June 06, 2008

Holy Cross Basketball Greats Make Headlines During Celtics-Lakers Match-Up

WORCESTER, Mass. – Reporters are asking and Celtics legends Bob Cousy ’50 and Togo Palazzi ’54 have some answers.  Interviewed on the Holy Cross campus, the basketball greats are offering perspective and advice during the NBA finals.

The “Cooz” fondly remembers his championships over the Lakers in ’62 and ’63 and shares his memories with WBZ-TV reporter Ron Sanders. In the same interview he talked about the difference between basketball then and today: “In my day you didn’t make adjustments if you were the guy on top, let the underdog make the adjustments.”

“The Houdini of the Hardwood” also reflects on the old theory that if you were the better team you would win. “Now everyone gets more into the minute parts of the game and breaks it down,” he laughs.  

Palazzi, the first round draft pick for the Celtics in 1954, talks about the Crusader-Celtics connection in an interview with Worcester News Tonight. 
 
“If it wasn’t for Holy Cross, there would be no Celtics,” claims Palazzi. He says it was the Holy Cross team and Worcester fans that started drawing the crowds at the Boston Garden to see players like himself, Cousy, and Tom Heinsohn ’56.

“The Holy Cross connection to the Celtics runs deep,” he says.  

Check out the recent coverage:  

WBZ-TV (June 4, 2008)
Web Extra: Cousy on the Game Then and Now

Worcester News Tonight/NECN (June 5, 2008)
Togo Palazzi is rooting on the Green

For additional information contact Cristal Steuer at 508.793.2419