Tom Heinsohn Hall of Fame Speech

Tom Heinsohn reenters the Basketball Hall of Fame as not only a player but as a coach. He is one of only four inductees as player and coach. I knew of three (John Wooden, Lenny Wilkens, and Heinsohn) but not Bill Sharman. I met Coach Heinsohn years ago at Bellevue Country Club in our community, as he is an avid golfer (I am not). He is a BIG man with a booming voice and boisterous laugh. The Celtics had drafted him with something called 'regional' (territorial) draft rights back in the day after attending Holy Cross.

Coach Heinsohn is also known for his watercolors.



Coach Heinsohn shares some basketball philosophy, insights into Red Auerbach's methods, credits players, laments the decline of transition basketball, and tells a priceless Hank Finkel story.

I've met Mr. Finkel several times and he is a delight. I greeted him with "you're Henry Finkel, the office furniture magnate!" He laughed. But I reminded him that he was an All-American at Akron and averaged 27 points a game, which made him smile. Appreciating the history of your sport makes it that much more special.