L E’s Stories – “The Houdini Of The Hardwoods….We Love You, Cooz!!” – Salute To Celtics PG Bob Cousy

Bone Daddy, the original Sportsphile, grew up in a family of 3 boys….who were exactly 18 months apart,  talk about “planned parenthood”…..as a family who loved and lived sports, as Pops (BD’s Dad) believed that the environments of sports would provided the best lessons for his 3 boys to grow into men….and it obviously worked….cuz Lil Wally, Bone Daddy and Runt are now in their 70’s…..while leaving a legacy of Pops well planted in the lives of their children.  There are many reasons that sports provided the lessons that become the foundation of the best that life has to offer for so many HUMANS….and as for this lil ole chiweenie Sportsphile, I can honestly say that it is true about the life foundation that being involved in sportss brings to even a small half-chihuhaua dog and half “weener dog”, who knew nothing about sports until I joined-up with Bone Daddy….and now, I am an accredited Sportsphile….so, there you go.  Anyway, growing up in a sports family…..while having the makings of a great 2 on 2 basketball game…..plus, the simple fact that basketball is fun to play…..and you can understand why I am writing the story today about “The Houdini of the Hardwoods”…..cuz BD’s family watched as many Boston Celtics games as they could watch back in the decade of the 1950’s….when PG Bob Cousy would perform “acts of magic” in the game of basketball….as his magic translated on the court to his teammates throughout his entire 13 year career…..for this is the story of Bob Cousy.                                                                                                                      

NBA – 1950 To 1963 – NBA TV Presents – Basketballography: Bob Cousy

Bob Cousy is a retired American professional basketball player…..who played point guard for the Boston Celtics from 1950 to 1963…..and briefly with the Cincinnati Royals in the 1969–70 season.  Making his high school varsity squad as a junior, he went on to earn a scholarship to the College of the Holy Cross…. where he led the Crusaders to berths in the 1948 NCAA Tournament and 1950 NCAA Tournament….while winning NCAA All-American honors for three seasons.                                                                                                     

NBA – 1950 To 1963 – ESPN Presents Vintage NBA – With Career Highlights Of Celtics PG Bob Cousy

Cousy was initially drafted by the Tri-Cities Blackhawks as the 3rd overall pick in the 1st round of the 1950 NBA draft….but after he refused to report and was picked up by Boston…..where he had an exceptional career with the Celtics….while leading the league an unprecedented 8 straight years in assists….and playing on six NBA championship teams….while being voted into 13 NBA All-Star Games in his 13 full NBA seasons…..plus, he was also named to 12 All-NBA First and Second Teams…. and won the 1957 NBA Most Valuable Player Award.                                                                                                         

NBA – 1950 To 1963 – Boston Celtics PG Bob Cousy Special – “The Houdini Of The Hardwoods”                                      

En route to his assist streak that was unmatched either in number of crowns or consecutive years, Cousy introduced a new blend of ball-handling and passing skills to the NBA that earned him the nickname “The Houdini of the Hardwood”….who was also known as “Cooz”….whereby, he was regularly introduced at Boston Garden as “Mr. Basketball”.  After his playing career, he coached the Royals for several years, capped by a seven-game cameo comeback for them at age 41.                                                                                                 

NBA – 1950 To 1963 – Special Film – “First Man To Dazzle The NBA” – The Story Of Celtics PG Bob Cousy

Bob Cousy then became a broadcaster for Celtics games.  Upon his election to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1971….that is when the Celtics retired his # 14 jersey….and hung it in the rafters of the Garden.  Cousy was named to the NBA 25th Anniversary Team in 1971….the NBA 35th Anniversary Team in 1981….and the NBA’s 50th Anniversary All-Time Team in 1996…..which made him one of only four players that were selected to each of those teams. He was also the first president of National Basketball Players Association.  On August 22, 2019, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.                                      

NBA – 2018 – “The Jump” Special – ESPN’s Jackie MacMullen Interview With Celtics HOF Bob Cousy – “I Was Too Self Absorbed”                                                                                                                                                     

Cousy took up basketball at the age of 13 as a student at St. Pascal’s elementary school….and was “immediately hooked”….when the following year, he entered Andrew Jackson High School in St Albans. His basketball success was not immediate….and in fact he was cut from the school team in his 1st year. Later that year, he joined the St. Albans Lindens of the Press League….which was a basketball league sponsored by the Long Island Press….where he began to develop his basketball skills and gained much-needed experience. The next year, however, he was again cut during the tryouts for the school basketball team.

