Rebounds play a large role in the success of a basketball team.  For that reason, basketball’s big men are some of the most important players.  Any player with double digit rebounds in a game has made a solid contribution to their team and to grab 20 is an especially noteworthy accomplishment.  In a single game Bill Russell did the unthinkable and reached a higher rebound record than ever before in history.

On this day, November 16th, in 1957, Bill Russell broke the record for most rebounds in a single game with 51.  At the time, Russell’s accomplishment broke the previously held record of 49.  Russell’s 51 rebounds matched a larger trend for that year, which was characterized by dominance on the boards.  In the 1957 season, Russell was the first player to average more than 20 rebounds a game.

Russell ended his career in 1969 with an amazing 21,620 rebounds, averaging 22.5 per game.  As one of basketball’s most dominant big men, Russell earned a spot in both the Basketball Hall of Fame and the FIBA Hall of Fame.