Jacob “Red” Auerbach

Arnold Jacob “Red” Auerbach (September 20, 1917 – October 28, 2006) was an American professional basketball coach and executive. He served as a head coach in the National Basketball Association (NBA), most notably with the Boston Celtics. Auerbach was also the head coach of the Washington Capitols and Tri-Cities Blackhawks. As a coach, Auerbach set NBA records with 938 wins and nine championships. After his coaching retirement in 1966, he served as president and front office executive of the Celtics until his death.

Jacob Auerbach

Jacob was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe.  Red Auerbach got his nickname when he was a kid. He had flaming red hair and a fiery temper, so his friends started calling him “Red.” The nickname stuck, and he went by it for the rest of his life.

He attended Eastern District High School in Brooklyn, where he played basketball and baseball. After graduating from high school, Auerbach attended George Washington University, where he played basketball for the Colonials.

Coach Red Auerbach

After graduating from college, Auerbach worked as a coach and scout for the Washington Capitols of the Basketball Association of America (BAA). In 1946, he was named head coach of the Capitols. He led the Capitols to the BAA championship in 1947. In 1950, Auerbach was hired as head coach of the Boston Celtics. He led the Celtics to nine NBA championships in 13 seasons. He also won the NBA Coach of the Year award in 1965.

Auerbach retired from coaching in 1966, but remained with the Celtics as general manager. He helped the Celtics win six more NBA championships in the 1970s and 1980s.Auerbach was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1969. He was also named one of the 10 greatest coaches in NBA history by the league’s 50th anniversary committee.

Russel & Red

Red Auerbach had a complex and often contentious relationship with Bill Russell. On the one hand, Auerbach was the coach who helped Russell win 11 NBA championships with the Boston Celtics. On the other hand, Auerbach was also a demanding and sometimes cruel taskmaster, and their relationship was often strained.

• Auerbach and Russell first met when Russell was a college player at the University of San Francisco. Auerbach was impressed by Russell’s talent, and he drafted him with the first overall pick in the 1956 NBA draft. Russell went on to become one of the greatest players in NBA history, and he won 11 championships with the Celtics.

“Red”

Auerbach was married to Dorothy Lewis from 1941 until her death in 2000. Red passed away due to a heart attack in Washington, D.C.  , on October 28, 2006, at the age of 89. He was survived by his two children, Michael and Joshua and four grandchildren.  Auerbach was honored in a number of ways after his death. The Celtics retired his jersey number 2, and the NBA named its annual coach of the year award after him. Auerbach was also the subject of a number of books and documentaries.

Auerbach was a larger-than-life figure in the world of basketball. He was a brilliant coach and executive, and he helped to shape the NBA into the league it is today. He was also a colorful character, known for his cigar-smoking and his fiery temper. Auerbach was a true icon of the game of basketball, and he will be remembered as one of the greatest coaches and executives in NBA history.

CLEVELAND, OH – FEBRUARY 8: NBA Legend Red Auerbach is interviewed during the 1997 Rookie Game played February 8, 1997 at the Gund Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1997 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)