Why NBA legend Bill Russell tried high jumping in college thanks to his pal Johnny Mathis

Johnny Mathis could have altered NBA history before he became a singing legend.

While at San Francisco State University, he introduced his friend, the late Bill Russell (who attended the University of San Francisco), to high jumping.

“Bill Russell was my pal,” said Mathis to the USA Today Network - New Jersey on the eve of his East Coast Voice of Romance Tour shows (he comes to the State Theatre in New Brunswick on Saturday, Oct. 29, and the Bergen Performing Arts Center in Englewood on Monday, Nov. 7). “We would work out together, running around the track or what have you.

"I was a world-class high jumper when I was in college," Mathis continued, "... and he was 6-feet-9. I said to him ‘Have you ever tried to high jump?' “

Mathis reached the heights of stardom as one of the most popular singers of the 20th century and beyond. As a high jumper, he was so good at San Francisco State that he had to make a choice — try out for the 1956 Olympics or record an album for Columbia Records.

He chose music, and the rest is history.

Russell won 11 championships with the Boston Celtics. The team will wear a special uniform in his honor for Tuesday's season opener, according to WCVB in Boston. This season, every NBA court will display a clover-shaped logo with the No. 6 on the sideline close to the scorer's table. In August, the NBA revealed it was retiring Russell's No. 6 jersey league-wide, and all NBA players will wear a commemorative patch on the right shoulder of their jerseys.

But the future NBA icon did take to high jumping while he was at the University of San Francisco.

“He loved jazz and I was a jazzer when I was young as far as music is concerned,” Mathis said. “He used to hang out with me and go the jazz clubs, and once in a while he’d come see me on the track team. He was strictly a basketball player — the best, of course, in the world. I had to dodge and make sure nobody saw me taking the world's best center as a basketball player and fooling around with him a high jumper when he could have fallen and broken his neck and never be heard from again.”

Russell:NBA unveils No. 6 patch to honor Bill Russell across league

Their cover was eventually blown.

“We had to sneak, so somebody heard about it and before you knew we were in the San Francisco Chronicle in the sports section,” Mathis said. “Somebody caught me fooling around with Bill Russell showing him how to do this in the high jump.”

Russell's college basketball coach was not having it.

“I got news from Phil Woolpert that says if this man doesn’t leave the greatest basketball player alone I’m going to break his neck,” Mathis said. “That was the beginning and the end of me teaching Bill Russell how to high jump.”

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The two life-long friends became greats in their respective fields, in an era when mainstream success was especially difficult for Black Americans. Mathis' many hits include “Chances Are,” “It's Not for Me to Say,” “Misty,” “Wild Is the Wind,” “Wonderful! Wonderful!” and more.

“Everybody has their own idea about you and what you do, but the thing I was mostly concerned about and how I measured my life and my career and my success was my dad,” said Mathis, 87. “He was my best pal. He and my mom had seven kids and he’s the reason I sing. He would sing around the house but quietly. He was my best friend in the world and I always wanted to please him, and God help me because he’s the reason I’m alive.

“I wanted to do something that my dad did, and that was sing.”

Go: Johnny Mathis with Gary Mule Deer, 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29, State Theatre, 15 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick, tickets start at $59; stnj.org. Also, 8 p.m. Monday, Nov. 7, Bergan Performing Arts Center, 30 North Van Brunt St., Englewood, starting at $69 (tickets purchased for the Oct. 7 show will be honored for the rescheduled date); bergenpac.org.

Matt Pinfield at the Saint

There was a time when the voice of Matt Pinfield was heard up and down the Jersey Shore.

That's when Pinfield was the music director of the former WHTG-FM in Eatontown. The tiny station made big headlines for breaking the alt-rock bands of the '80s that everyone loves today. He moved on and stops included a highly visible stint at MTV in the '90s. He's back in the area Saturday, Oct. 22, for a show at the Saint in Asbury Park.

Pinfield, who’s current duties include hosting the nationally syndicated “Flashback” show for Westwood One, used to a sing in a band called Opium Vala in the area. They had a rocking version of Simon and Garfunkel's “Hazy Shade of Winter” that was more than groovy.

Kanak, featuring Tom Kanach, Johnny Rao (David Johansen Band and Sylvain Sylvain) and Peter Wood (Dramarama), and Grip Weeds are also on the bill.

Go: Matt Pinfield, Kanak and Grip Weeds, 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22, the Saint, 601 Main St., Asbury Park, $20 in advance/$25 at the door; thesaintnj.com.

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Anthony D’Amato record release

Anthony D'Amato is in it for the “Long Haul.”

That's the name of the lead track from the Blairstown native's new album, “At First There Was Nothing.”

“Long Haul” has a bit of country jump that you'll find quite agreeable. “At First There Was Nothing” has other deep shadings that's also bound to resonate, from the mournful folk of “Ships in the Night” to the garage rock-meets-Latin vibe of “Kinda Strange.”

See it in person as the “At First There Was Nothing” record release show, featuring D'Amato with a full band, on Saturday, Oct 22, at the Mercury Lounge in New York City.

Go: Anthony D'Amato, 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct 22, Mercury Lounge, 217 E. Houston St., New York, $21.25; mercuryeastpresents.com.

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Chris Jordan, a Jersey Shore native, covers music and entertainment for the USA Today Network New Jersey. Contact him at @chrisfhjordan; cjordan@app.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Bill Russell tried college high jumping thanks to Johnny Mathis