Red Auerbach facts for kids

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Red Auerbach

Auerbach in front of collage created by his brother, Zang Auerbach
Personal information
Born	(1917-09-20)September 20, 1917 Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Died	October 28, 2006(2006-10-28) (aged 89) Washington, D.C., U.S.
High school	Eastern District (Brooklyn, New York)
Listed height	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Listed weight	170 lb (77 kg)
Career information
College	Seth Low JC (1936–1937) George Washington (1937–1940)
Coaching career	1940–1966
Career history
As coach:
1940	St. Albans School
1940–1943	Roosevelt HS
1946–1949	Washington Capitols
1949–1950	Tri-Cities Blackhawks
1950–1966	Boston Celtics
Career highlights and awards
As head coach: 9× NBA champion (1957, 1959–1966) NBA Coach of the Year (1965) 11× NBA All-Star Game head coach (1957–1967) NBA anniversary team (25th, 35th) Top 10 Coaches in NBA History Top 15 Coaches in NBA History No. 2 retired by Boston Celtics As executive: 7× NBA champion (1968, 1969, 1974, 1976, 1981, 1984, 1986) NBA Executive of the Year (1980)

Arnold Jacob "Red" Auerbach (September 20, 1917 – October 28, 2006) was a famous American basketball coach and executive. He is best known for his time with the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Auerbach also coached the Washington Capitols and Tri-Cities Blackhawks.

As a coach, Red Auerbach won an amazing 938 games and nine NBA championships. After he stopped coaching in 1966, he became the Celtics' president and a top executive. In these roles, he helped the team win seven more NBA titles. This means he won a total of 16 championships in 29 years! This makes him one of the most successful people in sports history.

Auerbach changed how basketball was played. He believed in teamwork and strong defense. He also made the fast break a powerful way to score points. Many players he coached later joined the Basketball Hall of Fame. Red Auerbach also helped break down racial barriers in the NBA. He drafted the first African-American NBA player, Chuck Cooper, in 1950. In 1964, he started the first all-African-American lineup. Then, in 1966, he hired Bill Russell as the first African-American head coach in major North American sports.

Red Auerbach was famous for smoking a cigar when he knew his team had won. This became a symbol of victory for Celtics fans. In 1967, the NBA Coach of the Year award was even named the "Red Auerbach Trophy." He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1969.

Red Auerbach's Early Life

Arnold Jacob Auerbach was born in Brooklyn, New York. He was one of four children. His dad, Hyman, came from Russia. His mom, Marie, was American. His parents owned a deli and later a dry-cleaning business. Red grew up in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and loved playing basketball. Because of his red hair and fiery personality, people started calling him "Red."

During the Great Depression, Red played basketball as a guard. He played at PS 122 and Eastern District High School. In his last year of high school, he was named "Second Team All-Brooklyn." After one year at Seth Low Junior College, he got a scholarship to George Washington University. He was a great player and earned a master's degree in 1941. During these years, he realized how effective the fast break could be in basketball.

Red Auerbach's First Coaching Jobs (1940–1950)

In 1940, Auerbach started coaching basketball. He coached at St. Albans School and Roosevelt High School in Washington, D.C. Three years later, he joined the U.S. Navy for three years. He coached the Navy basketball team in Norfolk.

A wealthy man named Mike Uline noticed him there. Uline hired Red to coach the Washington Capitols. This team was part of the new Basketball Association of America (BAA). The BAA was a league that later became the NBA.

In the 1946–47 BAA season, Auerbach's team played a fast-break style. They had a great record of 49 wins and 11 losses. They even had a 17-game winning streak! But in the playoffs, they lost to the Chicago Stags.

The next year, the Capitols had a 28–20 record. They were knocked out of the playoffs early. In the 1948–49 BAA season, the team won their first fifteen games. They finished with 38 wins and 22 losses. They made it to the BAA Finals but lost to the Minneapolis Lakers. The Lakers had a famous player named George Mikan.

The next season, the BAA joined with another league to form the NBA. Auerbach wanted to rebuild his team. But the owner didn't agree, so Red resigned.

