Russell Ellington
Encyclopedia
Russell Ellington was an American basketball
coach. He compiled nearly 900 wins (a record of 894-212) in his lifetime at the college level coaching Savannah State College
, Savannah Tech
and Morris Brown College
. He also coached the world famous Harlem Globetrotters
for nine years. His titles as a coach include: Four state high school basketball championships; three Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
titles; two Region XVII Junior College championships and one NJCCA District 10 championship.
. He began working in cotton fields at age 5 to help his family, which included eight brothers and sisters. He left home for good by the age of 12, hitching a ride on a freight train to Savannah, Georgia
where his sister lived.
in Savannah, Georgia
in 1956. He was an academic All-American in football and in basketball at Morris Brown College
in Atlanta, Georgia
graduating with a bachelor's degree in biology, with a minor in chemistry, in 1960. He did further studies at University of Georgia and Georgia Southern University.
for two years before his career was interrupted because of injuries.
magazine national championship.
He currently holds the record for most wins by a men's basketball coach in Savannah State's history, producing winning records in the final eight of his nine seasons and winning three Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
regular season and tournament title during his tenure.
.
, in 1997.
Hall of Fame (1997). Ellington was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame on May 19, 2007.
He was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha
Fraternity, the Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum Board of Directors, the Board of Directors for the West Broad Street YMCA (Savannah, Georgia), the Georgia High School Sports Association, and the South Eastern Quarter Back Club.
Ellington died on September 1, 2007 from lung cancer
complications at St. Joseph's Hospital in Savannah
, aged 69.
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
coach. He compiled nearly 900 wins (a record of 894-212) in his lifetime at the college level coaching Savannah State College
Savannah State University
Savannah State University is a four-year, state-supported, historically black university located in Savannah, Georgia. Savannah State holds the distinction as the oldest public historically black university in Georgia...
, Savannah Tech
Savannah Technical College
Savannah Technical College, also known as Savannah Tech is a technical college located in Savannah, Georgia.-Academics:Savannah Technical College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and the Learning Enrichment Center is certified by the...
and Morris Brown College
Morris Brown College
Morris Brown College is a private, coed, liberal arts college located in the Vine City community of Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It is a historically black college affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal Church...
. He also coached the world famous Harlem Globetrotters
Harlem Globetrotters
The Harlem Globetrotters are an exhibition basketball team that combines athleticism, theater and comedy. The executive offices for the team are currently in downtown Phoenix, Arizona; the team is owned by Shamrock Holdings, which oversees the various investments of the Roy E. Disney family.Over...
for nine years. His titles as a coach include: Four state high school basketball championships; three Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is a College athletic conference consisting of historically black colleges and universities located in the southern United States. Formed in 1913, the SIAC is a member of the NCAA and participates in Division II athletics...
titles; two Region XVII Junior College championships and one NJCCA District 10 championship.
Early life
Ellington grew up in Wadley, GeorgiaWadley, Georgia
Wadley is a city in Jefferson County, Georgia, United States. The population was 2,088 at the 2000 census. The community was named for William Morill Wadley.-Geography:Wadley is located at ....
. He began working in cotton fields at age 5 to help his family, which included eight brothers and sisters. He left home for good by the age of 12, hitching a ride on a freight train to Savannah, Georgia
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
where his sister lived.
Education
Russell graduated from Beach High SchoolAlfred E. Beach High School
Alfred Ely Beach High School is one of the oldest public high schools located in Savannah, Georgia, USA.-History:In 1867, the Beach Institute was established by the Freedmen's Bureau with funds donated by Alfred Ely Beach, editor of Scientific American...
in Savannah, Georgia
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
in 1956. He was an academic All-American in football and in basketball at Morris Brown College
Morris Brown College
Morris Brown College is a private, coed, liberal arts college located in the Vine City community of Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It is a historically black college affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal Church...
in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
graduating with a bachelor's degree in biology, with a minor in chemistry, in 1960. He did further studies at University of Georgia and Georgia Southern University.
Professional Football
Ellington played professional football for the New York GiantsNew York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
for two years before his career was interrupted because of injuries.
Beach High School (1962-1976)
Ellington was the Beach High School, boys' basketball coach for 15 years, winning 482 of 529 games he coached (91%). His teams won five state championships including the Georgia High School Association Class AAA State Championships during the first season following integration of the Georgia High School Association, 1966–67, the first season black players were allowed to compete. That 1967 team earned the Sports IllustratedSports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
magazine national championship.
Savannah State College (1976-1984)
As Savannah State College’s men's head basketball coach Ellington compiled a 148-91 record (.619 winning percentage). During that time he also was the school’s athletics director and a mathematics teacher, overseeing the school’s transition from NCAA Division III to Division II in 1981.He currently holds the record for most wins by a men's basketball coach in Savannah State's history, producing winning records in the final eight of his nine seasons and winning three Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is a College athletic conference consisting of historically black colleges and universities located in the southern United States. Formed in 1913, the SIAC is a member of the NCAA and participates in Division II athletics...
regular season and tournament title during his tenure.
Harlem Globetrotters (1984-1993)
Ellington toured with the Globetrotters as head coach from 1984–93, traveling to 122 countries with the team.Savannah Tech (1993-1997)
Ellington returned to Savannah in 1993 to serve as the first men's head basketball coach and athletics director at Savannah Technical School (College). The team eventually made an appearance in the National Junior College playoffs in Kansas City, MissouriKansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
.
Morris Brown College (1997-2001)
Ellington returned as the men's head basketball coach and athletic director at his alma mater, Morris Brown CollegeMorris Brown College
Morris Brown College is a private, coed, liberal arts college located in the Vine City community of Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It is a historically black college affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal Church...
, in 1997.
Beach High School (2005-2007)
Ellington returned to coaching in 2005 taking the Bulldogs to the Georgia state quarter-finals with a 28-3 recordHonors and awards
He is a member of the Morris Brown College Hall of Fame (1978). In 1980, he was inducted into the in the Greater Savannah Athletic Hall of Fame. He also is a member of the Beach High School Hall of Fame (1987) and the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic ConferenceSouthern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is a College athletic conference consisting of historically black colleges and universities located in the southern United States. Formed in 1913, the SIAC is a member of the NCAA and participates in Division II athletics...
Hall of Fame (1997). Ellington was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame on May 19, 2007.
Quotes
"There are three parts of faith: One is knowledge, another is belief in yourself and the third is to just put it into action."Personal life
Ellington was married to Betty W. Ellington for thirty years; they had six children.He was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha
Alpha Phi Alpha
Alpha Phi Alpha is the first Inter-Collegiate Black Greek Letter fraternity. It was founded on December 4, 1906 at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Its founders are known as the "Seven Jewels". Alpha Phi Alpha developed a model that was used by the many Black Greek Letter Organizations ...
Fraternity, the Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum Board of Directors, the Board of Directors for the West Broad Street YMCA (Savannah, Georgia), the Georgia High School Sports Association, and the South Eastern Quarter Back Club.
Ellington died on September 1, 2007 from lung cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
complications at St. Joseph's Hospital in Savannah
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
, aged 69.