So did Wilt really have 29 blocks in a game?

[joyner82]

Am I hearing that number correctly? 29? I wonder what he would have averaged if blocks were recorded as an official stat..has to be 7+

[MMKM]

Maybe someone could fill me in on this, but weren't most of Wilt's seasons in the nba televised? I actually think I've seen HIGH SCHOOL video footage of Wilt. So how come some of his pro games were not video recorded? I guess the 100 pt game wasn't?... Couldn't the nba statisticians go through the video archives that they have on Wilt and figure out how many blocks he actually had?

[tommyhtc]

Maybe someone could fill me in on this, but weren't most of Wilt's seasons in the nba televised? I actually think I've seen HIGH SCHOOL video footage of Wilt. So how come some of his pro games were not video recorded? I guess the 100 pt game wasn't?... Couldn't the nba statisticians go through the video archives that they have on Wilt and figure out how many blocks he actually had?
I've read in somewhere that the league didn't start to archive their games until 1984.
and the 100 point game wasn't even broadcasted..
how sad

[L.Kizzle]

I've read in somewhere that the league didn't start to archive their games until 1984.
and the 100 point game wasn't even broadcasted..
how sad
I think staring with the 81 season, every NBA game was recorded. Before than, all were not, even the local games. Games like Wilt's 100, and his 78 pt games were not televised. David Thompson/George Gervin scoring battle not televised either.

[Manute for Ever!]

It's a shame BULLS left ISH, he claimed to have full season footage of Wilt. I guess it wouldn't have been of any help because he said he wasn't going to share it...

[jlauber]

Harvey Pollack recorded many of Chamberlain's games, and he estimated that Wilt averaged over 10 bpg in his career.

http://www.hofmag.com/content/view/150/29/1/1/

"although blocked shots weren't officially compiled until Wilt left the NBA. Philadelphia 76ers stats guru Harvey Pollak often claimed that Wilt blocked "at least" 10 shots per game."

I listened to EVERY game in the 71-72 season, and IMHO, Wilt averaged close to double-digit blocks that season, and he was nearing the end of his career.

[julizaver]

Harvey Pollack recorded many of Chamberlain's games, and he estimated that Wilt averaged over 10 bpg in his career.

http://www.hofmag.com/content/view/150/29/1/1/

"although blocked shots weren't officially compiled until Wilt left the NBA. Philadelphia 76ers stats guru Harvey Pollak often claimed that Wilt blocked "at least" 10 shots per game."

I listened to EVERY game in the 71-72 season, and IMHO, Wilt averaged close to double-digit blocks that season, and he was nearing the end of his career.

1. As we all know Harvey Pollak claimed that Wilt has 25 blocks in some games during his days in Sixers uniform.
2. According to my info - the highest shot blocking game of Wilt Chamberlain is the Christmas game from 1968 (his first season as a Laker) - in that game he blocked 23 games in nationally televised game.
The sourse is http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1082021/2/index.htm:

- So the Lakers walk the ball up the court, get arranged and then, as VBK says, start "to grind it out." The Lakers do not often make 100 points now. "Defense is the thing we're really living on," van Breda Kolff admits, and Chamberlain has been superb, sometimes even awesome, on defense. In a recent game on national television he blocked 23 shots against Phoenix.

3. I also have data for Wilt blocking 17 and 16 shots in a games between 1965-1968 and at least two games with 15 blocks in his last season.

4. I didn't say that Wilt has not games with 25 bocks or more - maybe it happen but we can't prove it till now.

[Psileas]

In a recent game on national television he blocked 23 shots against Phoenix.

That's all you need to know. Actually, someone from APBR claimed that he had watched this game on tape, that he counted the blocked shots and that indeed they were 23. Now, unless he destroyed that tape (which he didn't, because we're not talking about BULLS (eat)), it still exists. Of course, the NBA once again does a great job hiding this game from the public - seems like it's their policy to reveal one game every 2-3 years, starting from the 1970 7th Final, then moving on to the 1972 ASG, the 1972 Bucks-Lakers R.S game, then the 1972 5th Final. I say up to the year 2200-01, there's a 50-50 chance they'll have shown this game, as well.

[jlauber]

I listened to one game in the 71-72 season, in which Wilt blocked 17 shots...and I believe it was against Bob Lanier and the Pistons. In any case, if Eaton was blocking nearly six shots a game, at his peak, Wilt (and Russell) would have easily topped that.

[alexandreben]

Harvey Pollack recorded many of Chamberlain's games, and he estimated that Wilt averaged over 10 bpg in his career.

http://www.hofmag.com/content/view/150/29/1/1/

"although blocked shots weren't officially compiled until Wilt left the NBA. Philadelphia 76ers stats guru Harvey Pollak often claimed that Wilt blocked "at least" 10 shots per game."

I listened to EVERY game in the 71-72 season, and IMHO, Wilt averaged close to double-digit blocks that season, and he was nearing the end of his career.
What do you mean you listened? There's only radio brodcast back in 71-72?

[jlauber]

What do you mean you listened? There's only radio brodcast back in 71-72?

I lived in Northern California (still do), but I listened to EVERY Laker game that season on KABC 790 Los Angeles (and they moved to KFI 650 the next season.) Chick Hearn and Lynn Shackleford did the games back then. I also watched EVERY live game they played on TV that season, including all six games of the WCF's and all five games of the Finals. And, the local television station in my area at the time, channel 2, would usually televise every Warrior-Laker game. And, even then, I would turn down the TV, and listen to Warrior broadcaster, Bill King (IMHO, THE greatest play-by-play man in basketball history.) And the Lakers also played several nationally televised regular season games that year, including the Buck game that ended LA's 33 game winning streak.

One of the few advantages to being old, like myself, is the fact that I have watched all the major sports since the early 60's. I have seen all the greats, and believe me, the greats of the 60's, playing today, would still be great.