After leaving the Capitols, Auerbach briefly coached at Duke University. He then joined the Tri-Cities Blackhawks. The team owner let him rebuild the team completely. Red traded over two dozen players in just six weeks! The Blackhawks improved but still had a losing record. When the owner traded Red's favorite player, Red resigned again.

In 1950, Auerbach became the athletic director at Kutsher's Hotel. This hotel had a summer basketball league. Many players from New York City played there.

Red Auerbach and the Boston Celtics (1950–2006)

Starting with the Celtics (1950–1956)

Before the 1950–51 NBA season, the owner of the Boston Celtics, Walter Brown, needed help. His team was struggling and losing money. Local sportswriters told him to hire Red Auerbach, and Brown did.

In the 1950 NBA draft, Auerbach made some big decisions. He famously didn't pick Bob Cousy, a popular local player. Red thought Cousy was too flashy. But Cousy ended up with the Celtics anyway. Auerbach also drafted Chuck Cooper. Cooper was the first African-American player ever drafted by an NBA team. This was a huge step in breaking down the color barrier in basketball.

The Celtics team now had Ed Macauley, Bones McKinney, and Cousy. With Auerbach's fast-break style, they had a 39–30 record. But they lost in the playoffs. Red and Cousy's relationship got better. Red saw that Cousy was a fantastic player.

In the 1951–52 NBA season, Auerbach drafted another future Hall-of-Famer, Bill Sharman. With Macauley, Cousy, and Sharman, the Celtics played exciting, fast-paced basketball. Other important players like Frank Ramsey and Jim Loscutoff also joined.

From 1951 to 1956, the Celtics made the playoffs every year. But they never won the championship. They often struggled in the playoffs. Cousy said they would "get tired." So, Auerbach looked for a strong defensive player. He needed someone who could get rebounds and start fast breaks.

The Celtics Dynasty Years (1956–1966)

Auerbach sitting on the bench next to rookie Bill Russell during a game at Boston Garden, December 26, 1956. Bob Cousy can be seen in the background.

Before the 1956 NBA draft, Red Auerbach wanted Bill Russell. Russell was a great defensive player and rebounder. Red traded Ed Macauley and Cliff Hagan to get Russell. In the same draft, he also picked Tom Heinsohn and K.C. Jones. All three became Hall-of-Famers.

Auerbach taught his players that teamwork and defense were most important. He wanted them to play tough defense. This would force opponents to make mistakes. Then, the Celtics could get easy points on fast breaks. Player Tom Sanders said the teams were always in great shape.

With Russell leading the defense, the Celtics were unstoppable. Russell would grab rebounds. Then he would pass the ball quickly to Cousy or other players. This led to easy slam dunks or layups. Auerbach also valued players who played specific roles. Frank Ramsey and John Havlicek were great "sixth men" (players who come off the bench).

Red Auerbach's plan worked perfectly. From 1957 to 1966, the Celtics won nine out of ten NBA championships! This included eight championships in a row. That's the longest winning streak in North American sports! They beat the Los Angeles Lakers six times in the NBA Finals. This streak also kept Wilt Chamberlain from winning a title during Red's coaching time.

Auerbach's teams didn't have one main scorer. In the 1960–61 NBA season, six Celtics players scored between 15 and 21 points per game. But none were in the league's top 10 scorers. This showed how much they relied on teamwork.

In 1964, Auerbach made history again. He started the first all-African-American lineup in the NBA. These players were Russell, Willie Naulls, Tom Sanders, Sam Jones, and K. C. Jones.

In the 1966–67 NBA season, Auerbach stepped down as coach. He had won nine titles in 11 years. He then made Bill Russell the player-coach. Russell became the first African-American head coach in North American sports.

Red Auerbach also made smoking a victory cigar popular. He would light one up when he knew his team had won. This became a famous tradition in Boston. He was also known for arguing with officials. He got more fines and was kicked out of more games than any other coach.

Bill Russell next to head coach Red Auerbach after winning the 1966 NBA Finals.

