Trivia 12/16/10

What prompted Red Auerbach to hold a rolled up program in his hand during games?

Yes, he would express his red hot anger and indignation by smacking the program into his palm, but that's not the answer.

• So he could use it like a megaphone when yelling at refs?
  
  It wasn't really a program, it was a menu from his favorite Chinese restaurant for post-game meals!
  
  Because if he smacked his victory cigar around like he did the program it would break?

OK; I have no idea and never gave it much thought. I just wanted to take a shot.

So he could remember the players names?

Thanks for the laughs, guys.

As for the rolled-up program, it all started back in 1946 in the the now-defunct Basketball Association of America. Red fast-talked an owner named Mike Uline into making him the coach of the Washington Capitols. Red was fresh out of the Navy and had never coached above the high school level - but he talked like a guy who grew up on the streets of Brooklyn and looked at basketball as his own personal domain.

Perhaps because of his youth and lack of experience, Red felt he had to project a certain tough-guy image. So, among other borderline-histrionic sideline activities, he started punching his left palm with his right fist. Apparently, he did it so often and so energetically that the knuckles on his right hand became bruised and swollen.

Eventually, he picked up a program and substituted that for his fist. It became part of his schtick, like wearing loud plaid sport jackets, yelling at referees, taking advantage of every little loophole in the rules, and, of course, smokiing a victory cigar.

Another great little story Spike...