Lex Nihil Novi - Russell vs Chamberlain, Game 83

Russell v. Chamberlain: Game 83


1965 ECFs GAME #3

Philadelphia 76ers - 94
Boston Celtics - 112









bob




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Pretty balanced scoring by one team and more concentrated scoring by the other.  That was the rule rather than the exception.

One name that sneaks into a lot of the 1963-66 Celtics era is that of Willie Naulls.  Willie spent many years as a 6' 6" and 225 pound forward.  He was purchased by Red from the San Francisco Warriors prior to the 1963-64 season and played the last three seasons of his career with the Celtics, retiring at age 31.

Willie came aboard at a rather pivotal moment.  His joined the team just months after Cousy had retired.  Frank Ramsey would play only one more season.  Heinsohn was still playing good ball, but he would only play two of the three seasons Willie spent with the team and his minutes, points and rebounds were in decline.  Loscutoff was a shadow of his his former self, averaging only about 8 minutes a game in both 1663-64 and 1964-65 (his last season).  Havlicek and Sanders were good forwards; but were, then, best-known for their defense whereas Willie's specialty was offense.

With all these comings, goings, and fadings, Willie represented a transitional piece with the ability to make impact. With the Celtics, he averaged 10 points and 5 rebounds in a season average of 73 games and 20 mpg.  He wasn't a great defender, but he sufficed and was a hard-nosed competitor.

I don't know how many Celtics can claim this, but Willie was one of those who played at least three seconds with the Celts and won championship rings in his every season with the Green.

Sam

Wasn't Willie Naulls a classic Auerbach pick-up? He was an all-star in his prime who never won anything and Red signed him after his all-star days had passed to be a part-timer who could still be quite effective in more limited minutes. He did this with Clyde Lovellete, Carl Braun, Woody Sauldsberry and Wayne Embry. Bill Walton can be seen in this tradition. I guess Maravich can also.

These guys provided all-star, and in the case of Walton, HOF caliber backup in limited minutes.

You are correct, sir.
 
Andy Phillip was another classic pickup.  And Jack Nichols.  And Arnie Risen.  And Don Barksdale.  And Don Nelson.  And Bailey Howell.  And Tom Thacker.  And Emmette Bryant.  And Paul Silas.  And Larry Siegfried.
 
Gene Conley deserves special mention.  He wasn't a free agent pickup (neither were Silas or Howell either; Red traded for them).  Geno was picked by Red in the tenth (count 'em, ten) round of the 1952 draft.  He was acquired that same year by the Boston Braves, and he pitched for the Braves during their last Boston year.
 
Gene played for the Celtics during the 1952-53 season, when he sat out from baseball.  His first NBA season was mediocre, as he played in 33 games, averaging 4.4 rebounds in 11.8 minutes.
 
In 1954, Gene rejoined the Braves in Milwaukee and pitched for them through 1958, winning a baseball world championship ring in 1957.
 
1958 was Gene's last season with the Braves and also the year in which he rejoined the Celtics for another three-year hitch and joined the Philadelphia Phillies as a pitcher.
 
In 1958-59, Gene backed up Russell for the Celtics in 50 games, averaging 16.6 mpg and grabbing 5.5 rebounds during those 16.6 minutes.  Of course, he won a basketball world championship ring.  He really rose to the occasion in the playoffs, playing in 11 games and hauling in an average of 6.8 rebounds in an average of 14.3 minutes of action.  In 1959, Gene pitched in 25 games for the Philadelphis Phillies, going 12-7 with an ERA of , making the NL all-star team, and placing 22nd in NL MVP voting.  So, between the Celtics and the Phillies, Gene played in 83 games from October, 1958 through September of 1959, Gene played in 86 games.
 
