Today in Boston Celtics history, the storied franchise signed Rubén Wolkowyski as an unrestricted free agent. Hailing from Buenos Aires, Argentina originally, Wolkowyski suited up for several clubs in his home country before securing a position with the Seattle SuperSonics in 2000.
After a few stints playing professionally in both Argentina and in Russia, the Boston big man surfaced on the Celtics' radar, inking a deal for one season with Boston. Wolkowyski was not exactly a Celtics long-hauler when he left the team; he played but a mere seven games for the ball club in a reserve role that season.
Over that brief stretch, he averaged just 0.7 points, 0.1 rebounds, and 0.1 assists per game, and was waived in February 2002.
Birthdays
Former Boston big man
Bob Kinney was born on this date in 1920 in Bexar County, Texas. He played his college ball with Rice and then for the (then) Fort Wayne (now, Detroit) Pistons before joining the Celtics via trade in 1949. Kinney played two seasons for Boston, averaging 10.8 points and 1.6 assists per game (rebounds were not yet tabulated).
Dan Dickau shares the birthday with him, born on this date in 1978. Dickau played collegiately for Gonzaga and was drafted 28th overall by the Sacramento Kings in the 2002 NBA Draft. He played for the Atlanta Hawks, Portland Trail Blazers, Dallas Mavericks, and (then) New Orleans Hornets (now, Pelicans) before being traded to the Celtics in 2005. The Portland native played 19 games with the team before rupturing his Achilles tendon. That summer, he was dealt to the Blazers. He averaged 3.3 points per game and 2.1 assists per game with Boston.
Charlie Hoefer was also born on this date, in 1921 in Frankfurt, Germany. A graduate of Queens College, Hoefer was dealt from the Toronto Huskies to the team for Red Wallace. He played 35 games for Boston in its inaugural season, 1946-47, and seven more the following season before retiring from league to play in the American Basketball League, primarily for the Wilmington Bombers.
Gone too soon
Finally, it's also the date of ex-Celtics vice president Dave Gavitt's passing in 2011. While his tenure replacing legendary Boston exec Red Auerbach was not a particularly successful one, the man was a giant in the sport.
Better known for his role in helping put together the Big East Conference at the NCAA level and his work with USA Basketball, Gavitt's passing was a tremendous loss for the sport.
This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Today in Boston Celtics history: Wolkowyski signed; Dickau, Kinney, Hoefer born
