Wilt Chamberlain and his 20,000 lovers

A few things about Wilt the Stilt are beyond doubt. He was over 7 feet tall, went to college at Kansas, was the only player in NBA history to score 100 points in a single game, and tragically died in 1999 at the age of 63 from a heart attack.

And then there's a few other things that are questionable at best. The most notable, of course, is his claim to have "had his way" with over 20,000 women. Chamberlain uttered that statement in 1991, when he was 55 years old. Wilt said that averaged out to a little over one per day, every day, since he had been 15 years old. Actually, his math was a little off.

When one crunches the numbers, multiplies 40 years by 365 days a pop, no pun intended, and divides by 20,000, it comes out to about 73%. So OK, maybe he took a day off once in a while. Overall, this wouldn't seem to be totally out of line with your average red-blooded American he-man's libido from ages 15-55. From "rabbithood" in high school and college, through, say, 30 years of marriage(s) and/or significant others along the way, 20,000 times "getting lucky" is a semi-believable number over those same 40 years.

But Wilt claimed his conquests were with 20,000 DIFFERENT women. Granted, over the years it's been revealed a few pro athletes had a "girl in every port", and some have been known to "play the field" a bit more vigorously than others. But 20,000 different ones? There's diversity, and then there's diversity, but this stretched the limits of the imagination. A new one almost every day, 365, for 40 years?  And out of all those 20,000 women, all were happy to merrily go on their way after a single romp in the sack with Wilt with no hanger's-on or subsequent in-fighting? That might work with sheep, but when it comes to human women, what's the chances of that happening? Count yours truly as highly skeptical.

Of course, Wilt once also said he drove from New York City to Los Angeles in 36 hours. Is it theoretically possible? Yes, if one can average about 80 MPH for the entire trip. Thing is, from NYC to LA is about 2800 miles by car. This is not to doubt Wilt could stay awake and drive for 36 hours straight -- one doesn't rack up 20,000 scores unless they have some serious stamina -- and he might even have had a cooler full of food and drink to keep on trucking down the road. Maybe even a milk jug or bucket to take care of another, ahem, necessity.

But 2800 miles is 2800 miles. There had to be a few gas stops along the way, likely at least 5 or 6. Factor those in, and how fast would he have had to average for 36 hours straight? Maybe 90 MPH? All the way across the country? Nah, didn't happen. No way.

Nevertheless, though Wilt Chamberlain may have embellished a tale or two here and there, he will forever be a part of American folklore. And well he should be.

Not everybody grows up to be over 7 feet tall, scores 100 points in a pro basketball game, fascinates the American public, and even makes some very cool TV ad spots along the way.

Remember him getting into a Volkswagen Beetle? Good stuff.

Better yet as a patron when the bartender (Ted Cassidy -- Lurch of The Addams Family fame) called him "shorty". Priceless.

R.I.P. wherever you are Wilt. The world could use a lot more folks in it that are as entertaining as you once were.

But 20,000 different ones? Sorry, dude, never did buy that one.......