“They got into an argument and Red punched him” – Red Auerbach punching the Hawks’ owner ignited the Celtics’ first championship in 1957 originally appeared on Basketball Network.
The Boston Celtics began carving their legacy as one of the NBA’s greatest dynasties after clinching the Larry O’Brien trophy in 1957 with Red Auerbach as the coach. With Hall of Famers like Bill Sharman, Bob Cousy and Bill Russell sharing the court, many assume that it was their collective brilliance that sparked the Celtics’ run of dominance.
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However, according to veteran sports media writer Bob Ryan, that championship journey was far more chaotic and intense than most modern-day fans might realize and one moment in particular stood out when the animosity between the Celtics and St. Louis Hawks boiled over so badly that Auerbach ended up doing the most violent act.
Ryan on Auerbach getting physical with St. Louis’ owner
Heading into the 1956-57 season, tensions between the two franchises were already simmering.
The Hawks selected Russell with the second overall pick in the draft, only to trade him to Boston for Ed Macauley and Cliff Hagan – a move that raised eyebrows to see which team eventually got the better deal. With that kind of backdrop, it was no surprise that the 1957 Finals was going to be a fierce contest.
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The Hawks drew first blood by winning the series opener 125-123. The Celtics roared back in the next game, registering a 20-point win, the biggest in that particular series. But then came the feisty incident, as recounted by Ryan, that took the rivalry and bad blood to the next level.
Before the game, Hawks owner Ben Kerner accused Auerbach of playing mind games. And in no time did the verbal exchange grow so intensely that the Celtics head coach did the unthinkable.
“Game 3, before the game, Red Auerbach observed the basket and thought it was too shorthand,” Ryan began his story.Â
“The reason he said that was because Cousy and Sharman could touch it. He said, ‘There’s something suspicious if Cousy and Sharman can touch the rim.’ So, he gets the referees and tells the referees,” Ryan recalled. “Well, Ben Kerner was incensed; he thought Red Auerbach was trying to show him up. And they got into an argument and Red Auerbach punched him, the owner of (St. Louis Hawks). It was before the game.”
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Boston did not let Auerbach put his head down
With the drama between members of the opposing organization reaching a new height, it was the Hawks who stole Game 3 and took a 2-1 lead in the series. But it was Boston, who didn’t let Red’s punch go in vain, that bounced back to win Games 5 and 6 to flip the script. The Hawks refused to surrender as they forced a Game 7 by registering another two-point victory in Game 6.
That final showdown might go down as one of the most hard-fought games in Finals history. In the most desperate hour, rookie Tom Heinsohn dropped a 37-point and 23-rebound double-double, along with Russell dominating the boards with 32 rebounds and 19 points to secure a double-overtime win for the Celtics at home.
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For Auerbach, who had been coaching since 1946, that 1957 title was his long-awaited breakthrough. And perhaps, as wild as it sounds, that moment of throwing a punch felt like a necessary release of years of frustration. In an era far less polished than today’s league, even a legendary coach wasn’t above getting physical if someone questioned his integrity.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 16, 2025, where it first appeared.