Long before they linked up on the Boston Celtics, John “Honey” Russell (Boston’s first-ever coach) had the privilege of introducing fellow Celtics alum and star actor Kevin “Chuck” Connors to the pro game while both were still in the American Basketball League (a competing league that predated the Basketball Association of America/NBA). And in that game, per John Russell, the author of his father’s biography, Connors took a stab at acting in a way as well.
Evidently, Russell decided he was going to put Connor into the game for the first time, and planned to have him square off with big man Mike Bloom on the opposing team (Bloom would himself later join the Celtics in the BAA days). But he also asked Connors to do something very much outside of how he usually played to catch Bloom off guard and hopefully pick up an advantage.
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At halftime, Russell took Connors aside, and said “You’ve been watching Bloom all along, right?”, to which Connors said he had been. “Stick everything you’ve seen up your (expletive),” said the future Celtics coach. “What?!?” replied the future actor incredulously.
American baseball player and actor Chuck Connors (1921 – 1992) and his wife, Elizabeth Jane Riddell, attend the premiere of the film, ‘The Big Country,’ directed by William Wyler, 1958. (Photo by Bruce Bailey/Getty Images)
“Hit him,” said Russell. “I want you to belt him. Don’t bother about the tap, you can’t out-jump him. When the ball goes up, sock him on the jaw.” The request likely took Connors aback, as he had always been a clean player at the college level, where he’d been coached by Russell as well.
Trying to push back on taking such a tack with Bloom, Russell shut it down immediately. “Kevin, if you don’t do it, you won’t be back with this club next week.” Brutish and unsporting as the strategy might have been, it reportedly worked, throwing Bloom off and opening a space for Connors to flourish in his debut.
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“I did exactly what Honey said, and for the next couple of years Mike Bloom was my patsy, except for a couple of games,” said Connors of the incident. Who knew hard fouls go back so far?
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This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Honey Russell on how he introduced Celtics star Chuck Connors to pros