Overall, Auerbach coached nine NBA championship teams. He also helped many players become successful coaches. Bill Russell, Bill Sharman, Tom Heinsohn, and K.C. Jones all won NBA titles as coaches. Thirteen players who played for Auerbach are in the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Red Auerbach as General Manager (1966–1984)

Before the 1965–66 NBA season, Auerbach said it would be his last as coach. After winning the 1966 finals, he named Bill Russell as his replacement. Russell became the first African-American head coach in major professional sports.

While Russell coached the Celtics to two more titles, Auerbach worked to rebuild the team. He made smart draft picks, like Dave Cowens and Jo Jo White. These players also became Hall-of-Famers. With his former player Tom Heinsohn coaching, Auerbach's new team won NBA titles in 1974 and 1976.

The Celtics struggled in the late 1970s. Auerbach made some tough decisions about player salaries. He traded away players who wanted too much money. But he later said he made a mistake letting Paul Silas go.

In 1978, the Celtics had a bad record. Auerbach almost left to coach the New York Knicks. But a taxi driver convinced him to stay in Boston. Soon after, Auerbach announced he would sign Larry Bird. He had drafted Bird in the 1978 NBA draft, even though Bird still had a year of college left. Auerbach waited for Bird and paid him a record salary. He knew Bird would be the key to a new Celtics era.

In 1980, Auerbach made another brilliant move. He traded for Robert Parish and the #3 draft pick. With that pick, he chose Kevin McHale. Parish, McHale, and Bird became one of the greatest groups of players in NBA history. Auerbach hired coach Bill Fitch, and the Celtics won the 1981 title.

In 1983, Auerbach named former Celtic K.C. Jones as coach. Jones led the Celtics to four straight NBA Finals. They won championships in 1984 and 1986.

Red Auerbach as President and Vice Chairman (1984–2006)

In 1984, Auerbach stopped being the general manager. He focused on being the Celtics' president and later vice-chairman. After winning their 15th title, he made a surprising trade. He traded Gerald Henderson for a draft pick in 1986.

Two years later, after winning their 16th championship, he used that draft pick. He chose Len Bias, a college star. With their main players still great, the Celtics looked set for many more years of winning. But tragedy struck. Bias died just two days later. Later, another Celtics star, Reggie Lewis, also died suddenly in 1993. Without these players, the team struggled and didn't reach the Finals again in Auerbach's lifetime.

Auerbach said he lost interest in managing in the 1990s. He preferred his hobbies, like racquetball and smoking cigars. But he stayed with the Celtics as president until 1997. He was vice chairman until 2001, then president again until he died in 2006. In his last years, he had heart problems and often used a wheelchair.

Red Auerbach's Personal Life

Auerbach being honored on October 25, 2006, days before his death, for his service in the Navy during World War II.

Red Auerbach was one of four children. He married Dorothy Lewis in 1941. They had two daughters, Nancy and Randy. They also helped raise Nancy’s daughter, Julie.

Auerbach loved smoking cigars. Because he made victory cigars famous, some Boston restaurants would say, "no cigar or pipe smoking, except for Red Auerbach." He also loved Chinese food. He said it was easy to eat when traveling with the team. He even became part-owner of a Chinese restaurant in Boston. Even in his 80s, after heart surgery, he stayed active. He played racquetball and made public appearances.

Despite his tough image, Auerbach was popular with his players. For his 75th birthday, 45 of his former players came. When he turned 80, even Wilt Chamberlain, a rival, showed up. Red really appreciated that.

Auerbach once said his dream team would include Bill Russell, Bob Pettit, Elgin Baylor, Oscar Robertson, and Jerry West. He would pick John Havlicek as the sixth man. He thought the greatest players ever were Russell, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Michael Jordan.

Red Auerbach's Death

Red Auerbach died from a heart attack on October 28, 2006. He was 89 years old. Many famous basketball figures praised him. NBA commissioner David Stern said, "the void caused by his death will never be filled." Players like Bill Russell, K.C. Jones, John Havlicek, and Larry Bird called him one of the greatest in NBA history. Bird said, "Red shared our passion for the game, our commitment to excellence, and our desire to do whatever it takes to win."

Auerbach was buried in Falls Church, Virginia. Many basketball legends attended his funeral.

