Chamberlain’s Palace: Wilt Thou Buy It?

The reality of Wilt Chamberlain’s home is more nuanced than “For Sale: Palace of a Playboy” (July 30) would lead one to surmise. In the course of writing a biography of Wilt, I’ve been in the home twice these past 18 months. Yes, Wilt seduced a lot of women in the house, and yes, there is--or was--a room with a water bed. But I also saw bookcases in Wilt’s second-floor hallway--hundreds of books that had obviously been read: books on history and biography; Jimmy Carter’s “Turning Point”; “Me” by Katherine Hepburn; “Russia and War--1941-45”; “Wonders of Life on Earth”; books on the stars (i.e., the universe, not Liz Taylor or Mel Gibson). And I saw the telescope in Wilt’s bedroom, through which he liked to gaze at the marvels of the sky; and in another room the saxophone that he was learning to play the last months of his life; and the game board located in his sunken living room, on which he played marathon backgammon games.

I’ve interviewed a half-dozen of Wilt’s close friends who recalled the everyday rhythm of life in the house--watching a sporting event or old movie, having a beer or glass of wine. Wilt loved to cook and entertain, so there were steaks to grill and everyone helped clean up, for there were no maids or servants; that wasn’t Wilt’s style.

Yes, some rooms and some small aspects of the house reflect Wilt’s sybaritic personality. But the house--warm, unique and special (like its owner)--was much more than a place for Wilt to bed babes, as he was much more than a tall Casanova who played basketball.

Robert Cherry

Wynnewood, Pa.

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Apparently The Times’ editors deem the piece on Chamberlain’s house worthy of Column One. Again and again I see The Times squandering its unique chance to inform a large number of people about the important, exciting, terrible and riveting things that happen in the world and instead printing stories that hardly qualify as news. It only confirms the stereotype of Angelenos as narrow, superficial people who are more interested in the lives of celebrities than in events that affect all of us.

Hana Askren

Los Angeles