Today in Boston Celtics history, Chris Ford was born in Atlantic City, New Jersey back in 1949. Ford started his NBA career with longtime Boston rival, the Detroit Pistons, after playing his NCAA basketball at Villanova. The Atlantic City native was dealt to the Celts for Earl Tatum in 1978 in what would be the final stop of his career as a player. Ford never left Boston again as a player, playing for the franchise over the last four seasons in the league before making the leap to the other side of the clipboard.
He remained with the team for four more years as an assistant and eventual coach, winning championships with the Celtics in 1981 as a player, and in 1984 and 86 as an assistant coach. Ford’s coaching career would later see him with the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Clippers as head coach, a stint as head coach at Brandeis University, and then a return to the pro ranks as an assistant and interim head coach with the Philadelphia 76ers. He stayed on as a scout for the team afterward and was recently a coaching consultant for the New York Knicks.
Advertisement
Ford was also famous for having shot the league’s first 3-point shot on October 12th, 1979 at a home game against the Houston Rockets that also happens to be the debut of Celtic legend Larry Bird.
Birthdays
It is also the birthday of former Celtic guard Tony Allen, born this day in 1982 in Chicago, Illinois. He would be drafted out of Oklahoma State with the 25th pick of the 2004 NBA draft, where he would blossom into the defensive menace he’s known for today. While Allen was not a key player on the 2008 championship team, his consistent effort throughout the regular season and career in green made him a fan favorite.
LA Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (R) clashes with Boston Celtics player Tony Allen (L) and teammate Kendrick Perkins (C) before the Boston Celtics went on to win 103-94 in game two of the NBA finals at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on June 6, 2010. The defending champion Los Angeles Lakers are not only seeking their 16th NBA championship but also redemption after a humbling loss to the Boston Celtics in the 2008 NBA finals. The Lakers still have the bitter after taste of their humiliating finals loss two years ago. AFP PHOTO/Mark RALSTON (Photo credit should read MARK RALSTON/AFP via Getty Images)
Finally, it is also the birthday of Larry Robinson, who played one game for the Celtics in 1991. A native of Bossier City, Louisiana, Robinson played at his better-known cousin’s alma mater, Centenary College. Celtics history buffs have likely guessed Robinson is related to Robert Parish, though the former played much less NBA basketball. He won a title in 1994 with the Houston Rockets but scored just 2 points, 2 rebounds, and an assist in his sole game as a Celtic.
This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Celtics history: Chris Ford, Tony Allen, Larry Robinson born