Big dipping into the Wilt files

NOT COUNTING the sportsbook at Caesars Palace, the greatest place in the world is the Daily News/Inquirer library. There are newspaper clippings and pictures dating back to the 1920s that makes you feel like you're jumping into the deep end of a time-machine swimming pool.

In honor of tomorrow's 50th anniversary of Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game, here is a sampling of just a few things from his clip files:

* "When that 100th point went in, I was just thinking, 'Now I can stop running up and down this court like a fool.' "

* Wilt insisted on giving the game ball from the 1967 championship to the wife of the late owner who brought him to the Sixers via trade. "I'm going to present the ball to Mrs. Ike Richman in honor of the late Ike Richman, who is somebody I think you'll agree deserves this."

* Wilt was denied the opportunity to buy a home in an affluent San Francisco neighborhood because he was black, the San Francisco Chronicle reported in 1962. The asking price of the home was $39,950 and Chamberlain's contract that year was for $65k.

* Wilt's teammates once had a pool to guess the exact mileage on a bus trip back from Syracuse. Each player got a guess for a dollar. Wilt, who was last, surveyed all the picks and threw up 44 dollars for 44 selections. He had the winner until Eddie Gottlieb directed the bus to take an alternate route. Wilt's protests ended the owner's ploy. "What some people won't do for money," Wilt grumbled.

* "There is no doubt in my mind that if Russell directed his efforts toward that end, he could raise his scoring average from 19 to 30 without any difficulty," Chamberlain once explained. "But he realizes defense is more important to the structure of the Celtics. That gives them the one phase of the game they would lack if Bill concentrated on shooting. On the other hand, our short suit is scoring and that's what I've got to do to give the Warriors the best advantage."

Tomorrow: Part 2