On this day in Boston Celtics history, in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, former Boston Celtic forward Francis H. Mahoney was born in 1927.
Better known as “Mo” for a nickname during his tenure with the Celtics, the New Yorker played his college ball with Rhode Island’s Brown University. During his time there, he earned a Bachelor’s degree in English, and unlike today’s players, Mahoney did not make the jump to pro ball in the NBA immediately after college, electing to serve his country instead, enlisting in the U.S. Army to fight in the Korean War between 1950 and 1952.
Before he went overseas, however, Mahoney was selected by the Celtics with the 62nd overall pick (there were many more rounds in that era) of the 1950 NBA draft.