View source for Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game

{{short description|NBA record-setting basketball game}}
{{pp-pc}}
{{Infobox basketball game
| game_name = Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game
| image = [[File:Wilt Chamberlain 100 Point Game 1962 (original).jpg|200px|alt=Wilt Chamberlain, an African American man, is shown sitting down in his Philadelphia Warriors jersey while holding up a piece of paper with the number 100 written on it. The photograph was taken directly after the game and is in black and white.]]
| home = '''[[Philadelphia Warriors|Philadelphia<br>Warriors]]'''
| visitor = [[New York Knicks|New York<br>Knicks]]
| home_total = 169
| visitor_total = 147
| home_per1 = 42
| home_per2 = 37
| home_per3 = 46
| home_per4 = 44
| visitor_per1 = 26
| visitor_per2 = 42
| visitor_per3 = 38
| visitor_per4 = 41
| date = March 2, 1962
| arena = [[Hersheypark Arena|Hershey Sports Arena]]
| city = [[Hershey, Pennsylvania]]
| attendance = 4,124}}

[[Wilt Chamberlain]] set the [[List of National Basketball Association single-game scoring leaders|single-game scoring record]] in the [[National Basketball Association]] (NBA) by scoring 100&nbsp;points for the [[Philadelphia Warriors]] in a 169–147 win over the [[New York Knicks]] on March 2, 1962, at [[Hersheypark Arena|Hershey Sports Arena]] in [[Hershey, Pennsylvania]], United States. It is widely considered one of the greatest records in the sport's history. Chamberlain set five other [[NBA regular season records|league records]] that game, including most [[free throw]]s made, despite being regarded as a poor free throw shooter. The teams broke the record for [[List of highest-scoring NBA games|most combined points in a game]] (316).

[[1961–62 NBA season|That season]], Chamberlain averaged a [[List of National Basketball Association single-season scoring leaders|single-season record 50.4 points per game]], and he broke the NBA single-game scoring record (71) earlier in the season in December with 78 points. The third-year [[center (basketball)|center]] had already set season scoring records in his first two seasons. During the fourth quarter, the Knicks began [[foul (basketball)|fouling]] other players to keep the ball away from Chamberlain, and they also became deliberate on offense to reduce the number of possessions for Philadelphia. The Warriors countered by committing fouls of their own to get the ball back.

The game was not televised, and no video footage of the game has been recovered; there are only audio recordings of the game's fourth quarter, which was added for preservation in the United States' [[National Recording Registry]] by the [[Library of Congress]] in 2016. The NBA was not yet recognized as a [[Major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada|major sports league]], and struggled to compete against [[college basketball]]. The attendance at the game was approximately half of capacity, and no members of the New York press were present.

==Prologue==
A {{convert|7|ft|1|in|m|adj=on}} and {{convert|260|lb|kg|adj=on}} [[center (basketball)|center]],<ref>[[#cherry2004|Cherry 2004]], p. xviii.</ref> Chamberlain was in his third season in the NBA, having set [[List of National Basketball Association top individual scoring season averages|season scoring records]] in each of his first two seasons with 37.6 and then 38.4 points per game.<ref>[[#cherry2004|Cherry 2004]], pp. 97, 99</ref> [[Frank McGuire]], the Warriors' new coach, started the season vowing to get the ball to Chamberlain "two-thirds of the time."<ref>{{cite book |last=Pomerantz |first=Gary M. |page=[https://archive.org/details/wilt1962nightof00pome/page/80 80] |year=2005 |title=Wilt, 1962: The Night of 100 Points and the Dawn of a New Era |location=New York |publisher=Crown |isbn=1-4000-5160-6 |ref=pomerantz |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/wilt1962nightof00pome/page/80 }}</ref> ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'' wrote that McGuire's "eventual effect may be to measurably change the character of professional basketball from the brawling, hustling, cigar-in-the-face and eye-on-the-till game it has been for decades to the major league sport which it longs and deserves to be."<ref>{{cite news |last=Cave |first=Ray |title=Mcguire Raises A Standard |date=October 30, 1961 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |url=http://cnnsi.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?expire=&title=Philadelphia%27s+problem+player,+Wilt+Chamberlain,+gets+a+-+10.30.61+-+SI+Vault&urlID=411859000&action=cpt&partnerID=289881&fb=Y&url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1073148/index.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140221054147/http://cnnsi.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?expire=&title=Philadelphia%27s+problem+player%2C+Wilt+Chamberlain%2C+gets+a+-+10.30.61+-+SI+Vault&urlID=411859000&action=cpt&partnerID=289881&fb=Y&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsportsillustrated.cnn.com%2Fvault%2Farticle%2Fmagazine%2FMAG1073148%2Findex.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 21, 2014 |access-date=February 2, 2012 }}</ref> He was determined to play Chamberlain every minute of every game; the center had missed only eight minutes and 33 seconds that season due to disqualification in a game from [[technical fouls]].<ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], pp. 81, 119</ref> In three earlier games that week, Chamberlain had scored 67, 65, and 61 points respectively,<ref name=pomerantz_p20>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], p. 20</ref> giving him an already-record [[List of National Basketball Association single-game scoring leaders|15 times scoring 60 or more points]] in his career. He was closing in on 4,000 points for the season, needing 237 more; no other player had ever scored 3,000 points at that point.<ref name=pomerantz_p20/> On December 8, 1961, in a triple overtime game versus the [[Los Angeles Lakers]], he set a new NBA record by scoring 78 points, breaking the record of 71 previously set by [[Elgin Baylor]]. Legendary Laker broadcaster [[Chick Hearn]] often told the story that after the game, he asked Baylor if it bothered him that Chamberlain had an extra 15 minutes to break the record. According to Hearn, Baylor said he was not concerned because "someday that guy is going to score 100".<ref>Curry, Chuck. (2001, October 24). "[http://www.nba.com/news/wilt_tribute000113.html A Tribute to Wilt Chamberlain] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090520180844/http://www.nba.com/news/wilt_tribute000113.html |date=2009-05-20 }}", [[NBA.com]].</ref> Rival center [[Bill Russell]] predicted, "[Chamberlain] has the size, strength, and stamina to score one hundred some night."<ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], p. 158</ref> In a high school game in 1955, Chamberlain had scored 90&nbsp;points in a 123–21 victory. ''[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]'' wrote, "Chamberlain might have hit 100 if he had played the entire 32 minutes."<ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], pp. 159–160</ref>