In 1959-60, Gene again backed up Russ in 71 games, averaging 18.7 mpg and collecting 8.3 rebounds during those 18.7 minutes.  He again rose to the occasion in the playoffs, playing in 13 games and corralling an average of 8.9 rebounds per game in an average of 20.7 minutes per game.  Of course, he won another basketball world championship ring.  In 1960, Gene pitched in 29 games for the Phillies, going 8-14 with an ERA of 3.68.  So, between October, 1959, and September, 1960, Gene played in a total of 113 games. 
 
In 1960-61, Gene again back up Russ in 75 games, averaging 16.6 mpg and again collecting 7.3 rebounds during those 16.6 minutes.  His playoff time was limited to an averages of 6.2 mpg over 9 games and collecting 3.4 rebounds per game in those 6.2 minutes per game.  Of course, he won another basketball world championship ring.  In 1961, Gene pitched in 33 games for the Boston Red Sox, going 11-14 with an ERA of 4.91.  So, between October, 1960, and September, 1961, Gene played in 117 games.
 
Gene finished his basketball career with two seasons as a Knick and finished his baseball career with the Red Sox in 1963.
 
But wait, there’s more to the Gene Conley sage.  (Probably most Red Sox fans know what’s coming.)
 
On July 26, 1962, Gene pitched in a Red Sox game against the Yankees in New York, and he allowed 8 runs in 2 2/3 innings.  He was humiliated.  So he hatched a plan with Pumpsie Green, an infielder perhaps know best as the first African-American Red Sox player.
 
While the team bus was stopped in traffic after the game, Geno and Pumpsie got off, ostensibly to relieve themselves.  But they never came back, heading instead for Idlewild Airport to board a flight for Israel.  In total, the duo was gone for 68 hours, and the reason they returned was that they were refused admission to the plane because they lacked passports.  To almost everyone’s surprise, Gene lasted another season with the Red Sox, from whom he retired from sports in 1963.
 
Sam

Great story on Conley.

It seems like back in the day there was more room for certain players to exercise their--uhhh--- individuality.

I heard that Lovelette was a wild man. Havlicek roomed with him his rookie year and said that Clyde was like a big juvenile delinquent. Lovellete loved guns and always packed heat. One time the team was staying in the same hotel as the refs and after the game Clyde went to the refs' room to complain about some calls he viewed as unjust.

He pulled his gun, told the refs to dance and they obliged after Clyde began shooting at their feet. Fortunately for both the refs and Clyde the gun was loaded with blanks.

Just funin' ya boys!!!

Can you imagine that happening today?!

Sloopjohnb wrote:Great story on Conley.

It seems like back in the day there was more room for certain players to exercise their--uhhh--- individuality.

I heard that Lovelette was a wild man. Havlicek roomed with him his rookie year and said that Clyde was like a big juvenile delinquent. Lovellete loved guns and always packed heat. One time the team was staying in the same hotel as the refs and after the game Clyde went to the refs' room to complain about some calls he viewed as unjust.

He pulled his gun, told the refs to dance and they obliged after Clyde began shooting at their feet. Fortunately for both the refs and Clyde the gun was loaded with blanks.

Just funin' ya boys!!!

Can you imagine that happening today?!

Lifetime suspension for sure !!

beat

Lifetime suspension, endless pontification on the decline of civilization by the media and criminal prosecution by the DA. As far as I know nothing happened after Lovellete's antics.

I saw an interview with Mickey Mantle describing the wild times he had with Billy Martin. Both guys loved to deer hunt while in an alcoholic haze.

One day Mickey goes into a farmer's home to ask permission to deer hunt on his land. The farmer says sure as long as he shoost his mule, explaining that the said mule hasn't done a lick of work in years but he just didn't have the heart to shoot it. After some hesitation Mantle agrees to kill the old guy's mule.

He goes outside and tells Martin that he's going to shoot the farmer's mule because the old bastard won't let them hunt on his land. Martin is horrified and begs Mantle not to do it. Mantle ignores Martin's pleas and shoots the mule. He then hears the pop-pop-pop of other gun shots and turns around and asks Martin what the hell is he shooting at. Martin says, "I'm shooting his cows."