 

NBA – 1950 To 1963 – Special Film Mix – “The Best of Bob Cousy”                                                                               

That same year, he fell out of a tree and broke his right hand…..which forced him to play left-handed until his hand healed….while basically making him ambidextrous…..when in retrospect, he described this accident as “a fortunate event”….and cited it as a factor in making him more versatile on the court.   During a Press League game, the high school basketball coach saw him play…..and was impressed by the budding star’s two-handed ability…..and that’s when he invited Cousy to come to practice the following day to try out for the junior varsity team…..where he did well enough to become a permanent member of the JV squad.  He continued to practice day and night…..and by his junior year was sure he was going to be promoted to the varsity….but failing his citizenship course made him ineligible for the first semester …..so, he joined the varsity squad midway through the season…..however, he did score 28 points in his 1st game.  He had no intention of attending college….but after he started to make a name for himself on the basketball court he started to focus on improving in both academics….along with his basketball skills in order to make it easier for him to get into college.                                                                                                           

NBA – 1950 to 1963 – Boston Celtics Special – Rare Bob Cousy Passing Highlights

He again excelled in basketball his senior year, leading his team to the Queens divisional championship ….while scoring more points than any other New York City high school basketball player…..plus, he was even named captain of the Journal-American All-Scholastic team….and that is when he then began to plan for college.  His family had wanted him to attend a Catholic school….and he wanted to go somewhere outside New York City.  Boston College recruited him…..as he considered accepting the BC offer….but it had no dormitories….and he was not interested in being a commuter student.  Soon afterward, he received an offer from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts about forty miles (64 kilometers) west of Boston.  He was impressed by the school….and accepted the basketball scholarship it offered him….as he spent the summer before entering school working at Tamarack Lodge in the Catskill Mountains….and playing in a local basketball league along with a number of established college players.                           

NBA – 1928 To Present – Special Feature – The Life and Career Of Celtics HOF PG Bob Cousy

Cousy was one of six freshmen on the Holy Cross Crusaders’ varsity basketball team in 1946–47….and from the start of the season, coach Doggie Julian chose to play the six freshmen off the bench in a two-team system….so that each player would get some time on the court…..as members of the “second team”, they would come off the bench nine and a half minutes into the game….when they would relieve the “first team” starters…..for sometimes they would get to play as much as a third or even half of the game….but even at that, Cousy was disappointed with the lack of playing time that he went to the campus chapel after practice to pray that Julian would give him more of a chance to show off his talents on the court.   Early in the season, however, he got into trouble with Julian, who accused him of being a “show-boater”. Even as late as the 1946–47 season basketball in general was a static game….which depended on slow, deliberate player movement and flat-footed shots……which as far different to Cousy’s up-tempo, street-ball-like game….which was marked by ambidextrous finesse play….as well as being notable for behind-the-back dribbling and no-look, behind-the-back and half-court passing.  Even so, he had enough playing time in games to score 227 points for the season….while finishing with the 3rd highest total on the team. Led by stars George Kaftan and Joe Mullaney, the Crusaders finished the 1946 – 47 season 24–3.                                 