[[File:GeorgeMikan.jpg|thumb|[[George Mikan]] (No. 99), shown here in college, dominated the NBA before Chamberlain.]]
Before Chamberlain, the most dominant [[big man (basketball)|big man]] in the NBA had been {{convert|6|ft|10|in|m|adj=on}} [[George Mikan]]. In November 1950, the [[Fort Wayne Pistons]] held the ball for minutes at a time without shooting to limit the impact of the [[Minneapolis Lakers]]' Mikan. The Pistons attempted 13 shots in the game, and won 19–18.<ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], pp. 31–32</ref> NBA President [[Maurice Podoloff]] said, "In our game, with the number of stars we have, we of necessity run up big scores."<ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], p. 33</ref> In the {{nbay|1950|full|app=season}}, teams averaged just over 80 points per game. The NBA introduced the 24-second [[shot clock]] in 1954, and league scoring and attendance increased. By the {{nbay|1961|full|app=season}}, teams were averaging 119&nbsp;points each game.<ref>{{cite web |title=History of the Shot Clock |date=October 22, 2001 |work=NBA.com |publisher=NBA Media Ventures |url=http://www.nba.com/analysis/00422949.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120424231859/http://www.nba.com/analysis/00422949.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 24, 2012}}</ref><ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], pp. 33–34</ref> Chamberlain that season was one of 37&nbsp;[[African American|black]] players in the league, the NBA having started the [[Racial integration in the NBA|integration of blacks in 1950]].<ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], pp. 52–53, 186</ref> With their emergence, the NBA game was stylistically being played faster and above the [[Basketball rim|rim]]. Many of the league's great players were black, and blacks believed they were limited by a league [[racial quota|quota]] of four black players per team.<ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], pp. 53, 123</ref> Critics suggested that basketball was becoming uninteresting with taller players dominating.<ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], pp. 57–58, 112–113, 122</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Povich |first=Shirley |author-link=Shirley Povich |title=Basketball Is For The Birds |date=December 8, 1958 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |url=http://cnnsi.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?expire=&title=To+lead+off+this+special+issue,+a+famous+dissenter+was+-+12.08.58+-+SI+Vault&urlID=469298307&action=cpt&partnerID=289881&fb=Y&url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1003211/1/index.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140313164025/http://cnnsi.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?expire=&title=To+lead+off+this+special+issue%2C+a+famous+dissenter+was+-+12.08.58+-+SI+Vault&urlID=469298307&action=cpt&partnerID=289881&fb=Y&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsportsillustrated.cnn.com%2Fvault%2Farticle%2Fmagazine%2FMAG1003211%2F1%2Findex.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 13, 2014 |access-date=January 31, 2012 }}</ref> Warriors teammate [[Joe Ruklick]] thought that "the attitude [among white players in the NBA] was, in my opinion, '[Chamberlain] is a freak who will come and go. There will never be a black guy doing this again.'"<ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], p. 205</ref> Chamberlain, nicknamed ''Dipper'', was revolutionizing the sport with his [[slam dunks]], nicknamed the ''Dipper Dunk''.<ref name=pomerantz_p20/><ref>[[#cherry2004|Cherry 2004, pp. 22–23]]</ref> Traditionalists considered dunking poor [[sportsmanship]], and their occurrence was rare. As the league's second-tallest player,<ref group=note>[[Swede Halbrook]] of the [[Syracuse Nationals]] was {{convert|7|ft|3|in|m}}</ref> Chamberlain began dunking more regularly. He was still more of a finesse player, preferring [[fadeaway]] shots and [[finger rolls]]. He rarely dunked forcefully. Teammate [[Paul Arizin]] believed Chamberlain did not want to be perceived as great merely by being tall.<ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], pp. 20, 36–37, 57</ref>

There was little advance excitement about the pending Warriors-Knicks game that Friday. Only five games remained in the regular season, with the Warriors (46–29) in second place—eleven games behind the [[Boston Celtics]]—and the Knicks in last place.<ref name=pomerantz_p25>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], p. 25</ref> Chamberlain had spent the night before the game in New York City,<ref group=note>Despite playing for Philadelphia, Chamberlain lived in Manhattan; he commuted to Philadelphia each day for the team's activities.</ref> partying all night with a female companion before dropping her off at her home at 6{{nbsp}}am<ref name=pomerantz_p20/><ref name="Bork"/> With no sleep and suffering from a [[hangover]], he boarded the train to [[Philadelphia]] at 8{{nbsp}}am, met several friends at the Philadelphia train station, and had a long lunch with them, thus almost missing the team bus to Hershey.<ref name="Bork"/> The other players were similarly bored. Warriors player [[York Larese]] said, "The biggest thrill in my life was to see that. There was nothing exciting about the Knicks playing the Warriors in Hershey. Chocolate was more exciting."<ref name="quotes">{{cite web |publisher=hoophall.com |title=Quotebook from Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point Game |url=http://www.hoophall.com/exhibits/chamberlain_quotebook.htm |date=February 10, 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061118101330/http://www.hoophall.com/exhibits/chamberlain_quotebook.htm |archive-date = November 18, 2006}}</ref> The game was played at [[Hershey Sports Arena]], an old, drafty gym originally built for [[ice hockey]]. The league occasionally played games in remote towns to attract new fans. This was the Warriors' third "home" game of the season in Hershey, which was {{convert|85|mi}} from Philadelphia.<ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], pp. 11, 24, 74–75</ref><ref>[[#cherry2004|Cherry 2004]], p. 109</ref> The Warriors' [[Tom Meschery]] called the arena "god-forsaken place... The town of Hershey was built around a huge chocolate factory; everything there became permeated with the smell of chocolate. It was practically impossible to stay indoors; people felt sick. I was just dreaming to leave the place as fast as I could."<ref name="meschery">{{cite news |title = Tom Meschery: The First Russian in the NBA |work=sport-express.ru |publisher=Sport Express Daily |date=January 12, 2006 |url=http://english.sport-express.ru/articles/9_14/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719085600/http://english.sport-express.ru/articles/9_14/ |archive-date=July 19, 2011 }}</ref>

On a cold, rainy Friday night, only 4,124 spectators paid to see the game, primarily to see players from the [[Philadelphia Eagles]] play an exhibition basketball game against their colleagues from the [[History of the Baltimore Colts|Baltimore Colts]] before the NBA game started.<ref name="Bork"/> The arena's capacity was over 8,000, and Warriors owner [[Eddie Gottlieb]] was infamous for exaggerating attendance numbers.<ref name=pomerantz_p25/> Warriors home attendance had dropped from 7,000 in Chamberlain's rookie season to less than 5,000 in this, his third, season.<ref name=pomerantz_p77>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], p. 77</ref> [[College basketball]] had started offering doubleheaders during the [[Great Depression]] to provide customers value for their money. Fans had grown accustomed to watching two games, so doubleheaders in the NBA became common.<ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], p. 108</ref>

The NBA was still struggling in its 16th season, not yet a major sports league and less established than [[college basketball]]. The league was hardly national, with only one team, the [[Los Angeles Lakers]], west of [[St. Louis]]. The NBA received low [[Nielsen ratings|television ratings]], and this game was not televised.<ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], pp. 10–11</ref> The [[NBC|National Broadcasting Company]] (NBC) considered not renewing the league's television contract.<ref name=pomerantz_p77/> No members from the New York press were present, as reporters were in Florida covering [[spring training]] for the [[New York Yankees]] and the expansion [[New York Mets]].<ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], p. 107</ref> With few in the media present, the Warriors' publicist was tasked this night with being the [[stringer (journalism)|stringer]] for the [[Associated Press]] (AP), [[United Press International]] (UPI), and ''The Philadelphia Inquirer''.<ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], pp. 117–118</ref> Only two photographers were at the game.<ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], p. 11</ref>

The Knicks were shorthanded, with their starting center, [[Phil Jordon]], out with an illness,<ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], p. 113</ref> officially reported as [[influenza]] but it was widely suspected he was simply [[Hangover|hung over]]. Jordon, in an early-season game, had played Chamberlain even, scoring 33&nbsp;points to the Warriors center's 34.<ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], p. 142</ref> The Knicks instead started {{convert|6|ft|10|in|m|adj=on}}, {{convert|220|lb|kg|adj=on}}, second-year player [[Darrall Imhoff]], a strong defensive player in college who led the [[California Golden Bears men's basketball|California Golden Bears]] to the [[1959 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament|NCAA championship in 1959]] and won a gold medal in [[1960 United States men's Olympic basketball team|the 1960 Summer Olympics]].<ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], pp. xiii, 102, 106</ref><ref name="game">{{cite web |publisher=hoophall.com |title=The Story Behind Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point Game |url=http://www.hoophall.com/exhibits/chamberlain_game.htm |date=February 10, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061118101118/http://www.hoophall.com/exhibits/chamberlain_game.htm |archive-date=November 18, 2006}}</ref> New York also had {{convert|6|ft|9|in|m|adj=on}}, {{convert|210|lb|kg|adj=on}}, backup center [[Cleveland Buckner]], a better shooter than a defender who Chamberlain had overpowered for an NBA record 28&nbsp;points in one quarter two days earlier.<ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], pp. xiii, 56–57, 111</ref>

