Joe Gushue
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On November 9, 1961, less than three weeks into his rookie season, Gushue called a [[technical foul]] against future [[Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame]] [[1961–62 Boston Celtics season|Boston Celtics]]' guard [[Bob Cousy]],{{Cite web |title=Bob Cousy |url=https://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/bob-cousy |access-date=2026-04-19 |website=The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame |language=en}} during a game against the [[1961–62 Detroit Pistons season|Detroit Pistons]]. Future Hall of Fame Celtics' head coach [[Red Auerbach]]{{Cite web |title=Red Auerbach |url=https://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/red-auerbach |access-date=2026-04-19 |website=The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame |language=en}} reportedly pushed and shoved Gushue in response, and was given a technical foul and ordered to get back to the bench. Auerbach refused to leave the court and continued to harangue Gushue with abusive language. Gushue then ejected Auerbach from the game. Instead of leaving the floor, Auerbach continued to shove and harangue Gushue, until finally exiting (leaving Cousy to coach).{{Cite news |date=November 10, 1961 |title=Wilt's 55 Paces Warrior Victory |work=The Oregonian (Portland, Oregon) |pages=4, Sec. 6M |agency=Associated Press}} It was also reported that Auerbach's conduct for which he was given the original technical foul and later ejected solely involved verbal abuse of Gushue from the bench area.{{Cite news |date=November 11, 1961 |title=Red Auerbach Fined |work=The Bridgeport Telegram (Bridgeport, Connecticut) |pages=18 |agency=United Press International}} This was just the Celtics' fifth game of the season, being played against the Pistons in Philadelphia, as part of a double header, with the [[1961–62 Syracuse Nationals season|Syracuse Nationals]] playing the [[1961–62 Philadelphia Warriors season|Philadelphia Warriors]] in the second game of the day.{{Cite web |title=1961-62 Boston Celtics Schedule |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/BOS/1962_games.html |access-date=2026-04-19 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=NBA Games Played on November 9, 1961 |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/ |access-date=2026-04-19 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}} |
On November 9, 1961, less than three weeks into his rookie season, Gushue called a [[technical foul]] against future [[Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame]] [[1961–62 Boston Celtics season|Boston Celtics]]' guard [[Bob Cousy]],{{Cite web |title=Bob Cousy |url=https://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/bob-cousy |access-date=2026-04-19 |website=The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame |language=en}} during a game against the [[1961–62 Detroit Pistons season|Detroit Pistons]]. Future Hall of Fame Celtics' head coach [[Red Auerbach]]{{Cite web |title=Red Auerbach |url=https://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/red-auerbach |access-date=2026-04-19 |website=The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame |language=en}} reportedly pushed and shoved Gushue in response, and was given a technical foul and ordered to get back to the bench. Auerbach refused to leave the court and continued to harangue Gushue with abusive language. Gushue then ejected Auerbach from the game. Instead of leaving the floor, Auerbach continued to shove and harangue Gushue, until finally exiting (leaving Cousy to coach).{{Cite news |date=November 10, 1961 |title=Wilt's 55 Paces Warrior Victory |work=The Oregonian (Portland, Oregon) |pages=4, Sec. 6M |agency=Associated Press}} It was also reported that Auerbach's conduct for which he was given the original technical foul and later ejected solely involved verbal abuse of Gushue from the bench area.{{Cite news |date=November 11, 1961 |title=Red Auerbach Fined |work=The Bridgeport Telegram (Bridgeport, Connecticut) |pages=18 |agency=United Press International}} This was just the Celtics' fifth game of the season, being played against the Pistons in Philadelphia, as part of a double header, with the [[1961–62 Syracuse Nationals season|Syracuse Nationals]] playing the [[1961–62 Philadelphia Warriors season|Philadelphia Warriors]] in the second game of the day.{{Cite web |title=1961-62 Boston Celtics Schedule |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/BOS/1962_games.html |access-date=2026-04-19 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=NBA Games Played on November 9, 1961 |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/ |access-date=2026-04-19 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}} |
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The next day, [[Commissioner of the NBA|NBA Commissioner]] [[Maurice Podoloff]] fined Auerbach $200 over his "gross misconduct", and warned Auerbach that he would be suspended over the next altercation with a referee.{{Cite news |date=November 12, 1961 |title=Celt Coach Draws Fine; May Repeat |work=Herald and News (Klamath Falls, Oregon) |pages=6–D |agency=Associated Press}} Auerbach's response was that he would continue to protest |
The next day, [[Commissioner of the NBA|NBA Commissioner]] [[Maurice Podoloff]] fined Auerbach $200 over his "gross misconduct", and warned Auerbach that he would be suspended over the next altercation with a referee.{{Cite news |date=November 12, 1961 |title=Celt Coach Draws Fine; May Repeat |work=Herald and News (Klamath Falls, Oregon) |pages=6–D |agency=Associated Press}} Auerbach's response was that he would continue to protest referees’ calls if he felt justified. Auerbach said he was merely protecting Cousy; that Gushue had missed the Pistons rough play against Cousy during the game because Gushue was constantly looking at Auerbach instead of the players; that Cousy was called for a technical foul after finally protesting the Pistons' abuse against him; and that Auerbach himself was called for a technical after only jumping up from his seat in reaction to Cousy receiving a technical, before he had even said a word to Gushue. Referee [[Norm Drucker]] ejected Auerbach in a game against the Warriors in Boston just three days later, and after speaking with Drucker, Podoloff imposed a three-day suspension on Auerbach.{{Cite news |date=November 13, 1961 |title=Red Auerbach Penalty Delayed Pending Report |work=St. Louis Globe-Democrat |pages=1B |agency=Associated Press}}{{Cite news |last=Barry |first=Jack |date=November 14, 1961 |title=Last Time Red Chased Brown 'Coached' Celts |work=The Boston Globe |pages=60}}{{Cite news |last=PInckney |first=Paul |date=November 17, 1961 |title=It's About Time, NBA Muffles Noisy Coaches (But Will It Last?) |work=Democrat and Chronicle (Rochester, New York) |pages=12}} |
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=== NBA career === |
=== NBA career === |
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Gushue spent his first eight seasons as a referee in the NBA (1961–62 to 1968–69). He worked on year-to-year contracts in the NBA.{{Cite news |date=September 12, 1969 |title=Luke Jackson, 4 NBA Referees Join ABA |work=Asbury Park Evening Press (Asbury Park, New Jersey) |pages=27}} In the 1968–69 season, he often partnered with Ken Hudson, the only African American referee in the NBA. Gushue, along with Norm Drucker and [[John Vanak]], mentored Hudson, and were both helpful and protective.{{Cite news |last=Nance |first=Roscoe |date=February 18, 2003 |title=Hudson helped paved way for other referees |work=USA Today}} |
Gushue spent his first eight seasons as a referee in the NBA (1961–62 to 1968–69). He worked on year-to-year contracts in the NBA.{{Cite news |date=September 12, 1969 |title=Luke Jackson, 4 NBA Referees Join ABA |work=Asbury Park Evening Press (Asbury Park, New Jersey) |pages=27}} In the 1968–69 season, he often partnered with Ken Hudson, the only African American referee in the NBA. Gushue, along with Norm Drucker and [[John Vanak]], mentored Hudson, and were both helpful and protective.{{Cite news |last=Nance |first=Roscoe |date=February 18, 2003 |title=Hudson helped paved way for other referees |work=USA Today}} |
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