NCAAM Basketball – 1947 – National Championship Game Special – Tribute To National Champs Holy Cross Crusaders

On the basis of that record, Holy Cross got into the 1947 NCAA Tournament as the last seed in the then only eight-team tournament. In the first game, they defeated Navy 55–47 in front of a sell-out crowd at Madison Square Garden….as Mullaney led the team in scoring with 18 points, thanks to Navy coach Ben Carnevale’s decision to have his players back off from Mullaney, who was reputed as being more of a play-maker than a shooter.  In the semifinal game, the Crusaders faced CCNY, coached by Nat Holman, one of the game’s earliest innovators…..when led by Kaftan’s 30 points, Holy Cross easily defeated the Beavers 60–45.  In the championship game, the Crusaders faced Oklahoma, coached by Bruce Drake, in another sold-out game at Madison Square Garden.  Kaftan followed up his 30-point semifinal heroics with a mere 18 points in the title game….which was far more than enough for the team to defeat the Sooners 58–47….however, Cousy played poorly after scoring only four points on 2-for-13 shots.  Holy Cross became the first New England college to win the NCAA tournament…..and on their arrival back in Worcester, the team was given a hero’s welcome by about 10,000 cheering fans who met their train at Union Station.                                                                                                                                              

NCAA Basketball – 1947 – National Championship Game Highlights – Oklahoma Sooners Vs Holy Cross Crusaders

The following season Julian limited Cousy’s playing time, to the point that the frustrated sophomore contemplated transferring out of Holy Cross.  Cousy wrote a letter to coach Joe Lapchick of St. John’s University in New York, informing him that he was considering a transfer there….to which Lapchick wrote back to Cousy that he considered Julian “one of the finest basketball coaches in America”….and that he believed Julian had no bad intentions in restricting his playing time.  He told Cousy that Julian would use him more often during his later years with the team…..when Lapchick alerted Cousy that transferring was a very risky move: according to NCAA rules, the player would be required to sit out a year before becoming eligible to play for the school to which he transferred.                                                                                

NBA – 1950 To 1963 – Special Film – Bob Cousy: “The Greatest Point Guard Ever”                                                      

During Cousy’s senior year of 1949–1950, his fate changed in a match against Loyola of Chicago at Boston Garden. With 5 minutes left and Holy Cross trailing, the crowd started to chant “We want Cousy!” until coach Julian relented.  In these few minutes, Cousy scored 11 points and hit a game-winning buzzer-beater coming off a behind-the-back dribble. The performance established him as a team leader, and he then led Holy Cross to 26 straight wins and a # 4 national ranking.  A three-time All-American,  Cousy ended his college career in the 1950 NCAA Tournament….when Holy Cross fell to North Carolina State in an opening round game at Madison Square Garden…..as CCNY would go on to win the tournament.                                                                                                                                                                              

NBA – 1917 – Present – Special NBA TV Film – Bob Cousy: “Son of the City”                                                                            

Cousy turned pro and made himself available for the 1950 NBA draft…..as the Boston Celtics had just concluded the 1949–50 NBA season with a poor 22–46 win-loss record….and had the 1st draft pick.  It was strongly anticipated that they would draft the highly coveted local favorite Cousy. However, coach Red Auerbach snubbed him for center Charlie Share, saying: “Am I supposed to win, or please the local yokels?”  The local press strongly criticized Auerbach…..but other scouts were also skeptical about Cousy…..while viewing him as flamboyant but ineffective…..as one scout wrote in his report: “The first time he tries that fancy Dan stuff in this league, they’ll cram the ball down his throat.”                                                       

NBA – 1959 – NBA All Star Game Highlights – Featuring Lakers Elgin Baylor + Celtics Bob Cousy

As a result, the Tri-Cities Blackhawks drafted Cousy….but the point guard was unenthusiastic about his new employer…..as Cousy was trying to establish a driving school in Worcester, Massachusetts….and did not want to relocate to the Midwestern triangle of the three small towns of Moline, Rock Island and Davenport.  As compensation for having to give up his driving school, Cousy demanded a salary of $10,000 from Blackhawks owner Ben Kerner…..when Kerner only offered him $6,000, Cousy refused to report.  Cousy was then picked up by the Chicago Stags….but when they folded, league Commissioner Maurice Podoloff declared three Stags available for a dispersal draft….with team scoring leader Max Zaslofsky, Andy Phillip and Cousy.  Celtics owner Walter A. Brown was one of the three club bosses invited….when he later made it clear that he was hoping for Zaslofsky….and would have tolerated Phillip….but did not want Cousy….so, when the Celtics drew Cousy, Brown confessed….“I could have fallen to the floor.” …..and that is when Brown reluctantly gave Cousy a $9,000 salary.

