On this day in 1966, Boston Celtics legendary coach and GM Red Auerbach announced big man Bill Russell would replace him as head coach.
Earlier in the season, Auerbach revealed the 1965-66 NBA season would be his last as head coach, and after losing Game 1 of the 1966 Finals, the Celtics luminary revealed Russell would succeed him.
The Louisiana native would become the first African American head coach of any major professional sports team in North America — never mind basketball — and Boston would go on to win the 1966 NBA championship.
Auerbach would stay on as the team’s general manager until late in the 1980s.