1946–47 Boston Celtics season

The 1946–47 Boston Celtics season was the first season of the Boston Celtics in the Basketball Association of America (BAA/NBA). Walter A. Brown was the man who was responsible for starting the franchise. In June 1946, Brown, who operated the Boston Garden arena and was part of the National Hockey League's Boston Bruins, was the driving force behind the Basketball Association of America and the Celtics birth.[1] After considering several team names, including Whirlwinds, Unicorns, and Olympics, Brown opted for Celtics.[2] He hoped to grab the attention of Boston's large Irish American population. John Davis "Honey" Russell was hired as the first Celtics coach, and the team soon began its inaugural season, losing its first game 59–53 to the Providence Steamrollers. The Celtics won their first game of the season against the Toronto Huskies on November 16, 1946.[3]

1946–47 Boston Celtics season
Head coachHoney Russell
OwnersWalter A. Brown
ArenaBoston Arena
Boston Garden
Results
Record22–38 (.367)
PlaceDivision: 5th (Eastern)
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
RadioWMEX

Roster
1946–47 Boston Celtics roster
Players Coaches
Pos.No.NameHeightWeightDOBFrom
F 6–18 Brightman, Al 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1923-09-22 Long Beach State
F/C 11 Connors, Chuck 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1921-04-10 Seton Hall
F 15 Crisler, Hal 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1923-12-31 Iowa State
F 17 Duffy, Bob 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1922-07-05 Colgate
F 14 Eliason, Don 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1918-07-24 Hamline
F 7 Fenley, Warren 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1922-02-08 Manhattan
G 15 Garfinkel, Jack 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1918-06-13 St. John's
G/F 4 Gray, Wyndol 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1922-03-20 Bowling Green
G 3 Hirsch, Mel 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) 165 lb (75 kg) 1921-07-31 Brooklyn
G 3 Hoefer, Charlie 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) 158 lb (72 kg) 1921-09-16 Queens College
F 14–24 Kelly, Jerry 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 172 lb (78 kg) 1918-06-14 Marshall
C 9 Kottman, Harold 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1922-08-22 Culver–Stockton
G 5 Murphy, Dick 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1921-03-10 Manhattan
F/C 10 Simmons, Connie 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 222 lb (101 kg) 1925-03-15 Flushing HS (NY)
G 6 Simmons, Johnny 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 184 lb (83 kg) 1924-07-07 NYU
F 12 Spector, Art 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1920-10-17 Villanova
F/C 17 Vaughn, Virgil 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1918-05-15 Western Kentucky
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Roster
Last transaction: {{{access-date}}}

Regular season

On November 5, the Celtics played their first game at the Boston Garden in front of 4,329 fans.[4] The game would be delayed for an hour when the wooden backboard was damaged after a practice dunk during warm-ups. After the backboard was repaired, the Celtics lost to the Chicago Stags by a score 57–55. This would become the first ever broken backboard in BAA/NBA History.

Season standings
#
Eastern Division
Team W L PCT GB
1 x-Washington Capitols4911.817–
2 x-Philadelphia Warriors3525.58314
3 x-New York Knicks3327.55016
4 Providence Steamrollers2832.46721
5 Boston Celtics2238.36727
6 Toronto Huskies2238.36727

Record vs. opponents
1946–47 BAA Records
Team BOS CHI CLE DET NYK PHI PIT PRO STL TOR WAS
Boston —0–62–43–34–21–55–11–51–54–21–5
Chicago 6–0—5–13–33–35–16–03–33–44–21–5
Cleveland 4–21–5—4–24–23–34–22–41–56–01–5
Detroit 3–33–32–4—1–52–43–32–40–63–31–5
New York 2–43–32-45–1—2–46–04–24–23–32–4
Philadelphia 5–11–53–34–24–2—5–14–23–35–11–5
Pittsburgh 1–50–62–43–30–61–5—3–31–53–31–5
Providence 5–13–34–24–22–42–43–3—2–43–30–6
St. Louis 5–14–35–16–02–43–35–14–2—2–42–4
Toronto 2–42–40–63–33–31–53–33–34–2—1–5
Washington 5–15–15–15–14–25–15–16–04–25–1—