During the 2006–07 NBA season, NBA TV showed reruns of his instructional videos. These were called "Red on Roundball." The Boston Red Sox honored him in a game in 2007. They wore green uniforms and hung Celtics championship banners.

Before the Celtics' season opener, his signature was placed on the court. The court was officially named "Red Auerbach Parquet Floor." His daughter Randy and Celtics legends were there.

Red Auerbach Memorial worn by the Celtics for the 2006–07 NBA season.

Red Auerbach's Books

Auerbach wrote seven books. His first book, Basketball for the Player, the Fan and Coach, has been translated into seven languages. It is a best-selling basketball book. He also wrote Winning the Hard Way and Red Auerbach: An Autobiography. His last book, Let Me Tell You a Story, came out in 2004.

Red Auerbach's Legacy

Red Auerbach had an amazing 20-year coaching career. He won eleven Eastern Division titles. He also made it to the NBA Finals eleven times. Most importantly, he won nine NBA championships. As a coach, general manager, and team president, he won 16 NBA titles. This makes him the most successful team official in NBA history. He built several generations of championship Celtics teams. This includes the first Celtics dynasty, which won eight titles in a row.

Auerbach was also a great mentor. Many players he coached became successful coaches themselves. Bill Russell won two titles as coach. Tom Heinsohn won two championships. K.C. Jones led the Celtics to two more titles. Bill Sharman coached the Los Angeles Lakers to a title. Even outside the NBA, his student John Thompson became a very successful college coach.

During his time in Boston, Auerbach did many jobs. He was general manager, head of scouting, and even travel agent. He would take the Celtics on tours to promote the new NBA. He always made sure his players got paid. He was tough in negotiations, but always to get the best for his team.

The Celtics retired a number-2 jersey in Auerbach's honor. This shows he was the second most important Celtic ever. The number-1 jersey is retired for the team's founder, Walter Brown.

In 1985, the Boston Celtics retired the #2 jersey with Auerbach's name.

His story is told in The First Basket, a documentary about Jews and Basketball.

Red Auerbach: Coaching Pioneer

From early on, Auerbach believed in the fast break. This is when a team quickly passes the ball down the court to score before the opponent can get back. This strategy was very effective. Auerbach also focused on teamwork, not individual stats. He said, "Individual honors are nice, but no Celtic has ever gone out of his way to achieve them." He also created the idea of the "role player" and the "sixth man."

Auerbach was known for his mind games. He would often try to upset opposing players and officials. He was ejected and fined more than any other coach. Even when he was older, he was still fiery. But he was softer with his own team. Earl Lloyd, the first black player in the NBA, said, "Red Auerbach convinced his players that he loved them ... so all they wanted to do was please him."

Red Auerbach: Breaking the Color Barrier

Auerbach chose players based on their talent and desire to win. He didn't care about their skin color or background. In 1950, he drafted Chuck Cooper, the first African-American player in the NBA. He kept adding black players to his team, like Bill Russell, Satch Sanders, Sam Jones, K. C. Jones, and Willie Naulls. In 1964, these five players became the first all-African-American starting lineup in the NBA.

When Auerbach became general manager in 1966, he made Bill Russell the coach. Russell became the first black NBA coach. In the 1980s, Auerbach's Celtics team was sometimes called "too white." But it had a mix of white and black players. Players like Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Danny Ainge, and Bill Walton played with Tiny Archibald, Dennis Johnson, Robert Parish, and Cedric Maxwell. They won three more championships in the 1980s.

Arnold "Red" Auerbach Award

To honor Red Auerbach, the Celtics created the Arnold "Red" Auerbach award in 2006. It is given each year to a Celtics player or coach. It goes to someone who shows the true spirit of a Celtic.

NBA Coach of the Year Award

The NBA gives out an annual Coach of the Year award. It honors the league's best coach. The trophy is named the 'Red Auerbach trophy' and shows Auerbach sitting on a bench.

Red Auerbach's Coaching Statistics

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See also

• The First Basket
• List of select Jewish basketball players
• List of NBA championship head coaches
• Statue of Red Auerbach