On this day in 1964, the Boston Celtics made history by starting the first all-Black starting five in NBA history.
The Celtics were on the road to play a regular season game with the St. Louis Hawks when starting power forward Tommy Heinsohn ended up a scratch due to injury. In that era, there was a so-called “gentlemen’s agreement” that acted as an agreement to always have at least one white player on the court at all times, supposedly in the interest of racial harmony. But legendary team manager and head coach Red Auerbach decided to play recently-acquired Willie Naulls in his place, breaking that tacit, racist agreement.
