Community Photos & Videos

Historic Neighborhood Photo: Let’s Go Celtics!

Photo courtesy of Boston Public Library, Print Department, Spencer Grant Collection, Copyright © Spencer Grant

In honor of the Celtics making it to the playoffs this year, this week’s photo is of the team playing the New York Knicks back in 1972, just a few years before the famous Larry Bird came along.

Did you know that our team itself is historic? The Celtics were actually founded in 1946 as one of the original eight NBA teams. They also have the most championships in NBA history – coming in at a total of 17 currently.

This photo also shows the Garden’s old interior, which looks a bit different than it does today. That’s because the renovation we’re familiar with did not take place until the 90s. Read more on our previous coverage of TD Garden.

Tune in on Thursday’s to view our featured neighborhood photo from back in the day! Submit your historical photos by tagging @northend.waterfront on Instagram. Please include a caption or story telling about your photo.

See past historic neighborhood photo posts.

8 Replies to “Historic Neighborhood Photo: Let’s Go Celtics!

  1. Lot of comments of rats this week.Remember going to the old BG and having rats run across your feet while sitting in a seat that usually had a beam in your view of the court.Plus no AC and 10,000 fans all smoking at the same time.Yet I still hear some people say ” I MISS THE OLD GARDEN”?

    1. Sometimes a beam without a seat. I’ll never forget the look on Jo-jo White’s face after a double overtime there. The old Garden was built with the thought that they would very rarely fill it. Back in the day when the Lakers were in Milwaukee and only Canadians cared about hockey. Who knew that team ball would beat Stan Mikita and Wilt Chamberlain. The Bruins would get Orr, Esposito and Parks and the likes of the Rolling Stones would play there. I like the comfort of the new garden. I Miss the days of great expectations.

      1. At that time Boston was a hockey town ,with all the Championships the Celts rarely if ever sold out the joint.We “hung out ” in the concourse of North Station and the pin ball arcade during the winter to soak up the heat because we were too young to be allowed into the pool rooms in the NE.Visiting teams stayed in a dump called the Manger later changed to the Madison hotel next to the Garden.Beatles stayed there for their Garden shows.No entourages back then players would take taxis or drive to home games.Remember seeing Wilt “the stilt” Chamberlin and a guy who ended up playing for the Celtics named Wayne Embry could not believe how big these men were.We never bough a ticket to get in an event we would either climb the “90 footer” a ladder in the back of the Garden and sneak in or the ushers who were all old timers would just let us in.Some great memories there but the place was a dump.

  2. I’m 19 so I wasn’t around ,but I would imagine how bad it must’ve been !! MichaelD

    Hopefully we’ll get #18 this year and that’s why the C’s are the best, proud to be a C’s fan and not a rat fan. Warriors are catching up and the Lakers have 16 banners.

    Great picture Lauren #bleedgreen #beattheCavs #byeBron

    1. Charles,The coach of the Celtics at that time was the legendary Red Auerbach who would fire up his “victory cigar” right on the bench when he knew a win was at hand.I am more than impressed with this team considering the injuries that they have had. Go CELTS !

      1. I know who Red Auerbach is. I’m very impressed too i didn’t think we could make it this far or be up 2-0 vs Lebron

        MichaelD

  3. Charles, I believe you are looking at Dave Cowens and Satch Sanders in the foreground. Sanders, in my opinion was one of the most underrated players in history and one of my favorites if you liked a rough tough rebounder.

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