Red Auerbach squares off against Curt Schilling in the second round of the Boston’s Biggest Sports Legend tournament.
Before the Lakers won everything in June of 2009, Arnold “Red” Auerbach’s nine NBA championships served as the most by one coach in league history. Phil Jackson may have surpassed that mark, but Auerbach is still regarded as one of the very best coaches of all time. The Coach of the Year trophy even is named after him. He was responsible for implementing a team-first, defense-oriented approach and drafted the league’s first African-American player. Auerbach transformed the Celtics from NBA laughingstock to NBA powerhouse, leading Boston to nine championships in 10 years from 1956 to 1966. He moved to the front office and won another seven titles as general manager and president of the Celtics. No other person did as much to turn the franchise into what it is today: a storied title machine that is often remembered as one of the greatest dynasties in the history of professional sports.
Love him or hate him, Curt Schilling is a key figure in Red Sox history. Without Schilling, the Red Sox would not have won their first championship in 86 years in 2004. True, Pedro Martinez was an ace, but Schilling was the better ace on a great team, epitomizing what it means to do anything in pursuit of a championship. After compiling a 21-6 record and a 3.26 ERA in the regular season, Schilling suffered an ankle injury in his first start of the ALDS against Los Angeles. He started Game 1 of the ALCS against New York, and even before he gave up six runs in three innings, it was obvious something was wrong. But instead of bowing out, he helped the Red Sox believe they could come back from a 0-3 hole. He got a cortisone shot to alleviate the pain of a displaced tendon that shifted every time he threw a pitch. He took the mound in Game 6, bloody sock and all. He led Boston to a 4-2 win and an eventual world championship. But most importantly, he made Boston believe again, and you can never take that away.
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