Game log
1946–47 Game Log
November
GameDateOpponentScoreLocation/AttendanceHigh pointsRecord
1November 2, 1946@ Providence Steamrollers53–59Rhode Island AuditoriumRed Wallace (9)0–1
2November 5, 1946Chicago Stags55–57Boston GardenJohn Simmons (13)0–2
3November 9@ Detroit Falcons46–69Detroit OlympiaArt Spector (12)0–3
4November 13@ Chicago Stags61–71Chicago StadiumJohn Simmons (14)0–4
5November 14@ St. Louis Bombers62–64St. Louis ArenaGray, Wallace (12)0–5
6November 16Toronto Huskies53–49Boston GardenWyndol Gray (13)1–5
7November 21St. Louis Bombers53–65Boston GardenConnie Simmons (9)1–6
8November 22@ Toronto Huskies82–83Maple Leaf GardensConnie Simmons (18)1–7
9November 23@ Detroit Falcons46–54Detroit OlympiaConnie Simmons (15)1–8
10November 25Providence Steam Rollers59–71Boston GardenJohn Simmons (14)1–9
11November 26Philadelphia Warriors54–66Philadelphia ArenaConnie Simmons (15)1–10
12November 28Pittsburgh Ironmen59–55Boston GardenHarold Kottman (19)2–10
December
GameDateOpponentScoreLocation/AttendanceHigh pointsRecord
13December 1@ Chicago Stags56–66Boston GardenAl Brightman (26)2–11
14December 2@ Pittsburgh Ironmen46–44Duquesne GardensAl Brightman (11)3–11
15December 5Detroit Falcons61–65Boston GardenConnie Simmons (10)3–12
16December 7New York Knickerbockers65–90Boston GardenGray, Kottman (15)3–13
17December 8@ New York Knickerbockers44–62Madison Square GardenWyndol Gray (13)3–14
18December 12Detroit Falcons73–66Boston GardenJerry Kelly (21)4–14
19December 14Philadelphia Warriors77–65Boston GardenRed Wallace (19)5–14
20December 19St. Louis Bombers74–76Boston GardenAl Brightman (13)5–15
21December 22@ St. Louis Bombers53–65St. Louis ArenaChuck Connors (14)5–16
22December 23@ Pittsburgh Ironmen54–64Duquesne GardensC. Simmons, Spector (9)5–17
23December 27Philadelphia Warriors60–63Boston GardenAl Brightman (17)5–18
24December 28@ Providence Steam Rollers68–80Rhode Island AuditoriumWyndol Gray (17)5–19
25December 30Washington Capitols60–70Boston GardenConnie Simmons (19)5–20
January
GameDateOpponentScoreLocation/AttendanceHigh pointsRecord
26January 3@ Toronto Huskies58–53Maple Leaf GardensAl Brightman (21)6–20
27January 6Cleveland Rebels53–64Boston GardenConnors, Gray (15)6–21
28January 10New York Knicks66–62Boston GardenAl Brightman (18)7–21
29January 11@ Providence Steam Rollers73–72Rhode Island AuditoriumAl Brightman (17)8–21
30January 16Washington Capitols47–38Boston GardenAl Brightman (14)9–21
31January 18@ New York Knickerbockers58–45Madison Square GardenAl Brightman (19)10–21
32January 20Chicago Stags54–81Boston GardenWyndol Gray (13)10–22
33January 21@ Philadelphia Warriors43–59Philadelphia ArenaJohn Simmons (10)10−23
34January 23Pittsburgh Ironmen48–43Boston GardenCharlie Hoefer (11)11–23
35January 25@ New York Knickerbockers52–46Madison Square GardenAl Brightman (17)11–24
36January 27Washington Capitols57–80Boston GardenConnie Simmons (12)12–24
37January 29@ Washington Capitols57–69Uline ArenaConnie Simmons (11)12–25
38January 30Pittsburgh Ironmen66–51Boston GardenConnie Simmons (18)13–25
February
GameDateOpponentScoreLocation/AttendanceHigh pointsRecord
39February 3@ Philadelphia Warriors55–61Philadelphia ArenaConnie Simmons (17)13–26
40February 6New York Knickerbockers49–48Boston GardenConnie Simmons (14)14–26
41February 13St. Louis Bombers64–54Boston GardenConnie Simmons (17)15–26
42February 16@ Chicago Stags77–84Chicago StadiumConnie Simmons (25)15–27
43February 18@ Cleveland Rebels73–84Cleveland ArenaConnie Simmons (21)15–28
44February 19@ Detroit Falcons57–51Detroit OlympiaConnie Simmons (18)16–28
45February 21@ Toronto Huskies61–67Maple Leaf GardensConnie Simmons (26)16–29
46February 23Providence Steam Rollers55–67Boston GardenAl Brightman (14)16–30
47February 24@ Washington Capitals59–83Uline ArenaAl Brightman (14)16–31
48February 28Cleveland Rebels69–62Boston GardenAl Brightman (22)17–31
March
GameDateOpponentScoreLocation/AttendanceHigh pointsRecord
49March 1@ Washington Capitols52–75Uline ArenaJack Garfinkel (18)17–32
50March 6Detroit Falcons74–65Boston GardenConnie Simmons (19)18–32
50March 8Toronto Huskies67–65Boston GardenConnie Simmons (19)19–32
52March 10Providence Steam Rollers70–87Boston GardenJohn Simmons (17)19–33
53March 12Toronto Huskies69–57Boston GardenHoefer, J. Simmons (13)20–33
54March 13@ Philadelphia Warriors57–81Philadelphia ArenaCharlie Hoefer (12)20–34
55March 18Cleveland Rebels58–67Boston GardenConnie Simmons (14)20–35
56March 24Chicago Stags69–80Boston GardenConnie Simmons (17)20–36
57March 25@ Cleveland Rebels64–72Cleveland ArenaArt Spector (19)20–37
58March 26Pittsburgh Ironmen74–61Duquesne GardensAl Brightman (17)21–37
59March 29@ St. Louis Bombers55–59St. Louis ArenaAl Brightman (15)21–38
60March 30@ Cleveland Rebels71–66Cleveland ArenaConnie Simmons (20)22–38
1946–47 Schedule

