Table of Contents COURTSIDE STORIES INTRODUCING Table of Contents IRISH EYES ARE SMILING 8 BUILDING A DYNASTY 16 DOWN AND UP AGAIN 22 BIRD IN THE CELTICS NEST 30 RETURNING TO GREATNESS 40 INDEX 48 COURTSIDE STORIES THE FIRST CELTIC 11 THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING BIG 21 THE FABULOUS FIFTH 24 PLAYING CHECKERS 32 TWIN TRAGEDIES 37 WHEN IN ROME UBUNTU 46 INTRODUCING RED AUERBACH 12 BOB COUSY 15 BILL RUSSELL 18 JOHN HAVLICEK 26 LARRY BIRD 35 PAUL PIERCE 43
IRISH EYES ARE SMILING BOSTON WITH ITS TEA PARTY HARBOR OCCUPIES A HISTORIC SETTING ON THE CHARLES RIVER IRISH EYES ARE SMILING 8
Founded in 1630 the city of Boston Massachusetts became the focal point of resistance when the British began to impose strict taxes on the American colonies in the mid-1760s Despite British attempts to punish them Bostonians set an example of stubborn opposition that attracted followers throughout the colonies Some of the city’s leaders such as John Hancock and John Adams played key roles as the colonies declared their independence in 1776 More than a century and a half later Boston again took the lead in a national enterprise With the end of World War II bringing military service members home fans poured into sports arenas to watch professional hockey and college basketball again But the owners of those arenas such as Boston’s Walter Brown wanted something else to draw people into their buildings BOB COUSY 9
