Former Celtic Larry Siegfried Dies, Never Impressed by Boston's Resurgence

Filed under: Celtics

After a while, the calls all sounded the same.

In February 2008, while working for the now-defunct Rocky Mountain News, I talked to many former Boston stars about the Celtics' resurgence, which eventually culminated with Boston winning the NBA title for the first time in 22 years.

I dialed up Hall of Famers Bob Cousy, Frank Ramsey, Bailey Howell and Bill Walton and stalwarts Paul Silas and M.L. Carr, among others, and reactions were all similar. All were thrilled about Boston being back.

But then I reached out to Larry Siegfried (pictured right in 1964) in the small town of Perrysville (population 816) in his native Ohio, where he had returned to live since retiring from the NBA in 1972 after nine NBA seasons. Siegfried never was an NBA All-Star, but he was a solid guard, winning five rings with Celtics and averaging 12 or more points five times during his 1963-70 Boston stint.

I expected the usual glowing quotes over the play of the Celtics, but that's hardly what I got. Siegfried went on and on about his distaste for the current NBA, including Gang Green.

Siegfried, who suffered a heart attack earlier this month, died Thursday night at 71. After hearing the news, I couldn't help but remember his words.

 

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