Togo "comes off the bench" one more time....
Mar 11, 2022 8:50:51 GMT -5
rgs318, Tom, and 6 more like this
Post by HCFC45 on Mar 11, 2022 8:50:51 GMT -5
Putting this here because it gets the most traffic....
From today's Telegram:
Holy Cross legend Togo Palazzi again 'comes off bench' for Boston Celtics, to cheers of Garden crowd
Former Holy Cross standout is recognized at recent game, representing Celtics of 1950s as part of NBA's 75th anniversary
Bill DoyleCorrespondent
Former Boston Celtics and Holy Cross great Togo Palazzi was recently honored by the Celtics.
Togo Palazzi came off the bench one more time for the Celtics.
The Celtics invited alumni from each decade to be recognized at home games this season while the NBA celebrates its 75th anniversary.
On March 1, Palazzi represented the Celtics of the 1950s at center court during a timeout in the first quarter of a game against the Hawks at the Garden.
Alumni from other decades were recognized at other games, and neither Bob Cousy nor Bill Russell, the two greatest Celtics of the 1950s, could make it, so Palazzi was the only alumnus on hand.
As a reserve for two-plus seasons with the Celtics, Palazzi knew when he came off the bench to enter a game he was counted on to score, and if he didn’t, he wouldn’t remain in the game for long. He came through more times than not.
Palazzi had a similar goal on March 1.
“It feels to me, once again, I was called to come off the bench,” he said, “and I answered. I don’t know if I can put it any better than that. I’m talking from my heart.”
It wasn’t easy for Palazzi to attend. At 89, he’s the oldest alumnus to represent any decade. No one is left who played for the Celtics during their first decade of the 1940s.
“Age is a number, and it’s all the way you look at it and feel about it,” he said. “I’m glad I’m still around.”
Palazzi undergoes dialysis for more than four hours a day three days a week for kidney and heart ailments, but he was determined to step on the Garden’s parquet floor one more time.
Again enjoying Garden limelight
The night didn’t rank quite as high as when he led Holy Cross to the NIT championship in 1954, but it reminded him of the jubilation he felt back then.
“I was very proud and very honored,” he said of representing the 1950s Celtics. “In front of 20,000 people, standing up and walking out on that floor, it brought back memories of when we won the NIT in Madison Square Garden. We were in front of all those people, and we were on top of the world, and then there I was representing these great players of the past.”
The Celtics provided a limousine to drive Palazzi and his longtime companion Judy Hoss from their home in Southborough to the Garden and back.
Sixteen members of his family, including five of his six children and seven of his grandchildren, attended. Many held signs reading, “Let’s Go Togo,” which fans used to chant when he played home games for the Crusaders.
“I was really proud of him,” his son Vin said. “I think back on all the stories I’ve heard about him with the Celtics and with Syracuse. Of course, growing up in Worcester and being a son of Togo, it kind of all came to a climax that night.”
While the public address announcer provided highlights of his career during a timeout in the first quarter, Palazzi walked onto the court with the help of a cane during a timeout in the first quarter. Celtics official Duane Johnson walked alongside. As he was shown on the Jumbotron above, Palazzi waved to the crowd and pumped his fists while his family, the rest of the sellout crowd, the Celtics and the Hawks applauded.
“He got a big hand, oh yeah,” said Jeff Twiss, Celtics president of media services and alumni relations, who invited Palazzi to represent the 1950s.
“It was a big moment in a lot of ways,” Palazzi said. “It was an emotional moment.”
Vin Palazzi thought his father seemed more his old self than he had in quite a while.
“I saw that drive in him,” Vin said, “when we walked out onto the court, especially when he raised his fist, it was like, ‘Hey, I’m still here. By the grace of God, I’m still here.’ ”
From Crusader to Celtic
Six weeks after Palazzi led HC to the NIT championship in 1954 and earned the tournament MVP, the Celtics drafted him in the first round, fifth overall. Although he was a first-team All-American his last two years at Holy Cross, he came off the bench in his two-plus seasons with the Celtics and three with the Syracuse Nationals.
