Bing Russell was a versatile and charismatic actor who appeared in many popular TV shows and movies, such as Bonanza, The Magnificent Seven, and Elvis. He was also a passionate baseball fan and owner of the Portland Mavericks, a unique and independent minor league team that defied the odds and made history. But how did this remarkable man die? What was the cause of his death? And what legacy did he leave behind? In this article, we will explore the life and death of Bing Russell, the actor and baseball maverick.
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Early Life and Acting Career
Bing Russell was born on May 5, 1926, in Brattleboro, Vermont, as Neil Oliver Russell. He always wanted to become an actor and studied drama at Brattleboro High School. He also grew up around the New York Yankees’ spring training camp in St. Petersburg, Florida, where his father ran a floatplane service. As a result, he became an unofficial mascot of the Yankees and befriended players like Lefty Gomez and Joe DiMaggio. When Lou Gehrig was weakened by illness, he gave Russell the bat he used to hit his last home run before retiring. According to Wikipedia, Russell graduated from Dartmouth College with a business degree.
Russell made his debut in the film Cavalry Patrol in 1951, and had some uncredited roles in his early career. He became best known as Deputy Clem Foster on Bonanza (1959) and Robert in The Magnificent Seven (1960). He also guest-starred in episodes of many television series, such as The Twilight Zone, The Andy Griffith Show, The Munsters, Gunsmoke, Combat!, The Fugitive, The Monkees, I Dream of Jeannie, The Rockford Files, The Streets of San Francisco, Emergency!, and Little House on the Prairie. In 1979, he played Vernon Presley, the father of Elvis Presley, in the TV movie Elvis, starring his son Kurt Russell as Elvis.
Baseball Passion and Portland Mavericks
Russell was not only an actor but also a baseball enthusiast and entrepreneur. He owned the Portland Mavericks, the only independent team in the Class-A Northwest League, from 1973 to 1977. He was an innovator who believed in having fun and giving opportunities to players who were rejected or overlooked by other teams. He kept a 30-man roster because he thought some of the players deserved to have one last season. He hired the first female general manager and the first Asian-American manager in professional baseball. He also created a park that kept all corporate sponsorship outside the gates. His team set a record for the highest attendance in minor-league history and won the pennant in 1977.
Russell’s baseball adventure was documented in the 2014 Netflix film The Battered Bastards of Baseball, directed by his grandsons Chapman Way and Maclain Way. The film features interviews with Kurt Russell, who played for the Mavericks and was vice president for the team, as well as other former players, fans, and journalists. The film received positive reviews from critics and audiences alike.
Cause of Death and Legacy
Russell died from complications of cancer on April 8, 2003, in Thousand Oaks, California. He was 76 years old. He was survived by his wife Louise Julia Crone, whom he married in 1946, and his four children: Kurt Russell (actor), Jill Russell (actress), Jamie Russell (producer), and Jody Russell (musician). He was also grandfather of Matt Franco (former major league baseball player), Wyatt Russell (actor and former hockey player), Boston Russell (actor), Kate Hudson (actress), Oliver Hudson (actor), Emily Hudson (makeup artist), Lalania Hudson (singer), Wilder Brooks Hudson (actor), Bodhi Hawn Hudson (actor), Rio Hudson (actor), Ryder Robinson (actor), Bingham Hawn Bellamy (actor), Rani Rose Hudson Fujikawa (actress).
Russell left behind a legacy of entertainment and inspiration for generations of fans. He was a versatile and charismatic actor who appeared in many memorable roles on TV and film. He was also a passionate baseball fan and owner who created a unique and independent team that defied the odds and made history. He was a man who followed his dreams and had fun along the way. He was Bing Russell, the actor and baseball maverick.