==Game report==

===First three quarters===
According to McGuire, the game did not start with any game plan to get Chamberlain 100 points.<ref name="Pluto 2000, p.220">[[#pluto2000|Pluto 2000]], p.220</ref> After a few minutes, the Warriors led 19–3, and their star center had already scored 13 points and made his first five shots.<ref name=pomerantz_p37>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], p. 37</ref> At the end of the first quarter, the Knicks trailed 42–26, and in his typical style, Chamberlain had already scored 23 points, making all nine of his free throws.<ref name="Bork">{{cite book |last=Bork |first=Gunter |title=Basketball Sternstunden |year=1995 |publisher=Copress |location=Munich |isbn=3-7679-0456-X |pages=33–35 |language=de}}</ref><ref name=pomerantz_p40>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], p.40</ref> Free throws were the weakest part of his game: he made barely more than half in his first two seasons. He had started shooting free throws underhanded that season per McGuire's suggestion.<ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], pp. 62, 81</ref> Chamberlain at that point was thinking more about a free throw shooting record than scoring a lot of points;<ref name=cherry_p110>{{cite book |last=Cherry |first=Robert |title=[[Wilt: Larger than Life]] |page=110 |year=2004 |publisher=Triumph Books |location=Chicago |isbn=1-57243-672-7 |ref=cherry2004}}</ref> the NBA record was 24 free throws made in a game.<ref name=pomerantz_p40/> Imhoff was soon benched because of foul trouble.<ref name="elder">[http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_action=search&s_dispstring=Jeff%20Elder%20AND%20Darrall%20Imhoff%20AND%20Wilt%20Chamberlain%20AND%20date(all)  ''The Charlotte Observer''; Elder, Jeff; (January 18, 2007) Page 1E] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110609194240/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_action=search&s_dispstring=Jeff%20Elder%20AND%20Darrall%20Imhoff%20AND%20Wilt%20Chamberlain%20AND%20date(all) |date=June 9, 2011 }} "Truth about Wilt scoring 100 points." Retrieved on April 14, 2007.</ref> After one foul, he snapped at the [[official (basketball)|referee]], "Well, why don't you just give the guy a hundred now and we'll all go home!"<ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], p.38</ref> Neither referee had ever been a lead official before, and Imhoff privately wished a stronger lead was working the game.<ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], pp.37–8</ref> By halftime, the Warriors had lost some of their edge, but still led 79–68. Chamberlain's point total stood at 41. The Warriors felt little excitement, as he had scored 60 or more points on 15 previous occasions. "I often came into the locker room with 30 or 35 points, therefore, 41 points was not a big deal", Chamberlain later explained.<ref name="Bork" /> During halftime, the Warriors' [[Guy Rodgers]] said, "Let's get the ball to Dip. Let's see how many he can get."<ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], p. 96</ref> McGuire agreed.<ref name="Bork" />

This simple tactic proved unstoppable. Soon, he had surpassed 50 points, causing arena speaker [[Dave Zinkoff]] to fire up the previously sleepy crowd. Chamberlain also kept his cool despite getting perpetually triple and quadruple-teamed by the Knicks, who did not shy away from hard fouls to distract the center. McGuire was irate and demanded that the referees call more fouls, but Chamberlain could not be stopped.<ref name="cherry">[[#cherry2004|Cherry 2004]], pp. 109–115.</ref> He scored another 28 points to lift his Warriors to a commanding 125–106 lead by the end of the third quarter. His own total stood at 69, nine shy of his previous scoring record. The Knicks' third center, [[Dave Budd]], who alternated with the foul-troubled Imhoff at pivot, later stated that resistance was futile: 
<blockquote>
You couldn't play [Chamberlain] conventionally because he was so big. The only thing you could attempt to do was either front him, and in that case they'd try to lob it in to him, or beat him down the floor and set up where he wanted to get and force him out a couple of extra steps. The guy weighed 300 or 270 [pounds], so that wasn't easy, either.<ref name="quotes" />
</blockquote>
Chamberlain now realized he could break his own 73-point scoring record (for a regulation 48-minute game) or his record 78 points, set in triple [[overtime (basketball)|overtime]].<ref name=cherry_p110/>

===Breaking records===
[[Dave Zinkoff]], the public address announcer, began announcing Chamberlain's point total after each of his baskets.<ref name="Pluto 2000, p.220"/> With ten minutes to play in the game, Warriors forward [[Tom Meschery]] sensed the team concept breaking down. The team's offense had shifted to getting Chamberlain the ball and then stopping and watching instead of cutting and moving without the ball.<ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], pp. 147, 168</ref> Chamberlain needed 25&nbsp;points with eight minutes remaining to reach 100, a rate equivalent to 150&nbsp;points in a full game.<ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], p. 153</ref> He scored his 79th point with 7:51 left, breaking his own record and sending the crowd into a frenzy. The 4,124 spectators screamed, "Give it to Wilt! Give it to Wilt!"<ref name="Bork" /> After he reached 80, the crowd yelled for 100. Chamberlain thought, "Man, these people are tough. I'm tired. I've got 80 points and no one has ever scored 80." The Warriors continued giving Chamberlain the ball.<ref name=pluto_p221/> Warrior [[Al Attles]] later explained, "We wanted that Wilt got the record, because we all liked him." Attles himself led by example, passing up on an easy layup so that Chamberlain could score points 88 and 89, five minutes before the end.<ref name="Bork" />

With six minutes remaining, the Knicks began intentionally fouling any Warrior except Chamberlain, keeping the ball out of the center's hands.<ref name="Bork" /><ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], p. 166</ref><ref name=cherry_p111>[[#cherry2004|Cherry 2004]], p.111</ref> New York also began moving the ball slowly and using as much of the shot clock as possible to leave fewer opportunities for him to score.<ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], p.167</ref> Effectively, they played the opposite of what a normal club would do if they faced a deficit, willingly giving up many easy points instead of making attempts to rally back.<ref name="cherry"/> Meschery said the Warriors lobbed the ball in from the sideline across the floor directly to Chamberlain, who would use his size and strength to get the ball.<ref name="meschery" /><ref name=pluto_p221>[[#pluto2000|Pluto 2000]], p. 221</ref> Chamberlain was the only Warrior to make a [[field goal (basketball)|field goal]] in almost four minutes before Meschery made a [[jump shot (basketball)|jump shot]] at 4:15.<ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], p. 168</ref> Philadelphia began quickly fouling New York with around four minutes left, reciprocating the intentional foul strategy.<ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], pp. 169, 172</ref> Warriors coach [[Frank McGuire]] at one point pulled out his entire starting five, save Chamberlain, and replaced them with bench players.<ref group=note>Starters Meschery, Attles, Rodgers, and Arizin were replaced by reserves Ruklick, Larese, [[Ed Conlin]] and [[Ted Luckenbill]].</ref> The intention was to foul the Knicks, get the ball back after free throws and give Chamberlain the ball. Thus each team spent the last minutes fouling each other.<ref name=cherry_p111/> The Warriors ended with 25 personal fouls, and the Knicks with 32, and lost Imhoff and [[Willie Naulls]] with six fouls.<ref name="Bork" />

With 2:12 left, Chamberlain had 94 points, and he scored on a fadeaway for his 96th point. His next basket at 1:19 came off a lob pass from [[York Larese]] for a powerful dunk that was rare for Chamberlain. [[Gary M. Pomerantz]] in his book ''Wilt, 1962: The Night of 100 Points and the Dawn of a New Era'' wrote that Chamberlain's usual "Dipper Dunk" was "a considerably less emphatic basket stuff, like a rock that barely ripples the pond."<ref name="cherry_p111"/><ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], p. 173</ref> With less than a minute left in the game, Chamberlain set up in the post.<ref name=cherry_p111/> Ruklick passed to Rodgers, who passed to Chamberlain close to the basket, but he missed the shot. [[Ted Luckenbill]] rebounded and passed it back to Chamberlain, who missed again. Luckenbill again rebounded and this time passed to Ruklick, who eschewed an easy layup and instead lobbed a high pass to Chamberlain.<ref name="ruklick">{{cite web |last=Berkow |first=Ira |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE1DD1731F931A35754C0A9649C8B63 |title=Pro Basketball; A Footnote To History After 40 Years |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=July 2, 2002 |access-date=February 5, 2011 |archive-date=November 3, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103040854/http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/02/sports/pro-basketball-a-footnote-to-history-after-40-years.html |url-status=live }}</ref> With 46 seconds left, Chamberlain got free from the five Knicks, jumped high and put the ball into the basket to hit the century mark.<ref name="Bork"/> Eyewitness accounts of the historic basket differ as to whether Chamberlain merely laid the ball in<ref name="Pluto"/><ref name="Remembering">(February 1, 2006). "[http://www.nba.com/features/remembering100_0609126.html Remembering 100] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121109012208/http://www.nba.com/features/remembering100_0609126.html |date=2012-11-09 }}". NBA.com.</ref> or actually stuffed the ball through the hoop for an [[alley-oop]] slam dunk.<ref name="Bork" /><ref name="ruklick"/> In any event, the arena exploded in a frenzy, and over 200 spectators stormed the floor, wanting to touch the hero of the night.<ref name="cherry"/> Ruklick immediately ran to the scorer's table to ensure that he was officially credited with the assist.<ref name="ruklick"/>

