The Man Who Influenced History Across Southern New England
Among the most prominent figures in New England sports history, Louis A.R. Pieri sits at the front. Throughout his storied career, Pieri helped ignite some of the most infamous dynasties in all of sports.
Pieri also left a lasting mark at Dean, helping bring new life and tradition to the school's athletic department. His efforts helped spark a new movement at Dean, eventually setting the tone for their success in collegiate athletics today.
Early Life: Spreading his Roots
Before his professional career, Pieri attended Dean Academy for two years. While he attended, he was involved in several academic and extra-curricular activities. He eventually graduated from Dean in 1916.
While at Dean, Pieri was also a member of Dean's basketball team. Pieri excelled in both seasons on the court, and his efforts eventually earned him a spot in Dean's inaugural Athletics Hall of Fame class in 1977.
After Dean, Pieri returned to his home state of Rhode Island where he enrolled at Ivy League's Brown University. Pieri studied for four years before graduating in 1920.
Pieri was also a dual-sport athlete at Brown, playing both baseball and football for the Bears. However, Brown did not sponsor basketball as a varsity program. This meant Pieri could not play his primary sport.
With frustration growing around the University, Pieri rose to the occassion. As a junior, Pieri pressured the athletics department to return basketball as a varsity sport. Not only did the school grant his request, they also named Pieri its first coach and captain. As of today, he is the only person in the school's history to have served as the team's Head Coach and play simultaneously.
Despite his passing in 1967, Pieri continued to leave a lasting impression on his alma-mater. Brown inducted Pieri into their Athletics Hall of Fame in 1981 for his unwavering commitment and generosity towards the department.
Stepping Into the Hockey World: Pieri Joins Forces With the Reds
Attempting to spread his wings in the professional world, Pieri looked to his hometown of Providence, Rhode Island for an answer. In 1929, Pieri was hired as the Manager of the Rhode Island Auditorium, one of the state's only ice facilities. the auditorium also served as the home of the Rhode Island Reds hockey team.
Pieri quickly joined forces with the Reds, becoming the team's General Manager in the same year. Under his direction, the team began its application to become an official member of the professional American Hockey League. In 1936, the Reds joined the league and took to the ice by storm. Pieri helped the team win eight AHL division titles and four Calder Cup Championships (1938, 1940, 1949, 1956).
The Reds, now known as the Providence Bruins, remain core members of the American Hockey League. All four Calder Cup titles, led by Pieri, still hang from the rafters today. After his death, Pieri was inducted into the AHL Hall of Fame in 2009 for his role in bringing professional hockey to Providence.
In addition to his Hall of Fame induction, the AHL also named its yearly Coach of the Year award in memory of Pieri. The Louis A.R. Pieri Coach of the Year award is still given out every season to the league's best Head Coach.
Pieri Joins the Boston Celtics
After having a successful career in professional hockey, Pieri shifted gears and returned to the game of basketball. In 1949, exactly 20 years after joining the Reds, Pieri became a minority stakeholder in the NBA's Boston Celtics.
Pieri picked the perfect time to join the organization. The Celtics were beginning to develop one of the largest dynasties in the sport's history. With Pieri at the helm, the Celtics won their first two NBA championships in 1957 and 1962. The team was led by infamous Hall of Famers, including Bill Russell, Bob Cousy, and Bill Sharman.
When Pieri's owning partner Walter Brown passed away in 1964, Pieri became the Co-Owner of the franchise with Brown's widow, Marjorie. After amassing two titles and countless star players, Pieri and Marjorie Brown decided to sell the Celtics franchise in June of 1965 for three million dollars.
Worlds Collide: Pieri Brings the Celtics to Dean
During his time as Celtics owner, Pieri became heavily involved in his surrounding community. This included Dean, which had substantially grown since Pieri had graduated in 1916. While owner of the Celtics, Pieri returned to Dean to serve as chairman of the trustees. He played in integral role in growing the institution's athletic department while exponentially increasing Dean's total enrollment.
Both of his worlds collided in 1958. This was a special year for the college, beginning the final stages of construction of its brand new gymnasium. Prior to the new gym, all athletic events took place on the upper level of Memorial Hall.
Pieri, also working with the Celtics, helped bring the state's coveted basketball team to Dean's campus. The Celtics were finalizing their 15-game preseason schedule, which included several stops across New England. With the help of Pieri, the Celtics finalized their final preseason game to be played at Dean's brand-new gymnasium.
On October 17th, 1958, the Celtics played against the Cincinnati Royals in front of a sold out crowd. In addition to the game, the college held a special pregame ceremony. They announced that the $300,000 facility would be named in Pieri's honor.
The Celtics would play one more time in Pieri Gymnasium before the 1965 season. The team hosted a "Green and White" intersquad scrimmage, once again in front of a sold out audience.
To this day, Louis Pieri stands as one of the most influential figures in Dean's tenured history. The late Barney Madden of the Providence Journal noted Pieri as "incorrigible as any fan in the world." His lasting impact on the college's history will forever be treasured.
Special Thank You: American Hockey League, Dean College Archive Library, Brown University Athletics