Celtics and Red Auerbach Unveil the "Red Auerbach Award"

BOSTON (March 20, 2006) - The Boston Celtics and Team President Arnold "Red" Auerbach have announced the formation of the "Red Auerbach Award." The annual honor will be bestowed upon an active player at the end of the regular season personally selected by the Celtics patriarch. The player will be selected based upon his ability to best exemplify the spirit and meaning of what it means to be a Boston Celtic. This season's "Red Auerbach Award" recipient will be announced prior to tip-off of the Celtics game vs. the New Jersey Nets on Friday, April 14 at the T.D. Banknorth Garden.

The award is named in honor of the legendary Coach, General Manager and President of the Boston Celtics, Arnold "Red" Auerbach. Coach Auerbach, a member of the National Basketball Association since its formation in 1946, has been with the Celtics since 1950. He guided the Celtics to all 16 of their World Championships, and was enshrined in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1968. When the NBA chose its Silver Anniversary Team honoring the best of the league's first 25 years, Coach Auerbach was chosen as coach of that distinguished team. In 1982, he was elected to the Washington Hall of Stars, a Hall of Fame which involves people from all sports. Coach Auerbach was also honored as NBA Coach of the Year in 1965, winning the trophy that now bears his name; and NBA Executive of the Year in 1980. Also in that year, he was selected to the NBA's 35th Anniversary Team as "Greatest Coach in the History of the NBA," by the PBWAA.

On January 4, 1985, the Celtics saluted Auerbach when they retired the number "2" in his honor. On Coach Auerbach's 68th birthday, September 20, 1985, a life-size sculpture of Auerbach was unveiled and placed in Boston's historic Faneuil Hall Marketplace so the public would have a lasting tribute to this basketball genius and legend. In addition, Coach Auerbach has received seven honorary degrees from various institutions, and is the author of seven books.