===Finale===
For years, the belief was that the final 46&nbsp;seconds of the game were not played after Chamberlain scored his 100th point due to the celebration on the court;<ref name=cherry_p112>[[#cherry2004|Cherry 2004]], p.112</ref><ref>Ostler, Scott. (March 2, 1987). "[https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/58253595.html?dids=58253595:58253595&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Mar+02%2C+1987&author=SCOTT+OSTLER&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+%28pre-1997+Fulltext%29&desc=100+ASTONISHING+POINTS+25+Years+Ago+Today%2C+Wilt+Chamberlain+Made+NBA+History 100 Astonishing Points 25 Years Ago Today, Wilt Chamberlain Made NBA History] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102174652/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/58253595.html?dids=58253595:58253595&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Mar+02,+1987&author=SCOTT+OSTLER&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=100+ASTONISHING+POINTS+25+Years+Ago+Today,+Wilt+Chamberlain+Made+NBA+History |date=2012-11-02 }}." ''[[Los Angeles Times]]''</ref> Chamberlain himself was quoted as having made that claim.<ref>Schneider, Marv. [[Associated Press]]. (March 5, 1982). "[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Cf0yAAAAIBAJ&sjid=WoMDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6580,1318556&dq=wilt-chamberlain+100+46-seconds&hl=en A 20th Anniversary Sneaks Up on Wilt] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160416144914/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Cf0yAAAAIBAJ&sjid=WoMDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6580,1318556&dq=wilt-chamberlain+100+46-seconds&hl=en |date=2016-04-16 }}", ''[[The Deseret News]]'', page 2D.</ref> However, recordings from the [[WCAU Radio|WCAU]] radio broadcast include announcer [[Bill Campbell (sportscaster)|Bill Campbell]] resuming his [[play-by-play]] call after Chamberlain's 100th point and calling the game to its conclusion.<ref name="randomhouse-audio">{{cite web |url=http://www.randomhouse.com/crown/wilt/ |title="Wilt 1962" <nowiki>|</nowiki> By Gary M. Pomerantz |publisher=[[Crown Publishing Group]] ([[Random House]]) |access-date=2008-06-12 |archive-date=2005-04-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050428062831/http://www.randomhouse.com/crown/wilt/ |url-status=live }} (The web page's interactive audio broadcast of the game uses [[Adobe Flash Player]].)</ref> A copy of the radio broadcast of the game was uncovered only in 1988. WCAU's original game tape had been recorded over by one of its engineers, a standard practice in those days. However, a Philadelphian had recorded with a [[Dictaphone]] part of Campbell's coverage in the fourth quarter, but only the Warriors' possessions. Two years later, a [[reel-to-reel tape]] of Campbell's entire fourth quarter call surfaced; [[Jim Trelease]], then a college student at the [[University of Massachusetts Amherst|University of Massachusetts]], had recorded a 3{{nbsp}}am re-broadcast of the fourth quarter of the game. The NBA merged the reel-to-reel with the Dictaphone tape, which also included a short [[postgame show]].<ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], p. 203</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Fitzpatrick |first=Frank |title=From Wilt's big night, a tale of the tape In 1962, a radio listener in a college dormitory turned on his reel-to-reel recorder – and preserved history forever |date=May 11, 2005 |newspaper=The Philadelphia Inquirer |url=http://articles.philly.com/2005-05-11/sports/25441400_1_radio-broadcast-nba-history-chamberlain |access-date=February 29, 2012 |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304072001/http://articles.philly.com/2005-05-11/sports/25441400_1_radio-broadcast-nba-history-chamberlain |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite interview |last=Trelease |first=Jim |interviewer=Radke, Bill |title=Wilt's Big Night |work=[[Weekend America]] |publisher=[[American Public Media]] |date=June 4, 2005 |url=http://www.publicradio.org/tools/media/player/publicradioweekend/2005/06/04/04_prw_02?start=26:04.4&end=30:59.0 |format=[[RealAudio]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140223180051/http://www.publicradio.org/tools/media/player/publicradioweekend/2005/06/04/04_prw_02?start=26:04.4&end=30:59.0 |url-status=live |archive-date=February 23, 2014}}</ref> German sports journalist Gunter Bork specified that the interruption resulting from Chamberlain's 100th point lasted for nine minutes, after which play continued.<ref name="Bork" />

Over the years, [[Harvey Pollack]], who at the time was in charge of publicity and statistics for the Warriors, has given conflicting statements on the question. In a 1992 book, he was twice quoted as saying that the game ended with 46 seconds remaining.<ref name="Pluto" /> But in a 2002 interview quoted by Chamberlain biographer Robert Cherry, Pollack said that the last 46 seconds were played, and that Chamberlain just stood in the middle circle, waiting for the game to end and not wanting to touch the ball, as "100 sounded better than 102".<ref name="cherry" /><ref>Maaddi, Rob. (March 2, 2002). [http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/030302/spo_0303020056.shtml "Wilt's 100-point game Brings Back Memories"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614035336/http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/030302/spo_0303020056.shtml |date=2011-06-14 }} [[Associated Press]].</ref> The game's official box score notes that Warrior [[Joe Ruklick]] missed two free throws after the break.<ref name="game" /> Ruklick said he planned to miss the second free throw in hopes that Chamberlain might rebound it and get 102&nbsp;points.<ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], pp. 179–180</ref>

The radio postgame show reported the Warriors defeating the Knicks 169–150. However, the official scorer's report recorded the game as 169–147, a discrepancy that has never been explained.<ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], p. 180</ref> Chamberlain made 36 of 63 field-goals and 28 of 32 [[free throw]]s, the latter a far better rate than his roughly 50% career average.<ref>{{cite web| title = Wilt Chamberlain NBA & ABA Statistics| work = Basketball-reference.com| year = 2012| url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/chambwi01.html| access-date = January 6, 2012| archive-date = May 12, 2013| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130512143015/http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/chambwi01.html| url-status = live}}</ref> In two earlier games at Hershey that season, Chamberlain had made a combined 27&nbsp;of&nbsp;38 free throws, 71&nbsp;percent. The basket rims at the arena were aged, flimsy, and forgiving. Balls would bounce off of typical firm rims, whereas balls near the rim in Hershey were apt to get a good roll and fall in.<ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], pp. 116–117</ref> Playing all 48&nbsp;minutes of the game, Chamberlain set NBA records for field goals attempted (63) and made (36), free throws made (28), most points in a quarter (31), and half (59).<ref name="cherry" /><ref name="adande">{{cite news |last=Adande |first=J.A. |title=Where There's Wilt ... |date=January 24, 2006 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-jan-24-sp-adande24-story.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151017174025/http://articles.latimes.com/print/2006/jan/24/sports/sp-adande24 |url-status=live |archive-date=October 17, 2015}}</ref> He averaged 73&nbsp;points in four games that week, exceeding 60 in all of them.<ref name="pomerantz_p195">[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], p. 195</ref>

Rodgers finished with a game-high 20 assists and later said: "It was the easiest game ever for me to get assists, all I had to do was pass it to Wilt."<ref name="cherry" /> Attles was a defensive specialist who rarely scored, yet went 8–8 from the field and hit his single free throw. He later lamented, "In the game where I literally couldn't miss, Wilt had to go out and score 100."<ref name="cherry" />