Player stats

Season
Player GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG AST SPG BPG PPG
Connie Simmons 60.320.6776210.3
Al Brightman 58.256.627609.8
Wyndol Gray 55.292.581476.4
Art Spector 55.267.553466.0
Jerry Kelly 43.291.667246.0
Charlie Hoefer 35.241.634246.0
Red Wallace 24.246.438205.5
Johnny Simmons 60.280.614295.3
Chuck Connors 49.247.464404.6
Jack Garfinkel 40.266.607584.5
Harold Kottman 53.314.465173.1
Warren Fenley 33.225.511162.6
Tony Kappen 18.275.63264.1
Virgil Vaughn 17.192.536102.6
Mel Hirsch 13.200.500101.5
Dick Murphy 7.059.00030.9
Moe Becker 6.227.75012.2
Bob Duffy 6.2861.00001.3
Hal Crisler 4.3331.00001.5
Don Eliason 1.000–00.0

Transactions

Trades
December 12, 1946
 To Boston Celtics
Moe Becker[5]		 To Pittsburgh Ironmen
Tony Kappen
January 2, 1947
 To the Boston Celtics
Charlie Hoefer[5]		 To the Toronto Huskies
Red Wallace

Purchases
Player Date bought Previous team
Jack Garfinkel[6] January 16, 1947 Rochester Royals

References
  1. Celtics Lore | Celtics.com
  2. Boston Celtics Limited Partnership: Information and Much More from Answers.com
  3. "1946-47 Boston Celtics Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  4. Boston Celtics (1946–Present)
  5. "1946-47 Boston Celtics Transactions". Basketball Reference. Accessed on July 19, 2017.
  6. prosportstransactions.com
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