On this day in Boston Celtics history, champion point and shooting guard Charles Thomas Scott was born in New York City, New York in 1948. Better known as “Charlie” to many Celtics fans, the New Yorker famously broke the color barrier at the University of North Carolina as that famed school’s first Black scholarship athlete before he was drafted by Boston with the 106th pick of the 1970 NBA draft (there were many more rounds in that era).
Before he finished his NCAA days, he would also win a Gold medal in the 1968 Olympics held in Mexico City, Mexico along with future teammate Jo Jo White.
Though drafted by Boston, Scott instead signed with the American Basketball Association’s (ABA — a competing league that would later merge with the NBA) Virginia Squires for most of two seasons.
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At the end of that run, he decided to switch leagues and had his rights dealt to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Paul Silas in 1972.
Scott played four seasons for that club before being dealt to the Celtics for Paul Westphal and draft assets.
AP Photo/Peter Southwick
Scott would make the final of three All-Star teams in his first season with Boston, and a title the next in 1976, ironically against his former team, the Suns.
In three seasons with the Celtics, the UNC product averaged 17.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 1.4 steals per game.
(AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
It was also on this date in 2003 that Celtics center Tony Battie was traded with Kedrick Brown and Eric Williams to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Ricky Davis, Chris Mihm, Michael Stewart, and draft assets.
Battie had been with the team for six seasons, Williams had returned to the team to finish the second of two stints with the team while Brown had been drafted two seasons prior out of Okaloosa-Walton Community College.
Only Ricky Davis stuck around with Boston for very long, Mihm and Stewart lasting less than a season between them.
(AP Photo/Doug Jennings)
Finally, it is also the anniversary of former Celtic small forward Kevin Gamble signing with the team in 1988.
The Illinois native was drafted out of Iowa by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1987 NBA draft but was waived after just 19 total minutes of playing time for the team.
(AP Photo/George Widman)
After stints in the Continental Basketball Association (that era’s G League analog), the World Basketball League, and overseas, Gamble would be inked by Boston to help cover for an injured Larry Bird.
The former Hawkeye would pay his way into a starting role with the team by his third season with the Celtics, for whom he played six seasons putting up 11.2 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game.
This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook!
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