On this day in Boston Celtics history, seven-time champion small forward Frank Vernon Ramsey Jr. was born in Corydon, Kentucky in 1931. The young Ramsey would play multiple sports at the collegiate level, which he did with the nearby University of Kentucky Wildcats.
The Corydon native would play baseball as well as basketball under famed Kentucky coach Adolph Rupp and would help his Wildcats win an NCAA championship in 1951 over the Kansas State Wildcats. Kentucky would get the so-called “death penalty” due to a point-shaving scandal (Ramsey was not among those accused) the following season which in turn removed the senior season for the Kentuckian and his future teammates on the Celtics as well, Cliff Hagan and Lou Tsioropoulos.
The trio graduated in 1953 and were all drafted by Boston, Ramsey going fifth overall.