The Warriors and Knicks combined for a record 316 points. Philadelphia fell short of the [[Boston Celtics]]' then-record of 173 points in a game.<ref>[[#cherry2004|Cherry 2004]], pp. 112–113</ref> It was not uncommon for late-season NBA games to feature little defense.<ref name=pomerantz_p37/> Celtics guard [[Bob Cousy]] said that the level of play in the NBA decreased as the season progressed, and "defenses are out of gas" by the end of the season.<ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], p. 112</ref>

The following night, Chamberlain got permission to travel back to New York with three Knicks players. According to Cherry, Chamberlain drifted in and out of sleep and got a kick overhearing the New York players talk about the "S.O.B. who scored 100 points on us".<ref name="cherry" /> On March 4, the Warriors played the Knicks again in [[Madison Square Garden (1925)|Madison Square Garden]], and Imhoff got a standing ovation for "holding" Chamberlain to 58 points.<ref name="pomerantz_p195"/><ref>{{cite web |title=Philadelphia Warriors at New York Knicks Box Score, March 4, 1962 |work=Basketball-reference.com |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/196203040NYK.html |access-date=January 26, 2012 |archive-date=January 29, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120129123935/http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/196203040NYK.html |url-status=live }}</ref>{{#tag:ref|Associated Press wrote that Chamberlain scored 54 points. It also reported Imhoff played all 48 minutes, while ''Wilt, 1962'' said he fouled out near the end of the game.<ref name=pomerantz_p195/><ref name="untilhisdyingday">{{cite web | last=Sheridan | first=Chris | title=Until his Dying Day, Wilt was Invincible | url=http://static.espn.go.com/nba/news/1999/1012/110842.html | date=February 10, 2007 | access-date=March 3, 2009 | archive-date=February 20, 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120220032713/http://static.espn.go.com/nba/news/1999/1012/110842.html | url-status=live }}</ref>|group=note}}

==Aftermath==
{{Quote box
|align=right
|width=30%
|style=padding:10px
|quote="True, over-anxiousness caused Wilt to miss some shots he'd ordinarily make. But he made some he wouldn't have dared taken under ordinary circumstances. Long jumpers from 25–30 feet out with two and three men clinging onto the wiry, 260-pound frame. Power-packed dunk shots when he had to bull through, around and over a tight knot of defenders. Blazing speed that carried him downcourt for layups after he had launched the fast break with a rebound himself. He earned every point."
|source=—Jack Kiser, ''[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]''<ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], pp. 188–189</ref>}}
The record was not highly anticipated like the [[four-minute mile]] had been.<ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], p. 193</ref> In Philadelphia, there was little fanfare in ''The Philadelphia Inquirer'' or ''[[The Philadelphia Bulletin]]'', which both had a box on the front page announcing the achievement with a story in the sports section. The ''[[Philadelphia Daily News]]'' had no mention on its cover. ''The Bulletin'' wrote, "Thus was fulfilled a prophecy made the first time the magnificent 7'1" scoring star of the Warriors played a game in the National Basketball Association three years ago."<ref name=cherry_p114>[[#cherry2004|Cherry 2004]], p.114</ref> New York City papers ran stories from the news agencies. ''[[The New York Times]]'' and ''[[The New York Herald Tribune]]'' ran the AP story on pages 14 and 11, respectively. ''[[The New York Daily News]]'' ran the UPI story on page 26. ''[[The New York Post]]'' gave prominent back-page coverage to Chamberlain's feat on Sunday.<ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], p. 187</ref> ''The New York Daily News'' on Sunday wrote, "Basketball is not prospering because most normal sized American youngsters or adults cannot identify themselves with the freakish stars ... You just can't sell a seven-foot basket stuffing monster to even the most gullible adolescent."<ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], p. 188</ref> In his prime, Chamberlain was such a dominant scorer that his feat was mostly taken for granted. Warriors player Al Attles said that after Chamberlain's previous record 78-point game, "It was only a matter of time until he reached 100, you could wait for it."<ref name="Bork"/> Warriors coach Frank McGuire initially thought the same thing, then said, "I always thought it was inevitable that he would do it. But when he did, I stopped and thought about it. I couldn't believe it."<ref name="quotes" />

Chamberlain thanked his teammates. "It wouldn't even have been close to possible without them. They wanted me to get it as much I did."<ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], p. 182</ref> He added, "They had to do more than just give up open shots. They had to avoid fouls and pass me the ball in traffic."<ref name=pomerantz_p194/> Knicks' player [[Richie Guerin]] felt the Warriors broke a code of honor in sports by embarrassing an opponent and setting a record outside the normal flow of the game.<ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], p. 150</ref> Although effusive in his praise of Chamberlain, Guerin nonetheless estimated that if the game had played out normally, Chamberlain would have finished 15 to 20 points shy of 100.<ref name="Pluto">{{cite book |last=Pluto |first=Terry |year=2000 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9BaqPfGcI84C&pg=PA217 |title=Tall Tales: The Glory Years of the NBA | location=New York |publisher=[[Simon & Schuster]] |pages=217–222 |isbn=0-8032-8766-6 |access-date=January 26, 2012 |ref=pluto2000}}</ref> Chamberlain countered he could have scored 140 if the Knicks "had played straight-up basketball."<ref name="maybe140"/> New York coach [[Eddie Donovan]] suggested, "The game was a farce. They would foul us and we would foul them."<ref name=cherry_p114/> The Knicks' Naulls stated, "The game was not a fluke ... I thought it was absolutely authentic."<ref name=pomerantz_p194/> Imhoff said Zinkoff's announcements did not help the Knicks' cause.<ref name=pomerantz_p195/>

[[Johnny Kerr]] of the [[Syracuse Nationals]] marveled, "How about this: He's the world's worst free-throw shooter and he's 28 out of 32!" Cousy figured the game must have gone out of control, just as when Cousy had 29&nbsp;assists when the Celtics scored 173&nbsp;points against Minneapolis. Boston coach [[Red Auerbach]] laughed, "He's playing against nobody." Bill Russell smiled and said, "The Big Fella finally did it."<ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], p. 189</ref> In a conversation with Naulls after the game, Chamberlain predicted he would win his NBA championships but still be known for his individualism, [[Russell–Chamberlain rivalry|versus Russell]], who was credited for making his team—the [[Boston Celtics]]—great.<ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], p. 186</ref> Two days after the historic feat, Chamberlain made a guest appearance on ''[[The Ed Sullivan Show]]''.<ref name=EdSullivan.com>{{cite web|title=Wilt Chamberlain 100 Point Game|url=http://www.edsullivan.com/wilt-chamberlain-100-point-game-video|work=EdSullivan.com|date=27 February 2012|publisher=SOFA Entertainment|access-date=February 27, 2012|archive-date=20 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320191042/http://www.edsullivan.com/wilt-chamberlain-100-point-game-video|url-status=live}}</ref>

Chamberlain finished the season with a record of 50.4&nbsp;points per game. He scored a single-season record 4,029 points, more than the division-winning [[1947–48 Philadelphia Warriors season|Warriors in 1947–48]] scored as a team. He played in a record 3,882&nbsp;minutes—including every minute of 79 (a record) of 80 games.<ref>[[#cherry2004|Cherry 2004]], pp. 106, 117</ref><ref name=pomerantz_p123/> He averaged 48.5 minutes per game. An NBA game is 48&nbsp;minutes, but Chamberlain played in 10&nbsp;overtime periods in seven games. He was second in the league in field goal percentage at .506 and made 61&nbsp;percent of his free throws, a career high.<ref>{{cite web |title=Wilt Scores 100! |work=NBA.com |publisher=NBA Media Ventures |url=http://www.nba.com/history/wilt100_moments.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120119113515/http://www.nba.com/history/wilt100_moments.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 19, 2012}}</ref><ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], p. 81</ref> The Warriors finished the season with a [[1961–62 Philadelphia Warriors season|49–31 record]]. They lost in the Eastern Division Finals of the [[1962 NBA playoffs#Eastern Division Finals|playoffs]] to the Celtics, losing the seventh game 109–107.<ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], p. 201</ref> The closest Chamberlain came again to 100 was 73 and 72 points the next season, when he also averaged 44.8&nbsp;points. The NBA in 1964 widened the [[lane (basketball)|lane]] from {{convert|12|ft|m}} to {{convert|16|ft|m}} to limit Chamberlain, and he averaged 36.9 that season.

