On December 19, 1956, at Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, basketball player Bill Russell, right, signs a contract with the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association. Walter Brown, c
o-owner and president of the Celtics, is seated on the left, while Lou Pieri, another co-owner, is standing behind him. According to Thomas J. Whalen, Brown forged an integrationist route that revolutionized the NBA. (AP)
It may be encouraging to keep in mind that Boston previously had an NBA owner who created a different kind of national controversy regarding issues of race, especially in light of the recent outrage surrounding Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling’s offensive remarks about people of color. When the Boston Celtics selected 6-foot-6 All-American forward Chuck Cooper from Duquesne, an African-American, in 1950, Walter Brown’s move stunned the professional sports world. Brown took this action in spite of a fellow basketball mogul reminding him in a condescending manner that Cooper was “a Negro” and as such was not eligible for consideration because of the league’s long-standing ban on athletes of color. In response, Cooper famously claimed that Brown would still have chosen him even if Cooper had started to grow polka dots. He clarified, “All I know is that the kid can play basketball and we want him on the Boston Celtics.” Cooper would always be grateful for this resounding vote of confidence. “I appreciate your bravery in giving me a chance to play professional basketball.”
concurred. “I learned a lot from Walter,” he said to author Joe Fitzgerald, “but I think the biggest thing he taught me is that a man is a man is a man, the old Gertrude Stein crap. And this was by example.” He advised me to disregard everything I had heard about a man and to accept him for who he is and what he does. Walter genuinely thought that. He was indifferent to a person’s race, religion, nationality, or any other characteristic. All he cared about was the man.
The Celtics maintained their reputation in the ensuing years for being tolerant and for pushing the boundaries of game integration. For instance, they were the first professional team to have five black players on the court at once. Boston center Bill Russell once said, “If there’s one thing you have to do to be a true Celtic, it’s to be a man and take responsibility for your actions.” That is Walter Brown’s manner.
A multi-talented individual, Brown also started the well-known professional ice skating program known as the Ice Capades. From 1941 until his tragic death from a heart attack in 1964, Brown presided over Boston Garden. Brown is most known today, though, for his leadership of the Celtics, who under his direction rose to become one of the greatest dynasties in professional sports history and win the first seven of the team’s 17 NBA titles. The team was at its peak during these times, with Hall of Fame players like
With their hoop magic, Russell, Bob Cousy, Tommy Heinsohn, Bill Sharman, Sam Jones, and John Havlicek adorned the old Garden’s parquet floor. “Brown struck me right away as a grounded individual,” Havlicek and Bob Ryan wrote in their 1977 autobiography “Hondo: Celtic Man in Motion.” He didn’t go around showing off his diamond ring to strangers or do anything similar. He was known for being a person who always kept his word. He enjoyed shaking hands when transacting business.
Brown was able to do all of this in spite of having very little money. When the Celtics appeared to be on the verge of bankruptcy in the late 1940s, he instead chose to rely on his own cunning, artistic abilities, and moral character to keep the team afloat—even if this meant taking out a second mortgage on his home. His wife Marjorie recalled, “He was willing to invest everything he had in the Celtics because he believed in them.”
Boston center Bill Russell once said, “If there’s one thing you have to do to be a true Celtic, it’s to be a man and take responsibility for your actions.” “Walter Brown was that way.”
Brown wasn’t flawless by any means. Although he occasionally lost his temper, his outbursts were usually quickly forgotten. One instance of this was during the rookie campaign of 11-time champion Bill Russell, when Brown became especially enraged following a close regular season loss to the Syracuse Nationals—the team that eventually became the Philadelphia 76ers of today. He screamed, “You bunch of chokers!” at his group. “I refuse to enter this dressing room.”
once more. The following day, as his players were preparing for practice, a visibly repentant Brown spoke to them. He apologized as he carelessly kicked the ground with his foot. “I’m just a fan, and I became frustrated because I thought we were going to lose again. My words were not intended. I felt angry. I’m sorry.
I know that Russell was impressed by the whole thing. He declared, “[Brown] owned the team.” He wasn’t required to say that. However, he was a good man, and the players who were under his tutelage will always hold a special place in their hearts for him. Donald Sterling is not subject to the same criticism.
