Anyone that is a die-hard basketball fan would be hard-pressed to not recognize the name Wilt Chamberlain. They might know him by his well-known nickname “The Stilt” more than anything else though. Wilt Chamberlain’s full name was Wilton Norman Chamberlain. Wilt is simply short for Wilton as many people already know. Chamberlain was known as “The Stilt” for the simple fact that he was 7 feet 1 inch tall. Many people would have to walk on stilts or be standing on a chair/ladder to actually be eye-to-eye with Chamberlain.
Chamberlain is well-known for having played for the World Famous Harlem Globetrotters before joining the NBA. He is most well known for having played for the Los Angeles Lakers/L.A. Lakers; however he also played for the Philadelphia 76ers as well as the (Philadelphia)/currently San Francisco Warriors. Many people that were fans might not realize that this gentle giant was only 250 pounds when he plated for the Globetrotters. He eventually gained over 50 pounds so that he had more balance to compliment his 7 ft 1 in height. This made it a bit easier for him to play for whatever reason. The thing that Chamberlain was always known for was his phenomenal playing ability and skills.
Chamberlain was chosen by the then-Philadelphia Warriors in 1959 and played professionally from 1959 until 1973. It is true that there are many players that are as well known as Chamberlain was, yet many cannot compare with Wilt “The Stilt” in the eyes of the fans for many reasons. He is the most well known for the time that he spent with two particular teams: the Lakers and the Globetrotters. Sadly though, Wilt Chamberlain passed away on 12 October 1999 at the age of 63 due to congestive heart failure. It had been well known from 1992 on till his death that he had heart trouble.
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