Frank Ramsey
(1931-2018)
Hall of Fame Induction: 1982
Card Shown:
2014-15 Panini Flawless
Hall of Fame
Position: SF/SG
Height: 6’3″
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Frank Ramsey was a top player who could have started for most NBA teams during his career. Instead, Boston Celtics coach Red Auerbach chose to use Ramsey as the first player off the bench for the star-studded Celtics team. Frank became the first “sixth man” in basketball before the term was understood in the way that it is today. When he joined the Celtics he was playing behind Hall of Fame guards Bob Cousy and Bill Sharman. As the first man off the bench, Ramsey would often replace one of the forwards such as Tom Heinsohn. A career double-digit scorer and good defender, Ramsey was an important piece in the Celtics dynasty.
Awards and Honors
- Ramsey played college ball for the Kentucky Wildcats under Hall of Fame coach Adolph Rupp. He helped lead the 1950-51 Kentucky team to the NCAA Championship, winning the title game 68-58 against Kansas State. Hall of Famer Cliff Hagan also played on that Kentucky team.
- Ramsey was selected by the Boston Celtics with the fifth overall pick in the first round of the 1953 NBA Draft.
- From 1957-1964, Frank won seven NBA Championships with the Boston Celtics dynasty. In addition to Cousy and Sharman, the Celtics also had a number of other Hall of Famers during those years including Bill Russell, John Havlicek, K.C. Jones, and Sam Jones.
- In the 1958-59 postseason, Ramsey led the Celtics in scoring at 23.2 points per game and helped propel them to the NBA Championship. As the sixth man, Frank, along with the rest of the Celtics, valued the team above individual accomplishment. This was one of the reasons that they were so successful.
- A few months after Ramsey retired in 1964, the Boston Celtics retired his number 23 jersey.
Points of Interest
- When Ramsey played at the University of Kentucky he was well-known as one of the top players in college basketball. However, since this was before the days of big television exposure, ESPN, and the online world, many people knew Frank Ramsey’s name but not his face.
- Kentucky went undefeated, 25-0, during the 1953-54 season. However, they did not accept a bid to play in the NCAA Tournament that year. The seniors on the team had already graduated and the rules at that time prohibited graduate students from playing in the tournament.
- After his rookie season with the Celtics in 1954-55, Frank served his country in the U.S. Army for a year. He returned to the Celtics in 1956-57 and played for them for eight more years before he retired.
- In 1963 Frank Deford wrote a Sports Illustrated cover story about Ramsey entitled. “Smart Moves by a Master of Deception.” In the article Ramsey shares his tips and tricks for getting calls from the refs by flopping and otherwise drawing fouls. These techniques are still used by players today. After the article appeared, the on-court officials let other players beat up on Frank for months without making the foul calls.
- Frank finished his nine-year NBA career with averages of 13.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 24.6 minutes per game. Although his numbers were not huge, Ramsey accepted his role and he was an integral part in the era of the Celtics dynasty in the 1950s and 1960s.
Statistics
Frank Ramsey Statistics
provided by Basketball-Reference.com