On this day in Boston Celtics history, former Celtics small forward Chuck Cooper was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1926. Cooper would play his college ball at West Virginia State and then later Duquesne, his tenure at the first interrupted when he was drafted to serve in the Second World War. Cooper was selected by the Celtics from the latter with the 14th overall pick of the 1950 NBA draft.
In and of itself, a player being taken from a respected university in what was then the second round of the draft ought to have been unremarkable save one major detail — Cooper would be the first Black player drafted in NBA history.
Buy Celtics TicketsThis momentous occasion was, as one might expect given the era, questioned by the other team owners in the league when they heard that Celtics General Manager Red Auerbach planned to draft Cooper.
He was the first African American to play in a college basketball game south of the Mason-Dixon line and was the first African American to be drafted by an NBA team, Red Auerbach’s Boston Celtics in 1950. We posthumously congratulate Charles “Chuck” Cooper. #19HoopClass pic.twitter.com/GrGs8U1qxh
— Basketball HOF (@Hoophall) April 6, 2019
This prompted Celtics owner Walter A. Brown to famously say, “I don’t give a damn if he’s striped, plaid or polka dot. Boston takes Charles Cooper of Duquesne.”
Cooper would play four seasons with the Celtics, over which he averaged 6.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game.
It is also the birthday of former Celtics big man Brad Lohaus, born today in 1956 in New Ulm, Minnesota. Taken by the Celtics out of Iowa with the 45th pick of the 1987 NBA draft, Lohaus for parts of two seasons.
He was dealt with current Boston team president and former shooting guard Danny Ainge to the Sacramento Kings for Joe Kleine and Ed Pinckney, averaging 4.8 points and 2.4 rebounds per game with the team.
Finally, Cooper and Lohaus share their birthday with former Celtic point guard Art Williams, born today in 1939 in Bonham, Texas.
An undrafted prospect out of Cal Poly Pomona who first signed with the (then) San Diego (now, Houston) Rockets in 1967, Williams would play three seasons with that club before he was traded to Boston for draft assets.
The Texan would play four seasons with the Celtics, winning a title in a reserve role in his final season with the team in 1974.
He would log 4 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game while with Boston.
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