 

NBA – 1950 To 1963 – Special Film By Misiek – The Legend: Bob Cousy

It was not long before both Auerbach and Brown changed their minds…..cuz with averages of 15.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 4.9 assists a game….that is when Cousy received the 1st of his 13 consecutive NBA All-Star selections….and led a Celtics team with future Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famers Ed Macauley and Bones McKinney to a 39–30 record in the 1950–51 NBA season…..however, in the 1951 NBA Playoffs, the Celtics were beaten by the New York Knicks.  With future Hall-of-Fame guard Bill Sharman on board the next season, Cousy averaged 21.7 points, 6.4 rebounds and 6.7 assists per game en route to his 1st All-NBA First Team nomination…..regardless, the Celtics lost to the Knicks in the 1952 NBA Playoffs.                                                                                                                                                                        

In the following season, Cousy made further progress…..while averaging 7.7 assists per game….and winning the 1st of his eight consecutive assists titles.  These numbers were made despite the fact that the NBA had not yet introduced the shot clock….thus making the game static and putting prolific assist givers at a disadvantage.  Powered by Auerbach’s quick fast-break dominated tactics, the Celtics won 46 games and beat the Syracuse Nationals 2–0 in the 1953 NBA Playoffs…..as Game 2 ended 111–105 in a 4-overtime thriller….in which Cousy had a much-lauded game…..while despite having an injured leg, he scored 25 points after four quarters, scored 6 of his team’s 9 points in the 1st overtime….then hit a clutch free throw in the last seconds….and scored all 4 of Boston’s points in the 2nd overtime…..then he scored 8 more points in the 3rd overtime….among them a 25-ft. buzzer beater…..when in the 4th overtime, he scored 9 of Boston’s 12 points…..as Cousy played 66 minutes and scored 50 points after making a still-standing record of 30 free throws in 32 attempts. This game is regarded by the NBA as one of the finest scoring feats ever…..in line with Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game….however, for the 3rd time in a row, the Knicks beat Boston in the next round.

 

NBA – 2018 – NBA Special Interview With Celtic HOF PG Bob Cousy On Teammate C Bill Russell

In the next three years, Cousy firmly established himself as one of the league’s best point guards….while leading the league in assists all 3 seasons….and averaging 20 points and 7 rebounds….as the versatile Cousy earned himself three more All-NBA First Team and All-Star honors….and was also voted Most Valuable Player of the 1954 NBA All-Star Game.  In terms of playing style, Cousy introduced an array of visually attractive street basketball moves…..which were described by the NBA as “a mixture of ambidextrous, behind-the-back dribbling and no-look passes, behind-the-back feeds or half-court fast-break launches”.  Basically, Cousy’s modus operandi contrasted with the rest of the NBA….which was dominated by muscular low post scorers and deliberate set shooters….but soon, he was called “Houdini of the Hardwood” after the magician Harry Houdini…..as his crowd-pleasing and effective play drew the crowd into the Boston Garden….and also won over coach Auerbach…..who no longer saw him as a liability….but rather as an essential building block for the future.                                                                                        

NBA – 1954 – NBA All Star Game Highlights – Featuring Celtics G Bob Cousy + Lakers C George Mikan

The Celtics eventually added two talented forwards, future Hall-of-Fame Inductee Frank Ramsey and defensive specialist Jim Loscutoff…..who along with Celtics colleague Bob Brannum became Cousy’s unofficial bodyguards…..while retaliating against opposing players who would try to hurt him.  The Celtics were unable to make their mark in the 1954 NBA Playoffs, 1955 NBA Playoffs and 1956 NBA Playoffs…. where they lost three times in a row against the Nationals.  Cousy attributed the shortcomings to fatigue while stating…“We would get tired in the end and could not get the ball”.                                                                       