==Legacy==
[[File:Wilt Chamberlain Bill Russell.jpg|thumb|Chamberlain (#13) predicted comparisons to [[Bill Russell]] (left).]]
The anniversary of the game was not widely commemorated until its silver anniversary in 1987. By that time, the NBA had grown to be a popular sports league with average attendance of 13,000 fans per game and star players such as [[Magic Johnson]], [[Larry Bird]], and [[Michael Jordan]].<ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], pp. 193–194</ref> The Warriors' PR director [[Harvey Pollack]] said an impossible 40,000 people claimed to have seen the game, and some even testified it took place in Madison Square Garden.<ref name="cherry" /> Chamberlain later stated it was one of his favorite games, but not ''the'' favorite: that title belonged to the match in which he grabbed an [[NBA regular season records|NBA record]] 55 rebounds against perennial rival [[Bill Russell]].<ref name="cherry" /> He did not want to feed the criticism that he was more interested in personal stardom than winning.<ref name=pomerantz_p199>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], p. 199</ref> Although Chamberlain won two NBA championships and was the NBA's all-time leading scorer and rebounder when he retired, [[Wilt Chamberlain#Legacy|he was mostly remembered]] as the man who had single-handedly scored 100 points in a game.<ref name="maybe140">{{cite web| publisher= ESPN| title= Wilt: 'I Maybe Could have Scored 140'| url= http://static.espn.go.com/nba/news/1999/1012/110687.html| access-date= 2009-03-03| archive-date= 2012-02-20| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120220032716/http://static.espn.go.com/nba/news/1999/1012/110687.html| url-status= live}}</ref> Chamberlain publicly embraced the 100-point game in his final years. On a radio show commemorating the game's 31st anniversary in 1993, he said, "As time goes by, I feel more a part of that 100-point game."<ref name=pomerantz_p196>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], p. 196</ref> He explained that growing up on the streets, he would have been derisively labelled a ''gunner'', a glory-hound, for attempting 63&nbsp;shots.<ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], pp. 159, 182, 196</ref> "You take that many shots on the playground, and no one ever wants you on their team again."<ref name=pluto_p223>[[#pluto2000|Pluto 2000]], p. 223</ref> He said he took shots he normally would not have, noting that in contests which he considered to be better he scored 50 to 60 points on around 75 percent shooting, as opposed to his 57 percent shooting in the 100-point game.<ref name=pluto_p223/> He was proud that people who knew nothing about basketball would point out the game to their kids when they saw him. 
<blockquote>
I know that it has been my tag. I am definitely proud of it. But it was definitely a team effort. You had to see some of the things my teammates did to get me the ball ... It was almost like a circus out there for a while.<ref name=pomerantz_p196/>
</blockquote>

Two other participants were profoundly affected. Knicks center [[Darrall Imhoff]] was branded as the player who let Chamberlain score 100 on him, although he only played 20 of 48&nbsp;minutes and was not on the court when it happened.<ref>[[#pluto2000|Pluto 2000]], p. 222</ref> On the other hand, the game immortalized little-used Warriors reserve player [[Joe Ruklick]] as the man who gave Chamberlain the 100th point assist.<ref name="cherry" /> Decades later, ''[[The New York Times]]'' interviewed Ruklick and found out that he refers to himself as "a walking footnote" of one of basketball's greatest moments.<ref name="ruklick" /> The game also produced the famous picture of Chamberlain sitting on a bench, holding up a paper with a scribbled "100". The photograph was actually a matter of improvisation: when Warriors PR manager Harvey Pollack entered the Warriors locker room, he took a paper and scribbled the number on it, and Associated Press photographer Paul Vathis<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/7622578/nba-wilt-chamberlain-100-point-game-50-years-later |title=Fifty years later: Wilt's 100-point game |publisher=ESPN |date=March 2, 2012 |access-date=March 3, 2012 |first=Donald |last=Hunt |archive-date=March 3, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120303032347/http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/7622578/nba-wilt-chamberlain-100-point-game-50-years-later |url-status=live }}</ref> who was at the game (not for professional reasons, but rather because he wanted to give his son a treat) took the now-famous photo.<ref name="cherry" /> Cherry calls it the "ultimate picture" of Wilt Chamberlain.<ref name="cherry" />
<!---needs page numbers before adding back into the text--->
<!---In the book ''Wilt, 1962'' (2005), sports journalist [[Gary M. Pomerantz]] used the 100-point game as a [[metaphor]], saying it proved that blacks could succeed in a world dominated by whites. In this book, Chamberlain acts as a symbol for Black America, and Imhoff is the pendant, standing for White America.<ref>{{cite book |last=Pomerantz |first=Gary M. |title=Wilt, 1962: The Night of 100 Points and the Dawn of a New Era |url=https://archive.org/details/wilt1962nightof00pome |url-access=registration |year=2005 |publisher=Crown |location=New York |ISBN= 1-4000-5160-6}}</ref>{{Page needed|date=February 2011}}--->

