Joe Niekro and Red Auerbach. Joe was a rarity, a pitcher who had a knuckleball instead of a knuckleballer who occasionally threw something else up there and prayed that the batter would be paralyzed by shock. As for Red, well, I feel the same way about the Celtics that I do about the Yankees, Cowboys, and Seleucid Greeks, but you have to admire the man's achievements in both the win column and life. When the Red Sox were trotting out Pumpsie Green as proof they had joined the 20th century, Red was effecting real social change with roster composition that was colorblind.
Besides, he drove Phil Jackson nuts, and you just can't argue with that.
Rest in peace, gentlemen, and thank you for the memories.
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