Bill Green (basketball)
Encyclopedia
William E. "Bill" Green (December 8, 1940 – March 15, 1994) was an American college basketball standout who played for Colorado State University
(CSU) between 1960–61 and 1962–63. A , 230 lb center
, Green was CSU's first-ever NCAA All-American
when he was named to the consensus second team
in 1963. He led the Rams
in both scoring and rebounding for all three seasons and remains etched in the school's record book for both categories. He scored 1,682 points and grabbed 726 rebounds which remain second- and fifth-all time, respectively, through the 2009–10 season
. Six of the top 13 single game scoring records belong to Green including the top two: 48 points versus Denver and 44 against Regis
. Every season that Green suited up for CSU they qualified for a postseason tournament. In his sophomore
and junior
years, the Rams earned berths into the National Invitation Tournament
. They reached the quarterfinals and first round, respectively. During his senior
year, the Rams lost in the first round of the 1963 NCAA Tournament
to Oklahoma City, 70–67. For his three-year career, Green averaged 22.1 points and 9.6 rebounds per game.
selected him in the first round (8th overall) of the 1963 NBA Draft
. It was a foregone conclusion that he would play a professional sport, as Green was also drafted by the Boston Red Sox
of Major League Baseball
(MLB) and the Dallas Cowboys
of the National Football League
(NFL) that year. Green ultimately never played any sport professionally due to an ever-increasing fear of flying. The fear had emerged gradually throughout his college career, and after a rough flight back to CSU from Utah
during his senior year he realized how terrified he really was of flying.
The Celtics had tried to convince Green to work through his fear during the 1963–64 preseason. Professional help did not work, and Hall of Fame coach Red Auerbach
allowed him to take a train out to St. Louis, Missouri
for a preseason game on the condition that Green flew back. When it came time to go home, he could not step on the plane. Green later said, "The fear just built to the point where I couldn't take it anymore. I made up my mind: I wouldn't do it. Auerbach told me to go work on it [the fear] and come back later." Green quit the Celtics right before the regular season began and never returned to attempt professional basketball (or any other professional sport), knowing that in order to play he would have to get over his fear of flying, which was something he could not do.
from Brooklyn College
. He taught in several New York City
public schools afterward, and then in 1971 became the principal
of Jordan L. Mott School in the South Bronx
. The school, an extremely dangerous and under-performing one, greatly turned around with Green's direction. He enacted stringent rules that made students earn certain grades and reach specified numbers of "class points" to be able to even attend the school's basketball games, let alone play in them. Green also created an atmosphere of intellectual competition whereby different classes within each grade would compete against one another—literally sitting desk-to-desk—and earn points for their class based on the outcomes. He would then post the school's weekly updated class and grade rankings in the hallways, which the students would intently follow. His methods, although unconventional, worked, and even though Jordan L. Mott School was pulling its students from two of the poorest performing elementary schools in New York City, most students were in the top 11% of all city public schools in terms of their reading level by the time they left Mott (after 8th grade). He had earned myriad awards honoring his school's success.
Bill Green died on March 15, 1994, at age 53.
Colorado State University
Colorado State University is a public research university located in Fort Collins, Colorado. The university is the state's land grant university, and the flagship university of the Colorado State University System.The enrollment is approximately 29,932 students, including resident and...
(CSU) between 1960–61 and 1962–63. A , 230 lb center
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
, Green was CSU's first-ever NCAA All-American
NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans
The NCAA Men's Basketball All-American teams are honorary teams made up of those NCAA basketball players voted the best in the country by a variety of organizations.-History:...
when he was named to the consensus second team
1963 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans
The Consensus 1963 College Basketball All-American team, as determined by aggregating the results of five major All-American teams. To earn "consensus" status, a player must win honors from a majority of the following teams: the Associated Press, the USBWA, The United Press International, the...
in 1963. He led the Rams
Colorado State Rams men's basketball
The Colorado State Rams men's basketball team represents Colorado State University, located in Fort Collins, Colorado, in NCAA Division I basketball competition. They play their home games at the Moby Arena and are members of the Mountain West Conference. Their current head coach is Tim Miles.-NCAA...
in both scoring and rebounding for all three seasons and remains etched in the school's record book for both categories. He scored 1,682 points and grabbed 726 rebounds which remain second- and fifth-all time, respectively, through the 2009–10 season
2009–10 NCAA Division I men's basketball season
The 2009–10 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 9, 2009, and ended with the 2010 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament's championship game on April 5, 2010 on the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The opening round occurred on Tuesday, March 16, 2010, followed by first...