Chamberlain's 100 points is widely considered one of basketball's greatest records.<ref name=roundtable>{{cite news |title=Roundtable: Reliving Wilt's feats |date=March 2, 2010 |work=SI.com |publisher=Time Inc. |url=http://cnnsi.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?expire=&title=Wilt+Chamberlain%27s+100-point+game,+top+NBA+records,+more+musings+-+NBA+-+SI.com&urlID=421827677&action=cpt&partnerID=678937&fb=Y&url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/basketball/nba/03/02/roundtable.wilt/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130606060051/http://cnnsi.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?expire=&title=Wilt+Chamberlain%27s+100-point+game%2C+top+NBA+records%2C+more+musings+-+NBA+-+SI.com&urlID=421827677&action=cpt&partnerID=678937&fb=Y&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsportsillustrated.cnn.com%2F2010%2Fbasketball%2Fnba%2F03%2F02%2Froundtable.wilt%2Findex.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 6, 2013 |access-date=February 3, 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Sports' 10 Greatest Records |work=SportingNews.com |publisher=American City Business Journals | url=http://aol.sportingnews.com/125/sports-10-greatest-records/gallery/2/wilt-chamberlains-100 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111228100751/http://aol.sportingnews.com/125/sports-10-greatest-records/gallery/2/wilt-chamberlains-100 |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 28, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Are all sports records made to be broken? |date=July 21, 2007 |agency=Associated Press |publisher=Hearst Communications |work=Chron.com |url=http://www.chron.com/sports/rockets/article/Are-all-sports-records-made-to-be-broken-1632648.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140226035924/http://www.chron.com/sports/rockets/article/Are-all-sports-records-made-to-be-broken-1632648.php |url-status=live |archive-date=February 26, 2014}}</ref> Decades after his record was set, many NBA teams did not even average 100&nbsp;points, as fewer field goals per game were being attempted.<ref name=roundtable/> The closest any player has gotten to 100&nbsp;points was the [[Los Angeles Lakers]]' [[Kobe Bryant]], who scored 81 in a 122–104 win over the [[Toronto Raptors]] on January 22, 2006.<ref name=adande/><ref>{{cite news |last=Stein |first=Marc |title=Sorry, Wilt: You're no Kobe |date=January 24, 2006 |publisher=ESPN |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=stein_marc&id=2302749 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120130025525/http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=stein_marc&id=2302749 |url-status=live |archive-date=January 30, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap/_/gameId/260122013 |title=Toronto Raptors vs. Los Angeles Lakers recap |publisher=ESPN |date=January 22, 2006 |access-date=February 5, 2011 |archive-date=January 17, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120117001713/http://espn.go.com/nba/recap/_/id/260122013/toronto-raptors-vs-la-lakers-lakers |url-status=dead }}</ref> Whereas Chamberlain was fed repeatedly by teammates for inside shots in a blowout win, Bryant created his own shots—mostly from the outside—in a game which the Lakers trailed at halftime by 14 and did not pull away until the fourth quarter.<ref>{{cite news|last=Hoffman|first=Benjamin|title=In Most Areas, Good or Bad, Kobe Bryant Has Simply Done More|date=November 30, 2015|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/01/sports/basketball/kobe-bryant-los-angeles-lakers-retire.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151204160816/http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/01/sports/basketball/kobe-bryant-los-angeles-lakers-retire.html?_r=0|archive-date=December 4, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=helin_03022012/> Chamberlain, playing in an era when the games were paced faster and scoring opportunities were more plentiful,<ref name=helin_03022012>{{cite news|last=Helin|first=Kurt|title=What was more impressive: Chamberlain's 100 point game or Kobe's 81?|date=March 2, 2012|work=Pro Basketball Talk|url=http://nba.nbcsports.com/2012/03/02/what-was-more-impressive-chamberlains-100-point-game-or-kobes-81/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208073950/http://nba.nbcsports.com/2012/03/02/what-was-more-impressive-chamberlains-100-point-game-or-kobes-81/|archive-date=December 8, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Young|first=Royce|title=Better scoring night: Kobe's 81 or Wilt's 100?|date=March 2, 2012|website=CBSSports.com|url=http://www.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/22748484/35060192/12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151211210859/http://www.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/22748484/35060192/12|archive-date=December 11, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> accounted for 59% of his team's points, compared to Bryant scoring 66% of the Lakers' points.<ref>{{cite news|last=Tramel|first=Barry|title=Kobe vs. Wilt|date=January 26, 2006|newspaper=The Oklahoman|url=http://newsok.com/article/2929053|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208125430/http://newsok.com/article/2929053|archive-date=December 8, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Chase|first=Chris|title=40 stats you won't believe about Kobe Bryant's historic NBA career|date=December 1, 2015|newspaper=USA Today|url=http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/12/kobe-bryant-stats-record-most-games-20-years-most-missed-shots-81-points-stats-michael-jordan-lakers|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151205031320/http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/12/kobe-bryant-stats-record-most-games-20-years-most-missed-shots-81-points-stats-michael-jordan-lakers|archive-date=December 5, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> Bryant afterwards said Chamberlain's record was "unthinkable ... It's pretty exhausting to think about it."<ref>{{cite news |last=Bresnahan |first=Mike |title=81 for the Books |date=January 23, 2006 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-jan-23-sp-lakers23-story.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140303052704/http://articles.latimes.com/2006/jan/23/sports/sp-lakers23 |url-status=live |archive-date=March 3, 2014}}</ref> [[David Thompson (basketball)|David Thompson]] broke Chamberlain's record for points in a quarter by scoring 32 in the first quarter of his 73-point game.<ref group=note>[[George Gervin]] broke that record seven hours later by scoring 33.</ref> [[Adrian Dantley]] tied the record of 28 free throws made in a regular season game on January 4, 1984, but through the [[2010–11 NBA season|2010–11 season]], all of Chamberlain's other records set that day still stand.<ref>{{cite web |author=Through the 2004–05 Season |url=http://www.nba.com/history/records/regular_points.html |title=Regular Season Records: Points |work=NBA.com |access-date=February 5, 2011 |archive-date=May 27, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120527201429/http://www.nba.com/history/records/regular_points.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Twenty years after the Warriors and Knicks combined for 316 points, the [[1981–82 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio Spurs]] defeated the [[1981–82 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee Bucks]] 171–166 in triple overtime on March 6, 1982, for a total of 337 points. That record was broken more quickly, as the [[1983–84 Detroit Pistons season|Detroit Pistons]] defeated the [[1983–84 Denver Nuggets season|Denver Nuggets]] 186–184 (also in triple overtime) on December 13, 1983, for 370 points.<ref>[http://www.nba.com/history/this_date_march.html This Date in History] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100321143926/http://www.nba.com/history/this_date_march.html |date=2010-03-21 }}. NBA.com. Retrieved on January 6, 2012.</ref>

Pomerantz wrote in his 2005 book that the lack of videotape of the 100-point game "only added to its mystique."<ref name=pomerantz_p194>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], p. 194</ref> For a while, NBA Commissioner [[David Stern]]'s office phone would play Campbell's call of the 100-point basket to callers on hold: "He made it! He made it! He made it! A Dipper Dunk!"<ref name=pomerantz_p199/> {{anchor|Kerry Ryman}}Kerry Ryman, who was 14 years old when he attended the game, said that he left the arena with the basketball that Chamberlain used to score his famous basket. The ball was auctioned by Leland's Auction in 2000 for $551,844, which was the then-third highest sports memorabilia auction price. After controversy over the ball's authenticity, the sale was suspended. The ball was relisted months later and sold for $67,791.<ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], pp. 177–179, 186–187, 208–215</ref><ref name=rovell>{{cite news |last=Rovell |first=Darren |title=Collectors already cashing in on hoop star |date=July 22, 2002 |publisher=ESPN |url=https://www.espn.com/sportsbusiness/s/2002/0227/1341476.html |access-date=January 26, 2012 |archive-date=January 1, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110101143057/http://espn.go.com/sportsbusiness/s/2002/0227/1341476.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Attles stated that Chamberlain gave him the actual 100-point ball.<ref name=pluto_p223/><ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], p. 213</ref> In 2014, [[Josh Pastner]], then head coach of the [[Memphis Tigers men's basketball|Memphis Tigers]], stated that his father, who was a ballboy for the Warriors, had taped the game starting in the second quarter. Pastner's father had been attempting to locate the footage among his many boxes, but he also conceded that the footage might be lost.<ref>{{cite news|last=Gardner|first=Sam|title=Does footage of Chamberlain's 100-point game actually exist?|date=January 13, 2014|url=http://msn.foxsports.com/buzzer/story/does-video-of-chamberlain-s-100-point-game-actually-exist-011314|work=FoxSports.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140114230843/http://msn.foxsports.com/buzzer/story/does-video-of-chamberlain-s-100-point-game-actually-exist-011314|archive-date=January 14, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1961–1962, the NBA's three highest scoring averages were by black players (Chamberlain, Baylor, [[Walt Bellamy]]).<ref name=pomerantz_p123>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], p.123</ref> [[Oscar Robertson]], a [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame|Hall of Famer]], believes the NBA would have lost its small television contract and not survived without the emergence of black superstars. "People heard about Wilt scoring a 100, averaging 50 a night, and they wanted to see the guy do it ... I believe Wilt Chamberlain single-handedly saved the league."<ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], p. 5</ref> Naulls wrote, "Wilt had rung the bell of freedom loud and clear, shouting, 'Let my people be free to express themselves.' For we were and will be for all time those who withstood the humiliation of racial quotas even to the point of the NBA's facing extinction because of retarded expression and stagnating growth."<ref>[[#pomerantz|Pomerantz 2005]], p. 204</ref>

In 2016, the extant fourth quarter audio recording of the 100-point game was added to the [[National Recording Registry]] for its "cultural, artistic and/or historical significance to American society and the nation's aural legacy."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.loc.gov/item/prn-16-056/national-recording-registry-recognizes-mack-the-knife-motown-and-mahler/2016-03-23/ |title=National Recording Registry Recognizes "Mack the Knife", Motown and Mahler |date=March 23, 2016 |website=Library of Congress |access-date=August 4, 2020 |archive-date=November 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201126213712/https://www.loc.gov/item/prn-16-056/national-recording-registry-recognizes-mack-the-knife-motown-and-mahler/2016-03-23/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Box score==
Source<ref>{{cite web| title = Wilt's 100-Point Game Box Score| work = [[Philadelphia 76ers]]| publisher = NBA.com| url = http://www.nba.com/sixers/news/wilt_boxscore.html| access-date = January 6, 2012| archive-date = March 4, 2012| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120304022835/http://www.nba.com/sixers/news/wilt_boxscore.html| url-status = live}}</ref>

