Today in Boston Celtics history, The Boston Celtics, a newly-formed professional basketball franchise, played their first home game in 1946 in the Basketball Association of America (BAA), a precursor to the NBA.
The game resulted in a narrow loss, 57-55, to the now-defunct Chicago Stags (not to be confused with the later Chicago Bulls). Two Celtics players scored in double figures, including guard Johnny Simmons, who contributed 13 points from 6 field goals and a free throw. However, much of what else went on in that game remains unknown, as many statistics were not recorded during this early era of the sport.
Wyndol Gray scored 12 points as well, and future star of television and film Chuck Connors added 8 points in the loss.
Historic milestones
Dino Radja played
his first game for Boston on this date in 1993 in a 111-108 loss to the New York Knicks in which Radja scored 15 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and a block. It was also big man Acie Earl's first game with the team, in which he logged 15 points to go with his 4 boards and a steal.
Ramón Rivas debuted for the team in 1988 in a 129-115 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on this date as well. Rivas pulled down 3 rebounds while missing both of his field-goal attempts.
33 years to the day earlier, forwards Dick Hemric and Jim Loscutoff played their first minutes for the team in 1955 in a 98-87 win over the (then) Philadelphia (now, Golden State) Warriors. The Wake Forest alum scored 5 points, going 2-for-4 from the floor, while the future seven-time champ Loscy got 3 points and 2 assists.
Birthdays
It is also former Celtic center Bill Walton's birthday, born today in 1952 in La Mesa, California. A UCLA alum, Walton was taken first overall in the 1974 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers and would play for that team and the (then) San Diego Clippers (now, Los Angeles) before being dealt to the Celtics for Cedric Maxwell.
Walton had engineered the trade himself after reaching out to the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston, with Boston more inclined to take on the risk of his frequent injuries. The UCLA alum won a title with the team that season (and take the team to see the Grateful Dead that fall on his birthday), playing for the Celtics for 90 games spread over two seasons. He averaged 7 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game with Boston – rest in peace.
Gone too soon
Finally, it is also the date of former Celtics center Gene Englund's passing in 1995.
An alumnus of the University of Wisconsin, Englund signed with the Celtics as a free agent at the start of the 1949-50 NBA season, who he played 24 games for before being dealt to the (then) Tri-Cities Blackhawks (now, Atlanta Hawks).
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This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Today in Boston Celtics history: Cs' 1st home game; Walton born; Radja, Rivas, Loscy debut; Englund passes