NBA – 2019 – NBA Special – Bob Cousy: Stands Against Racism For His Friend And Fellow Hall of Fame Teammate Chuck Cooper

As a result, Auerbach sought a defensive center who could get easy rebounds, initiate fast breaks and close out games…..and before the 1956–57 NBA season, Auerbach drafted two future Hall-of-Fame players in forward Tom Heinsohn and defensive center Bill Russell.  Powered by these new players, the Celtics went 44–28 in the regular season….as Cousy averaged 20.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and a league-leading 7.5 assists….which earned his 1st NBA Most Valuable Player Award….while also winning his 2nd NBA All-Star Game MVP award.  The Celtics reached the 1957 NBA Finals…..when powered by Cousy on offense and rugged center Russell on defense, they beat the Hawks 4–3…..who were noted for future Hall-of-Fame power forward Bob Pettit and former teammates Macauley and Hagan…..as Cousy finally won his 1st NBA title.                                                                                                                                                                          

NBA – 1957 – NBA Finals Highlights – Atlanta Hawks Vs Boston Celtics – With Bob Cousy’s 1st NBA Title

In the 1957–58 NBA season, Cousy had yet another highly productive year, with his 20.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 8.6 assists per game leading to nominations into the All-NBA First Team and the All-Star team…..as he again led the NBA in assists…..and the Celtics reached the 1958 NBA Finals against the Hawks….but when Russell succumbed to a foot injury in Game 3, the Celtics faded and bowed out four games to two…..for this was the last losing NBA playoff series in which Cousy would play.                                                 

NBA – 1958 – NBA Finals Game 6 Highlights – Boston Celtics Vs Atlanta Hawks – Bob Petit Scores 50 Pts

In the following 1958–59 NBA season, the Celtics got revenge on their opposition, powered by an inspired Cousy, who averaged 20.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and a league-high 8.6 assists a game….while winning  another assists title and another pair of All-NBA First Team and All-Star team nominations.  Late in the season, Cousy reasserted his play-making dominance by setting an NBA record with 28 assists in a game against the Minneapolis Lakers…..and albeit that record was broken 19 years later, Cousy also set a record for 19 assists in a half which has never been broken. The Celtics stormed through the playoffs…. and behind Cousy’s 51 total assists (still a record for a four-game NBA Finals series), defeated the Minneapolis Lakers in the first 4–0 sweep ever in the 1959 NBA Finals.                                                                             

NBA – 1959 – NBA Finals Game 7 Quarter 4 Highlights – Minneapolis Lakers Vs Boston Celtics – With Bob Cousy Taking Center Stage

In the 1959–60 NBA season, Cousy was again productive, his 19.4 points, 4.7 rebounds and 9.5 assists per game earning him his 8th consecutive assists title and another joint All-NBA First Team and All-Star team nomination.  Again, the Celtics defeated all opposition and won the 1960 NBA Finals 4–3 against the Hawks.                                                                                                                                                                                             

NBA – 1960 – NBA Finals Game 7 Highlights – Atlanta Hawks Vs Boston Celtics

A year later, the 32-year-old Cousy scored 18.1 points, 4.4 rebounds and 7.7 assists per game, winning another pair of All-NBA First Team and All-Star nominations, but failing to win the assists crown after eight consecutive seasons.  However, the Celtics won the 1961 NBA Finals after convincingly beating the Hawks 4–1.                 

