Still larger than life

Jet, July 19, 2004

STILL LARGER THAN LIFE: A memorial sculpture that depicts one of Philadelphia's greatest sports heroes, the late Wilt "the Stilt" Chamberlain, is shown after its unveiling in Philly. The 18-foot, 7,000-pound statue is cast in bronze and is the first statue to stand outside the Wachovia Center. At its base, a plaque contains the quote: "The worth of a man is measured by the size of his heart." During his 14-year-basketball career, Chamberlain is recalled as a larger-than-life presence who set some records that may stand forever.

As one of the most awesome offensive forces to ever play in the NBA, Chamberlain was named as one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history in 1996. The 7-foot-1 towering figure was on two NBA championship teams, the 1967 Philadelphia 76ers and the 1972 Los Angeles Lakers. He was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 1978. Chamberlain died in 1999 of heart failure at the age of 63 at his Los Angeles home (JET, Nov. 1, 1999).