Today in Boston Celtics history, Cornelius “Connie” Leo Simmons was born in Newark, New Jersey, in 1925. Simmons did not play college basketball before playing in the NBA; instead, he made the leap directly from Flushing High School in New York City to the Celtics during Boston’s inaugural season of 1946-47.
This season also marked the very first of the Basketball Association of America (BAA), a precursor league to the NBA, of which Boston was a founding ball club. Simmons played parts of two seasons for the Celtics before being traded midway through the 1947-48 season to the now-defunct Baltimore Bullets.
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The Newark native averaged 9.4 points per game while with Boston.
Birthdays
It is also the birthday of former Boston big man Brady Walker, born this day in Provo, Utah in 1921. Walker played collegiately at Brigham Young University before being drafted by the (now defunct) Providence Steamrollers in the 1948 BAA draft. He was in turn be taken from the Providence Steam Rollers in the dispersal draft following the shuttering of that franchise in 1949. Walker would play parts of two seasons with the Celtics between that year and 1950 when he was dealt to the (defunct) Bullets.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – APRIL 20: A view of the Boston Celtics Championship Banners at TD Garden on April 20, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
These three share their birthday with forward John Janisch, who came into this world in 1920 in Indiana (the city of his birth is unclear). A product of Valparaiso, Janisch joined the (now defunct) Detroit Falcons in the BAA’s premier season and was drafted by Boston in the dispersal draft in 1947. He played just 3 games for the Celtics, averaging just a point per game over that stretch.
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Debuts
Finally, today is also the anniversary of forward Coty Clarke’s debut with the team in 2016.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – JUNE 17: Confetti covers the Boston Celtics logo after Boston’s 106-88 win against the Dallas Mavericks in Game Five of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden on June 17, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
It came in a 103-98 road loss to the Indiana Pacers and saw the Arkansas alum put up 3 points and a rebound in just over 3 minutes of playing time for a solid if unremarkable first game in the NBA.
This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Celtics history: Simmons, Walker, Janisch, Parker born; Clarke debut