 

NBA – 1961 – NBA Finals Game 7 Highlights – Atlanta Hawks Vs Boston Celtics

In the 1961–62 NBA season, the aging Cousy slowly began to fade statistically, averaging 15.7 points, 3.5 rebounds and 7.8 assists….while being voted into the All-NBA 2nd Team after ten consecutive 1st Team nominations.  Still, he enjoyed a satisfying postseason, winning the 1962 NBA Finals after 4–3 battles against two upcoming teams, the Philadelphia Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers.  The Finals series against the Lakers was especially dramatic….cuz Lakers guard Frank Selvy failed to make a last-second buzzer beater in Game 7….which would have won the title for the Lakers.                                                         

NBA – 1962 – NBA Finals Game 7 Highlights – Boston Celtics Vs Los Angeles Lakers

Finally, in the 1962–63 NBA season, the last of his career, Cousy averaged 13.2 points, 2.5 rebounds and 6.8 assists….and collected one last All-Star and All-NBA 2nd Team nomination.  In the 1963 NBA Finals, the Celtics again won 4–2 against the Lakers….as Cousy finished his career on a high note….when in the 4th quarter of Game 6….when Cousy sprained an ankle and had to be helped to the bench…..but returned with Boston up 1…..and albeit he did not score again, he was credited with providing an emotional lift that carried the Celtics to victory, 112–109.  The game ended with Cousy throwing the ball into the rafters.

 

NBA – 1963 – NBA Finals Game 6 Highlights – Celtics Vs Lakers – With Bob Cousy Last Game As A Celtic

At age 34, Cousy held his retirement ceremony on March 17, 1963 in a packed Boston Garden. The event became known as the Boston Tear Party…..when the crowd’s response overwhelmed Cousy, left him speechless….and caused his planned 7-minute farewell to go on for 20. J oe Dillon, a water worker from South Boston, Massachusetts….and a devoted Celtics fan, screamed “We love ya, Cooz”, breaking the tension and the crowd went into cheers.  As a testament to Cousy’s legacy, President John F. Kennedy wired to Cousy: “The game bears an indelible stamp of your rare skills and competitive daring.”                 

NBA – 1963 – NBA Finals Game 6 – Los Angeles Lakers Vs Boston Celtics

After retiring as a player, Cousy published his autobiography Basketball Is My Life in 1963….and in the same year became coach at Boston College…..when in the 1965 ECAC Holiday Basketball Festival at Madison Square Garden, Providence defeated Boston College 91–86 in the title game….when the Friars were led by Tourney MVP and All-American Jimmy Walker…..as Providence was coached by Joe Mullaney ……who was Cousy’s teammate at Holy Cross when the two men were players there in 1947.  In his six seasons there, he had a record of 114 wins and 38 losses…..and was named New England Coach of the Year for 1968 and 1969…..as Cousy led the Eagles to three NIT appearances….which included a berth in the 1969 NIT Championship…..and two National Collegiate Athletic Association tournaments, including the 1967 Eastern Regional Finals.                                                                                                                                           

NBA – 1962 – Special Film – “The Boston Celtics Win Their 4th Straight NBA Title”                                                         

Cousy grew bored with college basketball and returned to the NBA as coach of the Cincinnati Royals, team of fellow Hall-of-Fame point guard Oscar Robertson. He later said about this engagement, “I did it for the money. I was made an offer I couldn’t refuse.”  In 1970, the 41-year-old Cousy even made a late-season comeback as a player to boost ticket sales….and despite his meager output of 5 points in 34 minutes of playing time in seven games, ticket sales jumped by 77 percent.  He continued as coach of the team after it moved from Cincinnati to Kansas City/Omaha….but stepped down as the Kings’ coach early in the 1973–74 NBA season with a 141–209 record.                                                                                                        

NBA – 1963 –  NBA Finals Postgame Interview – With Coach Red Auerbach + PG Bob Cousy After Celtics Win In Cousy’s Last Game

Despite his unfamiliarity with the sport, Cousy was appointed Commissioner of the American Soccer League on December 19, 1974….when his most notable act as commissioner was to declare the New York Apollo and Boston Astros co‐champions after both teams played 67 minutes of extra time without resolution in the second and deciding leg of the league’s championship series on September 20, 1975.  He was relieved of his duties on December 1, 1979…..Pennsylvania Stoners club owner Willie Ehrlich explained the dismissal by stating, “After five years as commissioner, Cousy still goes around telling people he knows nothing about soccer.”                                                                                                                        

