By Marc D'Amico
Celtics.com
July 8, 2011
There are a few things you immediately think of when the words “Boston Celtics” are uttered. You think championships. You think class. You think Bird, Russell and the rest of the list of legendary players who have played in Boston. But the one name that has become synonymous with the Celtics is Arnold “Red” Auerbach.
Auerbach joined the Celtics in 1950 and was with the team until his passing on Oct. 28, 2006. Though he is no longer with us, there is no doubt that his legendary status will live on forever within the organization.
He once famously stated that, “The Boston Celtics are not a basketball team, they are a way of life.” His players and peers within the organization took that statement to heart, and that mindset led the C’s to unprecedented success during his lengthy tenure in Boston.
The impact Auerbach made on Boston’s franchise was both immediate and longstanding. From his arrival in 1950 through 1966, he led the Celtics to nine world titles, including eight straight from 1959-1966. Throughout his coaching career with the Celtics, Auerbach racked up an overall regular-season record of 938-479 and a playoff record of 99-69. He chose to step away from coaching duties following the 1966-67 season in order to concentrate on his responsibilities as General Manager, but his success certainly did not stop there.
The NBA's Coach of the Year award, which was given this past season to current Chicago Bulls head coach and former Celtics assistant coach Tom Thibodeau, is named after Red Auerbach.Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE/Getty
After appointing Bill Russell, who was chosen with a draft pick Auerbach acquired from the St. Louis Hawks, as player-coach, Boston continued to add championships to its already-cluttered trophy case. The Celtics added titles in 1968 and 1969, then again in 1974 and 1976. All in all, 16 banners were raised to the rafters under Auerbach’s watchful eye.
Auerbach is regarded as the mastermind of all of that success, as he orchestrated handfuls of deals throughout his tenure that put the necessary bodies on Boston’s roster. As a result of that reputation, Auerbach was the recipient of numerous distinguished awards and honors throughout his career. He was elected into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1969, he was named the greatest coach in the history of the NBA by the Professional Basketball Writers Association of America, and he was awarded the NBA Coach of the Year award in 1965. That award now bears his name.
As you’d expect from such an accomplished career, Auerbach stockpiled memorabilia that any basketball fan would love to see with their own eyes. This year, Auerbach’s daughters, Nancy and Randy, have teamed up with SCP Auctions to allow fans around the world to not only see many of these pieces of memorabilia, but also to own them.
The three-part auction of Auerbach’s estate collection began back in the spring, with bids closing for the first portion of the series on April 30. The first installment of items included pieces such as four NBA championship rings (1981, 1957, 1962 and 1974), his Basketball Hall of Fame induction ring, and a game-worn Bob Cousy rookie jersey.
A photo of Red Auerbach's 1976 NBA championship ring, which is up for auction.SCP Auctions
Those amazing items may be long gone, but there are plenty more that can still be grabbed. Part two of the series, which is live right now and ends on July 13, is auctioning off plenty of Auerbach goodies. The list includes: his 1976 NBA championship ring; his 1953 inaugural All-Star game humidor; a 1971 NBA Silver Anniversary Coaches Award; an engraved 1980-81 Celtics NBA championship watch; his presentational Hamilton watch for being named the greatest coach in NBA history for the league’s 35th anniversary; and a 1981 Celtics world champions desk clock (which was presented by Boston Mayor Kevin White).
If any of those items intrigue you, you’re not the only one. The auction has garnered plenty of attention from memorabilia enthusiasts and has been a complete success thus far. Part two of the auction concludes on July 13, and part three will run from Aug. 28-Sept. 14.
Auerbach made the claim that the Celtics “are a way of life,” and he certainly abided by that statement. He put his heart and soul into the Celtics’ organization for nearly 60 years and built the team’s success from the ground up.
Along the way, he gathered endless memories of success. Now, several items that served as his reminders to those memories are publicly up for grabs.
You can visit the SCP Auctions site and see the Red Auerbach items by clicking here.