“If I had the hot hand, there’s nobody who shoots better than me,” Palazzi said. “When I got into a game, I was always ready to let the thing fly, and usually it worked out for me because I knew that was the thing I had to do. But being 6-foot-4 instead of 6-9 wasn’t easy.”
Cousy didn’t feel well enough to attend, but from his home in Worcester, he recorded a video presentation that was played on the video board at the Garden. He was happy to see his good friend and fellow HC alum represent the Celtics of the 1950s, and he knows it meant a lot to him.
“He’ll get up every morning,” Cousy said, “and run that thought through his mind. It was monumental for Togo.”
Such praise from Cousy means a lot to Palazzi, who considers him the greatest point guard of all time.
“Nobody did it like Cooz, and he was a winner,” Palazzi said. “Six world championships, and he’s a Holy Cross guy, that means a lot.”
Palazzi will turn 90 on Aug. 8 and on Monday he plans to visit Father Earle Markey, his former HC teammate, at the Jesuit residence at Holy Cross to help Markey celebrate his 90th birthday. The two have known each other since they played high school basketball against one another in New Jersey. Markey was drafted by the Celtics in 1953, but became a priest instead.
Palazzi has enjoyed the resurgence of the Celtics this season, and he believes Jayson Tatum is on the path of becoming one of the Celtics greats.
“The mark of greatness is consistency,” Palazzi said, “and they’ve got to do it every night if they want to be great. He has to do it more consistently, and he’s getting there. He’s only 24 years old. I think he’s one of the great Celtics, yes.”
Palazzi was the first full-time women’s basketball coach at Holy Cross, and he would like to speak to the Crusaders about their upset loss to Navy on a 3-pointer at the buzzer in the opening round of the Patriot League playoffs. HC had won the regular-season title for the first time since 2005.
“It’s very disappointing,” he said, “but are you going to let that ruin the season? You can’t. If I had the opportunity to speak to those girls, I’d tell them, ‘You have nothing to be ashamed of. You’ve done a great job for Holy Cross this year, and you’re building a new foundation for the women’s program. You’ve got to think positive.’ ”
—Contact Bill Doyle at bcdoyle15@charter.net. Follow him on Twitter @billdoyle15.
From today's Telegram:
Holy Cross legend Togo Palazzi again 'comes off bench' for Boston Celtics, to cheers of Garden crowd
Former Holy Cross standout is recognized at recent game, representing Celtics of 1950s as part of NBA's 75th anniversary
Bill DoyleCorrespondent
Former Boston Celtics and Holy Cross great Togo Palazzi was recently honored by the Celtics.
Togo Palazzi came off the bench one more time for the Celtics.
The Celtics invited alumni from each decade to be recognized at home games this season while the NBA celebrates its 75th anniversary.
On March 1, Palazzi represented the Celtics of the 1950s at center court during a timeout in the first quarter of a game against the Hawks at the Garden.
Alumni from other decades were recognized at other games, and neither Bob Cousy nor Bill Russell, the two greatest Celtics of the 1950s, could make it, so Palazzi was the only alumnus on hand.
As a reserve for two-plus seasons with the Celtics, Palazzi knew when he came off the bench to enter a game he was counted on to score, and if he didn’t, he wouldn’t remain in the game for long. He came through more times than not.
Palazzi had a similar goal on March 1.
“It feels to me, once again, I was called to come off the bench,” he said, “and I answered. I don’t know if I can put it any better than that. I’m talking from my heart.”
It wasn’t easy for Palazzi to attend. At 89, he’s the oldest alumnus to represent any decade. No one is left who played for the Celtics during their first decade of the 1940s.
“Age is a number, and it’s all the way you look at it and feel about it,” he said. “I’m glad I’m still around.”
Palazzi undergoes dialysis for more than four hours a day three days a week for kidney and heart ailments, but he was determined to step on the Garden’s parquet floor one more time.
Again enjoying Garden limelight
The night didn’t rank quite as high as when he led Holy Cross to the NIT championship in 1954, but it reminded him of the jubilation he felt back then.
