Bing Russell

Bing Russell

1926-05-05

Biography

Although best known as the deputy on Bonanza (1959) and Robert in The Magnificent Seven (1960), Russell's was also well known on a national level as the owner of the Portland Mavericks Baseball Club. Helming the only independent team in the class A Northwest League, Russell was an innovator. Before Bull Durham (1988), there were the Mavericks. Russell kept a 30 man roster because he believed that some of the players deserved to have one last season. His motto was simply one three lettered word - not WIN - although the Mavericks did just that - no, the word was FUN. He created a park that kept all corporate sponsorship outside the gates, hired the first female general manager in professional baseball, and the following year hired the first Asian American GM/Manager. That same season his team set a record for the highest attendance in Minor league history, and went on to win the pennant. Ex-major leaguers and never-weres who couldn't stop playing the game flocked to his June tryouts, which were always open to anyone that showed up. From as far away as Capetown, and France, players would head to Portland for a chance with Russell's Mavericks.

Also appears in

The Magnificent Seven

The Magnificent Seven

7.5

Rio Bravo

Rio Bravo

7.8

How the West Was Won

How the West Was Won

7.0

Overboard

Overboard

6.8

Tango & Cash

Tango & Cash

6.4

The Horse Soldiers

The Horse Soldiers

7.0

The Million Dollar Duck

The Million Dollar Duck

5.7

The Hallelujah Trail

The Hallelujah Trail

6.0

Dick Tracy

Dick Tracy

6.1

Bombers B-52

Bombers B-52

5.6

Cheyenne Autumn

Cheyenne Autumn

6.7

Last Train from Gun Hill

Last Train from Gun Hill

7.0

Blackbeard’s Ghost

Blackbeard’s Ghost

6.7

Elvis

Elvis

6.8

Now You See Him, Now You Don’t

Now You See Him, Now You Don’t

6.3

A Gathering of Eagles

A Gathering of Eagles

5.4

Satan’s School for Girls

Satan’s School for Girls

5.3

The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes

The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes

6.0

Cult of the Cobra

Cult of the Cobra

6.0

The Apple Dumpling Gang

The Apple Dumpling Gang

6.5