paul VI and Patriarch ...

, style="text-align:left;",

, 12 , , , , 20.0 , , .313 , , , , .632 , , 7.0 , , 2.0 , , , , , , 5.3 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1965 Events January–February * January 14 – The Prime Minister of Northern Ireland and the Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland meet for the first time in 43 years. * January 20 ** Lyndon B. Johnson is Second inauguration of Lyndo ...

, style="text-align:left;",

, 4 , , , , 36.3 , , .356 , , , , .667 , , 16.8 , , 2.3 , , , , , , 13.0 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1966 Events January * January 1 – In a coup, Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa takes over as military ruler of the Central African Republic, ousting President David Dacko. * January 3 – 1966 Upper Voltan coup d'état: President Maurice Yaméogo i ...

, style="text-align:left;",

, 10 , , , , 42.1 , , .506 , , , , .721 , , 14.9 , , 2.8 , , , , , , 20.3 , - , style="text-align:left;",

, style="text-align:left;",

, 9 , , , , 41.0 , , .375 , , , , .672 , , 18.8 , , 2.4 , , , , , , 15.7 , - , style="text-align:left;",

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, 6 , , , , 36.0 , , .507 , , , , .720 , , 12.8 , , 2.3 , , , , , , 15.7 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1969 This year is notable for Apollo 11's first landing on the moon. Events January * January 4 – The Government of Spain hands over Ifni to Morocco. * January 5 **Ariana Afghan Airlines Flight 701 crashes into a house on its approach to ...

, style="text-align:left;",

, 11 , , , , 40.2 , , .442 , , , , .708 , , 16.4 , , 3.4 , , , , , , 15.6 , - , style="text-align:left;",

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, 9 , , , , 42.3 , , .400 , , , , .593 , , 17.1 , , 3.2 , , , , , , 11.6 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1971 * The year 1971 had three partial solar eclipses ( February 25, July 22 and August 20) and two total lunar eclipses (February 10, and August 6). The world population increased by 2.1% this year, the highest increase in history. Events Ja ...

, style="text-align:left;",

, 5 , , , , 45.8 , , .397 , , , , .333 , , 20.8 , , 1.0 , , , , , , 9.8 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1973 Events January * January 1 - The United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Denmark enter the European Economic Community, which later becomes the European Union. * January 15 – Vietnam War: Citing progress in peace negotiations, U.S. ...

, style="text-align:left;",

, 17 , , , , 34.2 , , .419 , , , , .776 , , 9.3 , , 1.7 , , , , , , 8.9 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1974 Major events in 1974 include the aftermath of the 1973 oil crisis and the resignation of United States President Richard Nixon following the Watergate scandal. In the Middle East, the aftermath of the 1973 Yom Kippur War determined politics; f ...

, style="text-align:left;",

, 5 , , , , 28.8 , , .293 , , , , .492 , , 6.0 , , 1.2 , , 1.4 , , 0.0 , , 6.0 , - , style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;",

, style="text-align:left;", Golden State , 14 , , , , 10.6 , , .435 , , , , .286 , , 3.5 , , 0.5 , , 0.6 , , 0.3 , , 1.6 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 113 , , , , 31.2 , , .419 , , , , .673 , , 11.5 , , 1.9 , , 0.8 , , 0.2 , , 10.5

Awards

Starting in 1962, in what Bridges called his greatest honor, the

basketball program named its yearly post-season individual rebounding award the “Bill Bridges Rebounding Award". In 2002, at a ceremony during a game at Allen Field House, Bridges was honored as the first Jayhawk to record 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in a career. In 2004, the

retired Bridges' jersey at a ceremony in Allen Field House. In 2014, Bridges was inducted into the New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame. In 2016, Bridges was inducted into the

Kansas Sports Hall of Fame The Kansas Sports Hall of Fame is a museum located in Wichita, dedicated to preserving the history of sports in the state of Kansas. The museum provides exhibits, archives, facilities, services, and activities to honor those individuals and te ...

References

External links

Career stats
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bridges, Bill 1939 births 2015 deaths African-American basketball players American men's basketball players Atlanta Hawks players Basketball players from New Mexico Chicago Packers draft picks Golden State Warriors players Hobbs High School alumni Kansas City Steers players Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball players Los Angeles Lakers players National Basketball Association All-Stars People from Hobbs, New Mexico Philadelphia 76ers players Power forwards (basketball) St. Louis Hawks players 20th-century African-American sportspeople 21st-century African-American people Deaths from cancer in California

Early years

College career

Professional playing career

Post-playing career

NBA career statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

Awards

See also

References

External links