On this present day in Boston Celtics historical past, legendary Boston Celtics head coach and supervisor Arnold Jacob “Pink” Auerbach was born in Brooklyn, New York Metropolis, New York in 1917. The winningest entrance workplace government in North American skilled sports activities historical past with 16 titles to his credit score as a coach or normal supervisor, Auerbach was additionally a socially aware ally of Black gamers.
He drafted the primary black participant (Chuck Cooper, 1950), fielded the primary all-black beginning 5 (1964), and employed the primary black head coach (Invoice Russell, 1968) in trendy North American sports activities historical past. The son of Russian Jewish immigrants, Auerbach obtained an athletic scholarship to George Washington College. There, he grew to become a disciple of the quick break whereas incomes a grasp’s diploma
Whereas at George Washington, he started his teaching profession at St. Albans College and Roosevelt Excessive College in Washington, D.C. The long run Celtics large continued teaching for Navy when he signed on for a three-year tour in 1943.
He later used his Navy connections to safe a place as coach of the now-defunct Washington Capitols within the newly shaped Basketball Affiliation of America (BAA), a precursor to the NBA. After disagreements with possession, Auerbach served briefly as an assistant coach at Duke earlier than briefly turning into coach of the Tri-Cities Blackhawks (now the Atlanta Hawks). He landed the place in Boston on the advice of his gamers to proprietor Walter A. Brown.
Though it took him half a decade to form the group in keeping with his imaginative and prescient by recruiting or buying and selling Corridor of Famers Bob Cousy and Invoice Sharman, it paid off for the franchise. The primary title got here the season after he drafted Invoice Russell, Tommy Heinsohn and Ok.C. Jones, in 1957.
Many others adopted, and Auerbach rose from coach to normal supervisor. Russell changed him as coach in 1968. Auerbach remained lively in Celtics affairs till the flip of the millennium, when he was unceremoniously pushed out by Rick Pitino.
He died of a coronary heart assault in 2006 – relaxation in peace, Pink.
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This text was initially printed on Celtics Wire: Historical past of the Celtics: Start of Legendary Boston Coach and President Pink Auerbach