NBA – 1950 To 1963 – Special Boston Celtics Highlights – “Insane Shots By PG Bob Cousy”                               

He was a color analyst on Celtics telecasts during the 1980’s.  In addition, Cousy had a role in the basketball film Blue Chips in 1993….in which he played a college athletic director. Today he is a marketing consultant for the Celtics….and occasionally makes broadcast appearances with Mike Gorman and ex-Celtic teammate Tom Heinsohn.  In 1954, the NBA had no health benefits, pension plan, minimum salary….and the average player’s salary was $8,000 a season. To combat this, Cousy organized the National Basketball Players Association….as the 1st trade union among those in the four major North American professional sports leagues….when Cousy served as its first president until 1958.                                    

NBA – 1993 – Clip From Movie “Blue Chips” – Actor Nick Nolte & HOF Celtic PG Bob Cousy In “Unscripted Failure To Miss A Free Throw”                                                                                                                                   

In his 13-year, 924-game NBA playing career, Cousy finished with 16,960 points, 4,786 rebounds and 6,955 assists….which translated to averages of 18.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game.  He is regarded as the 1st great point guard of the NBA…..afterr winning eight of the 1st 11 assist titles in the league….with all of them en bloc…..and he had a highly successful career….while winning six NBA titles…. one MVP award….13 All-Star selections….and 12 All-NBA 1st and 2nd Team selections….and two All-Star MVP awards.  With his eye-catching dribbling and unorthodox passing, Cousy popularized modern guard play….and raised the profile of the Boston Celtics and the entire NBA…..as his fast-paced playing style was later emulated by the likes of Pete Maravich and Magic Johnson.

 

NBA – 1962 – NBA Finals Game 7 – Boston Celtics Vs L A Lakers – Featuring Bob Cousy Dribbling Out The Clock In Overtime

In recognition of his feats, Cousy was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1971….and honored by the Celtics who retired his uniform # 14…..when Celtics owner Walter Brown said: “The Celtics wouldn’t be here without him [Cousy]. He made basketball in this town. If he had played in New York he would have been the biggest thing since [New York Yankees baseball legend] Babe Ruth. I think he is anyway.”   In addition, on May 11, 2006, ESPN.com rated Cousy as the 5th greatest point guard of all time…..while lauding him as “ahead of his time with his ball-handling and passing skills”….and pointing out he is one of only seven point guards ever to win an NBA Most Valuable Player award.

 

NBA – 1950 To 1963 – Special Boston Celtics Film – “Bob Cousy Passing Highlights”                                                       

On November 16, 2008, Cousy’s college uniform # 17 was hoisted to the Hart Center rafters. During halftime of a game between the Holy Cross Crusaders and St. Joseph’s Hawks….when the uniform numbers of Cousy, George Kaftan, Togo Palazzi and Tommy Heinsohn became the 1st to hang from the gymnasium’s ceiling…..then on July 1, 2019, Cousy advised The Boston Globe that he had received an official letter notifying him that he would receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Donald Trump….as he received the medal at a ceremony in the Oval Office on August 22, 2019.                                          

NBA & News – 2019 – Special White House Ceremony – Bob Cousy Recieves “The USA Medal of Freedom” From President Donald Trump

Anyway you cut the pie….if you are a basketball fan and you got to watch “The Houdini of the Hardwoods” play the game…..then there is a good chance that you may rate him above such Hall of Fame point guards as Magic Johnson, Isiah Thomas, Stephen Curry or John Stockton…..cuz Cooz was that good.  Regardless,  for Bone Daddy and his beloved Celtics…..there are simply his five all time favorite Boston Celtics in this order…..Bill Russell, Bob Cousy, Larry Bird, John Havlicek and Tom Heinsohm….and so it becomes evident why Cooz deserves his place in the sun here at ImaSportsphile…. as we believe that these videos seen herewith provide all the evidence needed to support that idea.                               

NBA – 1963 – NBA Finals Game 6 – Boston Celtics Vs Los Angeles Lakers – Bob Cousy’s Last Game