On this day in Boston Celtics history, several members of the storied franchise went to see the Grateful Dead in concert in Worcester, Massachusetts in 1985. Not all of the Celtics went, but after recent arrival Bill Walton had managed to pique the interest of a few of his teammates, a significant portion of the team decided to attend the concert.
A few days ahead of the planned concert, Hall of Fame teammates Larry Bird and Kevin McHale had noticed some hippie-ish looking people wearing funky clothes arriving in town and made the connection it must have something to do with their hippie-ish teammate.
Walton had himself previously met the band after sticking out like a sore thumb as a 7-footer at one of their concerts, catching the eye of drummer Mickey Hart, who called him on stage after learning who he was.
I've got your brief distraction: 35 years ago today, Bill Walton took Celtics players, including Larry Bird, to see the Grateful Dead in Worcester, Massachusetts. "Two of my favorite subjects – the Grateful Dead and Boston Celtics," Walton said.https://t.co/KEDmAolDEN
— Jeff Zillgitt (@JeffZillgitt) November 4, 2020
Teammates Kevin McHale and Larry Bird pulled him aside after practice one day close to the concert.
“They said, ‘What’s going on?’ ” Walton explained to USA TODAY Sports’ Jeff Zillgitt. “I told them, ‘Getting ready to practice'”.
Ep. 3 "The 86 Celtics Interviews" – Robert Parish on the Grateful Dead, what pissed him off, and Ainge being cheap https://t.co/ouZ9XqCbr0
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) August 9, 2016
“Nah, something’s going on here. All kinds of new people in town. They’ve got long hair and they’re wearing these crazy shirts that you always wear and everything smells different.”
“I have no idea what you guys are talking about.”
“Are the Grateful Dead coming to town?”
“Yes.”
“Are you going?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Can we come, too?”
“I believe we can make this happen.”
Bill Walton once tried to convert Danny Ainge into a Grateful Dead fan https://t.co/eLUULr7c70 pic.twitter.com/zaLS6rX9fv
— Boston.com Sports (@BDCSports) November 5, 2015
Recent Virginia graduate Rick Carlisle had seen the Dead while at that school and joined them as well.
“I went to a lot of shows with Bill and ended up getting to know the guys in the band and some of their stage crew,” he related to Zillgitt.
One player who didn’t? Danny Ainge.
"I don't know how anyone can like the Grateful Dead without being high." – Danny Ainge, speaking the truth. pic.twitter.com/AdFw8WVzH0
— Rich Shertenlieb (@heyrichhey) November 21, 2019
Contrary to rumors, his wife did not stop him from going — he just didn’t like the music. “I could have gone if I wanted to. I just didn’t want to go,” Ainge explained.
The teammates who did go met up at Bird’s house to take a limousine to the concert, and the following day, the Dead attended a Celtics practice, Bird even challenging drummer Mickey Hart to some 1-on-1.
“It was humiliating, to say the least,” Hart said. “I couldn’t even get a shot off. He started checking me really hard, and I said, ‘Hey Larry, I’ve got to play (drums) tonight.’”
That night, they went back again to a second show in Worcester, and Walton had the band sing him “Happy Birthday” to close out the exchange program of sorts with festivities.
I was there! Still remember as clear as day singing HBD to the enigmatic big man… a really fun night. Can't recall what I did yesterday but that's another matter! 😉
Bill Walton took some Celtics teammates to a Grateful Dead concert 35 years ago today https://t.co/dV9f9B76Pz
— Jorma Kansanen (@JKansanen) November 4, 2020
“It was an incredible blend of two cultures that stand for so much of the same things: working together to make a better tomorrow with hope, optimism, peace, and love – important values,” said Walton.
Other Celtics history from today includes player birthdays and debuts.
Former Celtics point guard Emmette “Em Bryant” was born today in 1938 in Chicago, Illinois.
He would join the Celtics after four seasons with the New York Knicks, averaging 6.7 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game with Boston before he would be taken by the (then) Buffalo Braves (now, Celtics — it’s a long story) in the 1970 expansion draft held to populate that new team’s roster.
Big man Mikki Moore was born today in 1975 in Orangeburg, South Carolina.
Moore would play two stints for the Celtics; 3 games on a 10-day deal after being waived by the San Antonio Spurs in 2003, and then 24 more games in 2009 as he signed a rest-of-season deal with Boston in 2009.
He recorded 4.3 points and 4 rebounds per game with the Celtics.
Happy birthday Matt Wenstrom! #Celtics pic.twitter.com/nrdYoXq0MV
— Honest☘️Larry (@HonestLarry1) November 4, 2020
Center Matt Wenstrom was born in 1970 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Signed as an undrafted free agent in 1993, he would play just 11 games for the team before being waived, averaging 1.6 points and 1.1 boards per contest with Boston.
If you had Brian Shaw on your fantasy team for this game he would've contributed 35.3 @DraftKings fantasy points.
Cowens dominated the boards with 13 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds. pic.twitter.com/8qsluAV6cG
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 9, 2020
Point guard Brian Shaw debuted for the Celtics in a 122-115 win over the New York Knicks at the old Boston Garden in 1988.
The Oakland native scored 7 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists in 27 minutes of floor time off the bench.
Happy birthday Ron Grandison. #Celtics pic.twitter.com/HaKbxbi2um
— Honest☘️Larry (@HonestLarry1) July 9, 2021
It was also the debut of Boston power forward Ron Grandison, who went scoreless in a minute of floor time.
His first game was the same game as Shaw’s.
Former Celtics shooting guard R.J. Hunter made his debut on this date in 2015 as well.
It came in a 100-98 loss to the Indiana Pacers in which he scored 2 points.
Happy birthday in heaven John Hazen. Another Indiana State great. #Celtics pic.twitter.com/sbJZ4nsZHm
— Honest☘️Larry (@HonestLarry1) March 2, 2021
Many years before that in 1949, in a 94-73 loss to the (then) Philadelphia (now, Golden State), guard John Hazen played his first game as a Celtic.
The Chicago native scored a modest 4 points on 1-of-5 shooting. That same game was also the debut of wing Johnny Bach, who logged 4 points as well, 2 of them from the free-throw line.
Happy birthday in heaven Dick Dickey.
His claim to fame? When NC State beat Bob Cousy’s Holy Cross in the NCAA quarterfinals, Dickey cut down the net, an Indiana high school basketball tradition that he is credited with introducing to the college game. #Celtics pic.twitter.com/V2UuEf94wu— Honest☘️Larry (@HonestLarry1) October 26, 2021
Finally, it was also the debut of Boston alum Dick Dickey, a point guard out of NC State who played his first game in the NBA for the Celtics in 1951 for the (now defunct) Indianapolis Olympians, who Boston flattened 97-65.
The Indiana native scored 2 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists in his inaugural game for the team.
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