This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/4/2022
Robert Joseph Cousy, born August 9, 1928 is an American former professional basketball player. Cousy played point guard for the Boston Celtics from 1950 to 1963, and briefly with the Cincinnati Royals during the 1969–70 season. A 13-time NBA All-Star and 1957 NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP), he was a core piece during the early half of the Celtics dynasty winning six NBA Championships during his 13-year tenure with the Celtics. Nicknamed "The Houdini of the Hardwood", Cousy was the NBA assists leader for eight consecutive seasons, introducing a new blend of ball-handling and passing skills to the NBA. Following his playing career with the Celtics he served as a college basketball coach and an NBA head coach for the Cincinnati Royals. He is regarded as the first great point guard of the NBA.
Making his high school varsity squad as a junior, Cousy went on to earn a scholarship to the College of the Holy Cross, where he led the Crusaders to berths in the 1948 NCAA Tournament and 1950 NCAA Tournament, while winning NCAA All-American honors for three seasons. Cousy entered the 1950 NBA draft and was initially drafted by the Tri-Cities Blackhawks as the third overall pick in the first round, but after he refused to report he was picked up by Boston.
Upon his election to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1971 the Celtics retired his No. 14 jersey and hung it in the rafters of the Garden. Cousy was named to the NBA 25th Anniversary Team in 1971, the NBA 35th Anniversary Team in 1981, and the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team in 1996, making him one of only four players that were selected to each of those teams. He was also the first president of National Basketball Players Association. On August 22, 2019, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Donald Trump. In October 2021, Cousy was honored as one of the league's greatest players of all time by being named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.
For this lot, we are proud to present the actual trophy gifted to Bob Cousy by Holy Cross to commemorate his final season of 1950. An original photograph accompanies this lot of Cousy with his wife, admiring this EXACT trophy. Comparison of the trophy to the photo allows for an exact PHOTOMATCH.
The trophy measures an impressive 33” in height and depicts a right handed basketball player wearing traditional uniform of tank top and shorts reaching with an extended arm for the ball. Engraved on the trophy is “Bob Cousy, Holy Cross College, 1950”. The base of the trophy is signed personally by Bob Cousy.
Per our research, this is the only known surviving Holy Cross Bob Cousy college trophy and the earliest known.
Other known examples are:
1952 Player of the Year Award
1952-1953 Sam Davis Trophy
1960 NBA Assist Leader Award
1962 Player of the Decade Trophy
These trophies are in private collections and not likely to come to market anytime soon. Rare opportunity to own the earliest known trophy of top 50 Player and Boston Celtics icon Bob Cousy. LOA MEARS Auctions
***ADDITIONAL SHIPPING DUE TO SIZE OF ITEM***
Measures approximately 33 x 10.5 x 7.
***ADDITIONAL SHIPPING DUE TO SIZE OF ITEM***
(65O0292)
(JSA Auction Letter)