Frank Ramsey (basketball) - The NBA's First Sixth Man

The NBA's First Sixth Man

Auerbach is often credited throughout basketball with creating the sixth man. Though Ramsey was one of the Celtics' best players, he felt more comfortable coming off the bench and Auerbach wanted him fresh and in the lineup at the end of close games. Ramsey was the first in a series of sixth men who won championship rings with the Celtics. In the championships the Celtics won after Ramsey's retirement, they have had successful sixth men such as Havlicek, Paul Silas, Kevin McHale, Bill Walton and James Posey.

Ramsey was mentioned in an episode of Married with Children. Bud asked Al the trivia question, "Who was known as the best sixth man in basketball? He played for the Celtics," to which Al nonchalantly replied, "Frank Ramsey". However, little did Al know that Bud was answering a $100 trivia question from the television.

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