“I was very proud and very honored,” he said of representing the 1950s Celtics. “In front of 20,000 people, standing up and walking out on that floor, it brought back memories of when we won the NIT in Madison Square Garden. We were in front of all those people, and we were on top of the world, and then there I was representing these great players of the past.”
The Celtics provided a limousine to drive Palazzi and his longtime companion Judy Hoss from their home in Southborough to the Garden and back.
Sixteen members of his family, including five of his six children and seven of his grandchildren, attended. Many held signs reading, “Let’s Go Togo,” which fans used to chant when he played home games for the Crusaders.
“I was really proud of him,” his son Vin said. “I think back on all the stories I’ve heard about him with the Celtics and with Syracuse. Of course, growing up in Worcester and being a son of Togo, it kind of all came to a climax that night.”
While the public address announcer provided highlights of his career during a timeout in the first quarter, Palazzi walked onto the court with the help of a cane during a timeout in the first quarter. Celtics official Duane Johnson walked alongside. As he was shown on the Jumbotron above, Palazzi waved to the crowd and pumped his fists while his family, the rest of the sellout crowd, the Celtics and the Hawks applauded.
“He got a big hand, oh yeah,” said Jeff Twiss, Celtics president of media services and alumni relations, who invited Palazzi to represent the 1950s.
“It was a big moment in a lot of ways,” Palazzi said. “It was an emotional moment.”
Vin Palazzi thought his father seemed more his old self than he had in quite a while.
“I saw that drive in him,” Vin said, “when we walked out onto the court, especially when he raised his fist, it was like, ‘Hey, I’m still here. By the grace of God, I’m still here.’ ”
From Crusader to Celtic
Six weeks after Palazzi led HC to the NIT championship in 1954 and earned the tournament MVP, the Celtics drafted him in the first round, fifth overall. Although he was a first-team All-American his last two years at Holy Cross, he came off the bench in his two-plus seasons with the Celtics and three with the Syracuse Nationals.
“If I had the hot hand, there’s nobody who shoots better than me,” Palazzi said. “When I got into a game, I was always ready to let the thing fly, and usually it worked out for me because I knew that was the thing I had to do. But being 6-foot-4 instead of 6-9 wasn’t easy.”
Cousy didn’t feel well enough to attend, but from his home in Worcester, he recorded a video presentation that was played on the video board at the Garden. He was happy to see his good friend and fellow HC alum represent the Celtics of the 1950s, and he knows it meant a lot to him.
“He’ll get up every morning,” Cousy said, “and run that thought through his mind. It was monumental for Togo.”
Such praise from Cousy means a lot to Palazzi, who considers him the greatest point guard of all time.
“Nobody did it like Cooz, and he was a winner,” Palazzi said. “Six world championships, and he’s a Holy Cross guy, that means a lot.”
Palazzi will turn 90 on Aug. 8 and on Monday he plans to visit Father Earle Markey, his former HC teammate, at the Jesuit residence at Holy Cross to help Markey celebrate his 90th birthday. The two have known each other since they played high school basketball against one another in New Jersey. Markey was drafted by the Celtics in 1953, but became a priest instead.
Palazzi has enjoyed the resurgence of the Celtics this season, and he believes Jayson Tatum is on the path of becoming one of the Celtics greats.
“The mark of greatness is consistency,” Palazzi said, “and they’ve got to do it every night if they want to be great. He has to do it more consistently, and he’s getting there. He’s only 24 years old. I think he’s one of the great Celtics, yes.”
Palazzi was the first full-time women’s basketball coach at Holy Cross, and he would like to speak to the Crusaders about their upset loss to Navy on a 3-pointer at the buzzer in the opening round of the Patriot League playoffs. HC had won the regular-season title for the first time since 2005.
“It’s very disappointing,” he said, “but are you going to let that ruin the season? You can’t. If I had the opportunity to speak to those girls, I’d tell them, ‘You have nothing to be ashamed of. You’ve done a great job for Holy Cross this year, and you’re building a new foundation for the women’s program. You’ve got to think positive.’ ”
—Contact Bill Doyle at bcdoyle15@charter.net. Follow him on Twitter @billdoyle15.
