Who is your all-time favorite obscure Celtics player?
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I figure this one is right in your wheelhouse, Finn, since you seem to know a lot of sports minutiae and you’re my favorite obscure sports writer. Who is your favorite obscure Celtic? No mediocre players or occasional starters. I’m talking about bench warmers. I’m going with Wayne Kreklow. Who ya got? – Rick Robey Is Not Obscure.
I’ll answer this right after I determine whether I should be flattered or insulted. Ah, heck, the question is irresistible, so I’m taking it as a compliment that you thought of me. Besides, I’m not sure even my own family knows what I do for a living. I’m obscure in my own home.
I reserve the right to cop out here, and so I will, because I can’t choose between these two: Terry Duerod and Conner Henry. They’re my 1 and 1A of garbage-time Celtics All-Stars.
Duerod, a rapid-firing 6-foot-2 guard, was a fan-favorite as the 12th man on the 1980-81 championship team. He was basically the human version of the Gino/”American Bandstand” clip or Red Auerbach’s cigar. When he entered the game to the cheers of “DOOOOOOO!,” you knew the Celtics had locked up another win — or, occasionally, were on the wrong end of a blowout. His Celtics high of 12 points came in a 25-point loss to a lousy Pistons team.
Henry shares the honor with Duerod for one particular game in January 1987. With the Celtics blowing out the Bucks in the fourth quarter, Henry, a 6-foot-7 forward on a 10-day contract, came off the bench and basically turned into a Larry Bird highlight reel for 10 minutes. He scored 11 points, shooting 4-for-4 from the field — including three 3-pointers — in a 119-92 Celtics win. Garden fans chanted his name and gave him a standing ovation as he left the court. He’d play just 46 games for the Celtics over two seasons, averaging 2.9 points per game. But for one night, he was a superstar.
But what do you guys think? Who is your all-time favorite obscure Celtic? I’ll hear you in the comments.
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