Frank Ramsey

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Raised in Madisonville, Kentucky, Ramsey was a multi-sport athlete at the University of Kentucky, playing baseball and basketball. As a sophomore in 1951, he helped the Wildcats win the NCAA Championship. A point shaving scandal forced Kentucky to forfeit its upcoming season, Ramsey's senior year. He, Cliff Hagan, and Lou Tsioropoulos graduated in 1953 and were all drafted by the Celtics. Ramsey also played on the Kentucky baseball team, earning All-SEC honors as an outfielder in 1951, 1952, and 1954. He scored 1344 points (14.8 ppg) and grabbed 1038 rebounds (11.4 rpg) in college. After his rookie season with the Celtics (1954–1955), Ramsey spent one year in the military. In eight seasons after military service, he was a member of seven championship teams (1957, 1959–1964). He was the NBA's first sixth man, coming off the bench at his own comfort. His best statistical season was 1957–1958, averaging 16.5 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. He coached the Kentucky Colonels for one season (1970–71), leading them to the ABA Finals, where they lost to the Utah Stars in seven games. He was fired on June 20, 1971. Ramsey died of natural causes in Madisonville on July 8, 2018, at age 86.

In Their Own Story

Ramsey's path to Boston began at the University of Kentucky, where he helped win the 1951 NCAA Championship with a 68–58 victory over Kansas State. His senior year was derailed by a point-shaving scandal that forced the team to forfeit his final season, though he still graduated in 1953. Despite the suspension of the season, Ramsey and teammates Cliff Hagan and Lou Tsioropoulos were drafted by Boston. They returned for one more year at Kentucky, finishing with a perfect 25–0 record, but NCAA rules prevented them from playing in the post-season. After his military service interrupted his rookie NBA season (1954–1955), Ramsey rejoined the team and became the engine of their rotation. He played 623 career games, scoring 8,378 points for a 13.4 average, bridging the gap between Kentucky's collegiate dominance and Boston's professional supremacy.

Reader's Guide

Ramsey's #23 jersey is retired by the Celtics. His #30 jersey is retired by the University of Kentucky. He was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1982. He was inducted into the University of Kentucky Athletics Hall of Fame in 2005. In 2006, he was a charter inductee to the College Basketball Hall of Fame.

Did You Know?

• Ramsey was the first sixth man in NBA history, a role created by Red Auerbach.
• He was mentioned in the Married... with Children episode 'If I Could See Me Now'.
• His house was destroyed by a tornado in 2005, but he was unhurt.
• As of June 2008, Ramsey was a bank president in Dixon, Kentucky.