Today in Boston Celtics history, iconic Hall of Fame head coach and general manager Arnold "Red" Auerbach passed away in 2006 at the age of 89. His basketball career remains unmatched to this day, with a total of nine championships as a coach and seven more in the role of an executive. Auerbach joined the Celtics organization in 1950 after coaching stints with the (now defunct) Washington Capitols in the Basketball Association of America (BAA) era of the league, and, later, serving as an assistant coach at Duke University in the college ranks.
Red – as he was often called – transformed the game with his emphasis on the fast break and team-focused play reliant on ball movement at all positions. His willingness to draft and play Black players in the midst
of the Jim Crow era of U.S. politics was also transformative. He drafted the first Black player in the NBA draft, Chuck Cooper, and fielded the first all-Black starting five in league history. Auerbach stepped down as head coach in 1966, naming player Bill Russell as the first Black head coach in modern North American sports history as he moved to the front office for the rest of his career.
He officially stepped down as general manager in 1984 but remained an integral part of the organization until his passing in 2006. Rest in peace.
Historic milestones
It is also the date of former Boston guard Terry Rozier's debut for the team, a 112-95 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. Rozier hardly saw the floor, playing just under two minutes, in which he produced a single rebound and missed both of his free throw attempts.
It is also Lester Hudson's debut anniversary with the Celtics in 2009. The Memphis native played his first minutes as a Celtic in a 92-59 shellacking of the (then) Charlotte Bobcats (now, Hornets). Hudson had a modest debut, putting up a rebound, an assist, and a steal in about 9:30 of floor time.
In a 126-89 obliteration of the Celtics by the New York Knicks, wing Rex Morgan debuted for Boston in 1970. The former Jacksonville University player had a solid first game, recording 6 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists across a dozen minutes.
Norm Cook played his first game on this date as well, a 112-105 win over the (then) Buffalo Braves (now, Celtics -- it's a long story) in 1976 at the Garden. It was a pretty short run for the former Kansas player, who had just enough time to log a personal foul in 2 minutes of play.
Celtics legend K.C. Jones coached his first game at Boston's helm, and it didn't exactly presage the pair of titles he later won. It came in a 127-121 loss to the Detroit Pistons on the road. Forward Kevin McHale led the team in scoring off the bench with 25 points and 15 rebounds.
Transactions
In 1965, Celtics legend Don Nelson signed with the team as a free agent after stints playing for the (now defunct) Chicago Zephyrs and Los Angeles Lakers.
Nelson played 11 seasons with Boston, winning five titles with the Celtics between 1966 and 1976.
Birthdays
Finally, it is also the birthday of former Boston point guard Michael Hawkins, born this day in 1972 in Canton, Ohio.
Hawkins played his college ball with the Xavier Musketeers and was signed by the Celtics as a free agent on 10-day contracts in 1997 that he would stretch into 29 games with the team on a rest-of-season deal.
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This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Today in Boston Celtics history: Red passes; Jones, Hudson, Rozier, Mickey, Morgan, Cook debut; Nelson signs
