Wilt Had Russell Up High on His List

Wilt Chamberlain died five years ago today. Bill Russell was among those at Chamberlain’s memorial service, and recently told the New York Post this story:

“One of his nephews walked up to me and said, ‘Mr. Russell, I want to tell you something you might want to know. I was clearing out my uncle’s desk, and he had a pad up there of people to call the day he died. Your name was second on the list.’ ”

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High praise: Russell, talking about Chamberlain, told the Post, “He was far and away the best offensive player to play any game. He was more prolific as an offensive player than Babe Ruth or Hank Aaron or Barry Bonds were at baseball, or some big hockey players. He played good defense too, but he was the most dominant offensive player in any sport in this country.”

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Trivia time: Florida Marlin outfielder Juan Pierre was the only major league player to do what this season?

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More high praise: Aaron, interviewed recently by James Brown on Sporting News radio, had this to say about Bonds:

“I think that he is the greatest hitter, the greatest athlete, the greatest ballplayer that has ever played the game. Bar none.

“They try to compare Babe Ruth. There is no comparison.... Barry is the greatest hitter of all time, period.”

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Less pain: Phil Simms and CBS partner Jim Nantz were in Indianapolis to announce Sunday’s Colt-Oakland Raider game. The last time Simms was in Indianapolis for a Raider-Colt game, in 2000 when Greg Gumbel was his partner, Simms had to have an emergency appendectomy the day before the game.

On Sunday, Gumbel, now the host of “The NFL Today,” told Simms, “I wish you a better weekend.”

Replied Simms: “Good memories, Greg. I had to watch the game from a hospital bed. And you were pretty good that day.”

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Good point: Nebraska was penalized for having 12 players on the field while trailing Texas Tech, 63-10, on Saturday. Said TBS announcer Ron Thulin: “I disagree with that. You allow 63 points, you should get another player.”

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‘Punch’ line: Regarding Sean Salisbury’s serving as Adam Sandler’s coach for his role as a quarterback in the remake of “The Longest Yard,” reader Bill Littlejohn says, “Salisbury would be more appropriate as a coach for Sandler in ‘Punch Drunk Love.’ ”

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Looking back: On this day in 1940, Tennessee recorded its 17th consecutive regular-season shutout, 53-0 over Tennessee Chattanooga. The record streak started on Nov. 5, 1938, also against Tennessee Chattanooga.

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Trivia answer: Pierre played in every inning.

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And finally: Oklahoma defeated Texas for a fifth consecutive time by shutting out the Longhorns on Saturday, 12-0. Now the folks in Oklahoma have even more to gloat about. Wrote Berry Tramel of the Daily Oklahoman: “Texas has Six Flags. Oklahoma has seven national championships.”

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Larry Stewart can be reached at larry.stewart@latimes.com.