{{basketballbox|bg=#eee
|date=March 2, 1962
|place=[[Hershey Sports Arena]], [[Hershey, Pennsylvania]]
|referee=Willie Smith and Pete D'Ambrosio
|attendance=4,124
|team1='''[[Philadelphia Warriors]]'''
|score1='''169'''
|points1=[[Wilt Chamberlain]] 100
|rebounds1=[[Wilt Chamberlain]] 25
|assist1=[[Guy Rodgers]] 20
|team2=[[New York Knicks]]
|score2=147
|points2=[[Richie Guerin]] 39
|rebounds2=[[Dave Budd]] 10
|assist2=[[Richie Guerin]] 6
|Q1=42–26 |Q2=37–42 |Q3=46–38 |Q4=44–41
|report=[http://www.nba.com/sixers/news/wilt_boxscore.html Boxscore]
}}
<br>
{| class="toccolours" style="font-size:90%; white-space:nowrap"
|-
!colspan="10" style="background-color:#F2F2F2; border: 1px solid #AAAAAA"|Legend
|-
|width="30" style="text-align:center; background-color:#F2F2F2; border:1px solid black"|Pos
|width="125"|[[Basketball positions|Position]]
|width="30" style="text-align:center; background-color:#F2F2F2; border:1px solid black"|Min
|width="125"|Minutes played
|style="text-align:center; background-color:#F2F2F2; border:1px solid black"|FGM
|[[Field goal (basketball)|Field goals]] made
|style="text-align:center; background-color:#F2F2F2; border:1px solid black"|FGA
|Field goals attempted
|style="text-align:center; background-color:#F2F2F2; border:1px solid black"|FTM
|[[Free throws]] made
|-
|style="text-align:center; background-color:#F2F2F2; border:1px solid black"|FTA
|Free throws attempted
|style="text-align:center; background-color:#F2F2F2; border:1px solid black"|Reb
|[[Rebound (basketball)|Rebounds]]
|style="text-align:center; background-color:#F2F2F2; border:1px solid black"|Ast
|[[Assist (basketball)|Assists]]
|style="text-align:center; background-color:#F2F2F2; border:1px solid black"|PF
|[[Personal foul (basketball)|Personal fouls]]
|style="text-align:center; background-color:#F2F2F2; border:1px solid black"|Pts
|[[Point (basketball)|Points]]
|}
{{col-begin}}{{col-2}}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center; font-size:95%"
|+Philadelphia Warriors
|-
|'''Player'''
|'''{{abbr|Pos|Position}}'''
|'''{{abbr|Min|Minutes played}}'''
|'''{{abbr|FGM|Field goals made}}'''
|'''{{abbr|FGA|Field goals attempted}}'''
|'''{{abbr|FTM|Free throws made}}'''
|'''{{abbr|FTA|Free throws attempted}}'''
|'''{{abbr|Reb|Rebounds}}'''
|'''{{abbr|Ast|Assists}}'''
|'''{{abbr|PF|Personal fouls}}'''
|'''{{abbr|Pts|Points}}'''
|-
|{{sortname|Paul|Arizin}}
|[[Forward (basketball)|F]]
|31
|7
|18
|2
|2
|5
|4
|0
|16
|-
|{{sortname|Tom|Meschery}}
|F
|40
|7
|12
|2
|2
|7
|3
|4
|16
|-
|{{sortname|Wilt|Chamberlain}}
|[[Center (basketball)|C]]
|48
|36
|63
|28
|32
|25
|2
|2
|100
|-
|{{sortname|Guy|Rodgers}}
|[[Guard (basketball)|G]]
|48
|1
|4
|9
|12
|7
|20
|5
|11
|-
|{{sortname|Al|Attles}}
|G
|34
|8
|8
|1
|1
|5
|6
|4
|17
|-
|{{sortname|York|Larese}}
|
|14
|4
|5
|1
|1
|1
|2
|5
|9
|-
|{{sortname|Ed|Conlin}}
|
|14
|0
|4
|0
|0
|4
|1
|1
|0
|-
|{{sortname|Joe|Ruklick}}
|
|8
|0
|1
|0
|2
|2
|1
|2
|0
|-
|{{sortname|Ted|Luckenbill}}
|
|3
|0
|0
|0
|0
|1
|0
|2
|0
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:left;" colspan="7"|{{Hs|01}}Team rebounds
|3
|colspan=3|
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:left;" colspan="2"|{{Hs|02}}'''Team totals'''
|'''240'''
|'''63'''
|'''115'''
|'''43'''
|'''52'''
|'''60'''
|'''39'''
|'''25'''
|'''169'''
|}
{{col-2}}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center; font-size:95%"
|+New York Knicks
|-
|'''Player'''
|'''{{abbr|Pos|Position}}'''
|'''{{abbr|Min|Minutes played}}'''
|'''{{abbr|FGM|Field goals made}}'''
|'''{{abbr|FGA|Field goals attempted}}'''
|'''{{abbr|FTM|Free throws made}}'''
|'''{{abbr|FTA|Free throws attempted}}'''
|'''{{abbr|Reb|Rebounds}}'''
|'''{{abbr|Ast|Assists}}'''
|'''{{abbr|PF|Personal fouls}}'''
|'''{{abbr|Pts|Points}}'''
|-
|{{sortname|Willie|Naulls}}
|[[Forward (basketball)|F]]
|43
|9
|22
|13
|15
|7
|2
|5
|31
|-
|{{sortname|Johnny|Green|Johnny Green (basketball)}}
|F
|21
|3
|7
|0
|0
|7
|1
|5
|6
|-
|{{sortname|Darrall|Imhoff}}
|[[Center (basketball)|C]]
|20
|3
|7
|1
|1
|6
|0
|6
|7
|-
|{{sortname|Richie|Guerin}}
|[[Guard (basketball)|G]]
|46
|13
|29
|13
|17
|8
|6
|5
|39
|-
|{{sortname|Al|Butler}}
|G
|32
|4
|13
|0
|0
|7
|3
|1
|8
|-
|{{sortname|Cleveland|Buckner}}
|
|33
|16
|26
|1
|1
|8
|0
|4
|33
|-
|{{sortname|Dave|Budd}}
|
|27
|6
|8
|1
|1
|10
|1
|1
|13
|-
|{{sortname|Donnie|Butcher}}
|
|18
|3
|6
|4
|6
|3
|4
|5
|10
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:left;" colspan="7"|{{Hs|01}}Team rebounds
|4
|colspan=3|
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:left;" colspan="2"|{{Hs|02}}'''Team totals'''
|'''240'''
|'''57'''
|'''118'''
|'''33'''
|'''41'''
|'''60'''
|'''17'''
|'''32'''
|'''147'''
|}
{{col-end}}

;Wilt Chamberlain's statistics by quarter
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center; font-size:95%"
|-
|'''Quarter'''
|'''{{abbr|Min|Minutes played}}'''
|'''{{abbr|FGM|Field goals made}}'''
|'''{{abbr|FGA|Field goals attempted}}'''
|'''{{abbr|FTM|Free throws made}}'''
|'''{{abbr|FTA|Free throws attempted}}'''
|'''{{abbr|Reb|Rebounds}}'''
|'''{{abbr|Ast|Assists}}'''
|'''{{abbr|PF|Personal fouls}}'''
|'''{{abbr|Pts|Points}}'''
|-
|1st
|12
|7
|14
|9
|9
|10
|0
|0
|23
|-
|2nd
|12
|7
|12
|4
|5
|4
|1
|1
|18
|-
|3rd
|12
|10
|16
|8
|8
|6
|1
|0
|28
|-
|4th
|12
|12
|21
|7
|10
|5
|0
|1
|31
|}

==See also==
{{Portal|Sports}}
*[[List of basketball players who have scored 100 points in a single game]]
*[[List of career achievements by Wilt Chamberlain]]

==Notes==
<references group=note/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.nba.com/video/channels/originals/2011/03/01/20110302_wilt_100.nba/ Video: Wilt's 100 Point Game] at NBA.com. ([[Adobe Flash]])

{{Good article}}

{{Golden State Warriors}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chamberlain, Wilt}}
[[Category:Wilt Chamberlain|100 points]]
[[Category:1961–62 NBA season]]
[[Category:New York Knicks games]]
[[Category:Philadelphia Warriors games]]
[[Category:Sports in Hershey, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:NBA games]]
[[Category:1962 in sports in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:March 1962 sports events in the United States]]
[[Category:United States National Recording Registry recordings]]
[[Category:Nicknamed sporting events]]