Celtics Legend Bob Cousy now has a bridge named after him in Worcester, thanks to one of his biggest fans, Gov. Maura Healey.
“One of the things that I get to do as Governor from time to time is name things” Healey said.
At a ceremony today at The College of the Holy Cross — Cousy’s alma mater — the governor announced that a bridge overpass over I-290 that runs through Worcester will be named “Bob Cousy Pass.” The sign can be seen on the overpass.
“I’ve already got a couple of statues. Now I’ve got a pass. I shouldn’t be this fortunate, I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop,” joked the 97-year-old Cousy.
Healey, a former co-captain of the Harvard women’s basketball team, told a story of her fourth grade self assigned to the youth team named Holy Cross, and picking out the number 14 so that she could be like Cousy.
Bob Cousy is a basketball hall of famer who calls Massachusetts home. His college career from 1946-1950 put Holy Cross on the map, then he went to the NBA and won six championships with the Boston Celtics from 1950-1963. After his time as a player was done, he went on to coach at Boston College and the NBA. His jersey now hangs in the rafters of the Boston Garden.
Cousy’s legacy exceeds his playing stats, however: He was also one of the founders of the NBA Player’s union, and his anti-racism stance in the years of integration into the NBA. He was also awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Trump in 2019 for his legacy.
Cousy thanked the governor for her recognition.
“It means so much to me personally,” he said.
