Astute fans of the Boston Celtics don’t need any explanation as to why the storied franchise chose to retire a jersey number to honor Arnold “Red” Auerbach, a man who never played a single minute for the Celtics. But for those still learning the lore of their favorite team, the legendary coach and team president had a hand in all but one of Boston’s 17 titles.
The feat has not been bested by any front office occupant in NBA history and a singular achievement in North American sports more generally. The Celtics organization honored the iconic executive in 1985, raising the No. 2 jersey to the rafters in honor of his accomplishments with the team.
Auerbach was a true giant of the game, and Bostonians reaped the rewards for generations.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A066A61kzQI
To get a look back at that historic day, check out the video embedded above courtesy of CLNS Media.
This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook!