Tom Heinsohn, high school, college and professional basketball star passed away at age 86

His blood always ran green. I was never a Boston Celtics fan, but I always had the upmost respect for their National Basketball Association franchise, and Tom Heinsohn was a piece of it, a 6-foot-7 piece. Tuesday, he passed away at his home in Massachusetts after a blood clotting issue in July that had him rehabbing since.

Born in Jersey City, N.J., he was 86 and it no doubt brought sadness to hoop fans in New England, former teammates, and even those he played against. Even after his stellar years with the Green and White and love from the fans who packed Boston Gardens, he became head coach, was Coach of the Year in 1973 and his Celts also won yet another NBA title. He later turned to broadcasting the Celtics’ NBA playoff games with Verne Lunquist.

I worked for a dozen years as a sportswriter at the Jersey Journal in Jersey City, N.J., and north of there, in Union City, was St. Michael’s, where he played his high school ball. When the school closed down, he was asked to speak at the final graduation. He appeared sad to see his neighborhood school shutting down, but spoke of the good times, the fond memories, when he was the star of the basketball program, and of his mom.

He said, “I remember coming here from middle school. I was nervous, but made friends quickly and couldn’t wait until basketball began. When I graduated and was accepted at Holy Cross University in Worcester, Mass., my mother bought me a new blue suit because she wanted me to have that. We were poor, it was a power blue suit with peg pants, you know, skinny at the bottom, and I think I made quite an impression.”

Then he added that he was going to hang around the area for awhile and renew friendships with former classmates and neighbors. His popularity was a big factor in the town across from New York City.

He also made quite an impression on the basketball courts for the Crusaders. He wound up as the school’s all-time leading scorer with 1,789 points and posted a 22.1 scoring average. As a senior, he set a school record with his 51 points against Boston College. He had a hard-nosed style of play, was a vital cog of the offense and defense, but also developed a superb shooting touch, and command of the backboards.

When the 1956 college draft arrived, Heinsohn was chosen by Boston as a ‘territorial’ or ‘regional’ pick, with head coach Red Auerbach already sold on him. Auerbach, one of the all-time best coaches, hailed from Brooklyn, and was replaced in the role by Tom “Satch” Sanders of Manhattan, and when Heinsohn’s playing days were over, he became the head coach from Union City.

New York-New Jersey flavor, but it was still New England’s team. And Heinsohn went on to become as symbolic a Celtic as was ever seen. Including his playing days, coaching and broadcasting, he was there for all of Boston’s 17 championships.

Playing as a forward or center, He was Rookie of the Year in 1957, an All-Star six times, Most Valuable Player in that game once, and also MVP in four NBA title games. His second league championship as head coach came in 1976. Unlike Auerbach, he didn’t light up a cigar in the final minutes of a win, but he often praised his players, his assistants, and waved to the fans if the victory came at Boston Gardens.

It was a never forgotten Celtics dynasty, and he fit right in. It was known that he followed the fortunes of the franchise until his final days.

What a loaded roster — Heinsohn, Bob Cousy, Bill Russell, K.C. Jones, Sam Jones, John Havlichek, Dave Cowens, Jo Jo White, Larry Bird, Frank Ramsey, Dennis Johnson, Robert Parrish, Bill Sharman, and Sanders.

RIP, Tommy Heinsohn, you were a credit to old St. Michael’s, to Holy Cross, to the Boston Celtics, your family and friends, and thanks for your words that day at St. Michael’s.