. Six of the top 13 single game scoring records belong to Green including the top two: 48 points versus Denver and 44 against Regis
Regis University
Regis University is a private, co-educational Roman Catholic, Jesuit university in the United States. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1877, it is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities...
. Every season that Green suited up for CSU they qualified for a postseason tournament. In his sophomore
Sophomore
Sophomore is a term used in the United States to describe a student in the second year of study at high school or university.The word is also used as a synonym for "second", for the second album or EP released by a musician or group, the second movie of a director, or the second season of a...
and junior
Junior (education)
"Junior" is a term used in the United States to describe a student in their 3rd year of study . A Junior is considered an upperclassman...
years, the Rams earned berths into the National Invitation Tournament
National Invitation Tournament
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
. They reached the quarterfinals and first round, respectively. During his senior
Senior (education)
Senior is a term used in the United States to describe a student in the 4th year of study .-High school:...
year, the Rams lost in the first round of the 1963 NCAA Tournament
1963 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1963 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 25 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball in the United States. It began on March 9, 1963, and ended with the championship game on March 23 in Louisville,...
to Oklahoma City, 70–67. For his three-year career, Green averaged 22.1 points and 9.6 rebounds per game.
Fear of flying
After Green's collegiate career ended and he graduated from CSU in the spring of 1963, the Boston CelticsBoston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
selected him in the first round (8th overall) of the 1963 NBA Draft
1963 NBA Draft
The 1963 NBA Draft was the 17th annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on April 30, 1963 before the 1963–64 season. In this draft, nine NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players. A player who had finished his four-year college...
. It was a foregone conclusion that he would play a professional sport, as Green was also drafted by the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
of Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
(MLB) and the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL) that year. Green ultimately never played any sport professionally due to an ever-increasing fear of flying. The fear had emerged gradually throughout his college career, and after a rough flight back to CSU from Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
during his senior year he realized how terrified he really was of flying.
The Celtics had tried to convince Green to work through his fear during the 1963–64 preseason. Professional help did not work, and Hall of Fame coach Red Auerbach
Red Auerbach
Arnold Jacob "Red" Auerbach was an American basketball coach of the Washington Capitols, the Tri-Cities Blackhawks and the Boston Celtics. After he retired from coaching, he served as president and front office executive of the Celtics until his death...
allowed him to take a train out to St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
for a preseason game on the condition that Green flew back. When it came time to go home, he could not step on the plane. Green later said, "The fear just built to the point where I couldn't take it anymore. I made up my mind: I wouldn't do it. Auerbach told me to go work on it [the fear] and come back later." Green quit the Celtics right before the regular season began and never returned to attempt professional basketball (or any other professional sport), knowing that in order to play he would have to get over his fear of flying, which was something he could not do.
Later life
Realizing that any future as a professional athlete was out of the question, Green earned a master's degreeMaster's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
from Brooklyn College
Brooklyn College
Brooklyn College is a senior college of the City University of New York, located in Brooklyn, New York, United States.Established in 1930 by the New York City Board of Higher Education, the College had its beginnings as the Downtown Brooklyn branches of Hunter College and the City College of New...
. He taught in several New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
public schools afterward, and then in 1971 became the principal
Head teacher
A head teacher or school principal is the most senior teacher, leader and manager of a school....
of Jordan L. Mott School in the South Bronx
South Bronx
The South Bronx is an area of the New York City borough of The Bronx. The neighborhoods of Tremont, University Heights, Highbridge, Morrisania, Soundview, Hunts Point, and Castle Hill are sometimes considered part of the South Bronx....
. The school, an extremely dangerous and under-performing one, greatly turned around with Green's direction. He enacted stringent rules that made students earn certain grades and reach specified numbers of "class points" to be able to even attend the school's basketball games, let alone play in them. Green also created an atmosphere of intellectual competition whereby different classes within each grade would compete against one another—literally sitting desk-to-desk—and earn points for their class based on the outcomes. He would then post the school's weekly updated class and grade rankings in the hallways, which the students would intently follow. His methods, although unconventional, worked, and even though Jordan L. Mott School was pulling its students from two of the poorest performing elementary schools in New York City, most students were in the top 11% of all city public schools in terms of their reading level by the time they left Mott (after 8th grade). He had earned myriad awards honoring his school's success.
Bill Green died on March 15, 1994, at age 53.