{
  "id": 1684560,
  "title": "Today in Boston Celtics history: Larry Bird retires; Eliason, Bigelow pass",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/today-in-boston-celtics-history-larry-bird-retires-eliason-bigelow",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-18T10:00:50.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/today-boston-celtics-history-larry-100050082.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Today marks a significant day in the history of the Boston Celtics. Hall of Fame forward Larry Bird, widely considered one of the greatest players in NBA history, announced his retirement from professional basketball in 1992. Bird, known as the \"Hick from French Lick,\" concluded his illustrious career at the age of 35 after securing three championships, three Most Valuable Player awards, two NBA Finals MVPs, twelve NBA All-Star selections, and ten All-NBA team honors. Born in French Lick, Indiana, Bird played his college ball at Indiana State, winning the National College Player of the Year award in 1979 before being drafted by the Celtics with the sixth overall pick in the 1978 NBA Draft. The excitement surrounding Bird's career and his rivalry with Magic Johnson helped propel the NBA into the limelight, ultimately paving the way for the super-stardom of Michael Jordan in the 1990s. NBA Commissioner David Stern praised Bird's impact on the game, stating that there will never be another player like him. Bird's dedication, competitiveness, and commitment to the team have set a standard for future generations of basketball fans. On this same date, Don Eliason, a unique individual who played in both the NFL and NBA before serving in World War II, passed away in 2003. His brief stint with the Celtics consisted of just one game and a single foul. Lastly, Bob Bigelow, a native of Boston who played college ball at Pennsylvania before being drafted by the Kansas City Kings, passed away in 2020 after playing four games for the Celtics, averaging 1.5 points and a rebound per game.",
  "summary": "Today in Boston Celtics history, Bird, regarded as one of the greatest players in NBA history, retired from professional basketball in 1992.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}