The parquet floor will be making the transition from the Boston Garden into the FleetCenter - the Celtics' new home. The parquet floor is the focus of fascination for many fans and the following is a sampling of the questions that tend to be asked:
Q. Is this the same floor that was used from the original days of the Celtics?
A. In 1946, Celtics Owner Walter Brown planned a basketball floor to be built in Boston Arena (presently the home of Northeastern University's Huskies and has been renamed the Mathews Arena) where the Celtics played home games along with Boston Garden. Pieces of the floor have replaced over the years; however, some of the pieces may be the same as used in 1946 when the floor was originally built.
Q. How was the floor built?
A. It was built in 1946 of hardwood, from a forest in Tennessee, originally used to build barracks during World War II. The cost was in the $10,000-$11,000 range. The floor was manufactured because of a shortage of materials following World War II. This shortage caused the East Boston Lumber Company to construct the floor from scraps, fitting them together in an alternation pattern. The original parquet floor was moved from Boston Arena to Boston Garden in December, 1952.
Q. How many squares of parquet are used and what are the dimensions?
A.The parquet floor has 247 panels, each approximately 5'-by-5' and 11/2" thick. The panels are held together by wood planks and brass screws, with the help of 988 bolts. The floor is pieced together in two and 1/2 hours by a group of men known as the "Bull Gang."
Q. How many bolts does it take to secure the floor?
A. There are 988 bolts used.
Q. Where are the dead spots?
A. From Red Auerbach: "The parquet floor is synonymous with the Celtics. It is a good floor, a very good floor. The so-called dead spots on the floor? If teams felt it was a poor floor, I used it for an advantage by playing with their minds. That usually worked. When teams did beat us on the rare occasion, they never complained. The strange thing was that there were more dead spots in old Madison Square Garden than in Boston. Believe me, I played and coached there on many occasions; I know."
Q. When was the logo put at center court?
A. 1973.
Image of the The Boston Garden in 1988 by David A. Litterer whom we thank very much
Email Note: John Tyler states "I would like to bring to your attention the item in this history of the Boston Garden. In the retrospective of when the Celtics logo was placed, you have listed the wrong date. It can't be 1973 because I have tape of the 1974 NBA Finals between Milwaukee and Boston and the logo is not there. I imagine it was the 74-75 season because in seeing the 76 Finals, the logo was there. Please do check file tape of this fact and I ensure that this is so. Thank you."
Q. What about the resurfacing of the floor?
A. It was laid in 1946, and has been resurfaced several times including 1972, 1993, and in 1995 when the floor was moved into the FleetCenter.
Plans Expected for Boston Site
May 6, 2001
SportsBusiness Journal
Delaware North Companies, owner of the FleetCenter, reportedly was poised last week to complete a deal with a Boston-area real estate developer to plan and develop a site in front of the arena, a parking lot where the Boston Garden once stood. According to a Boston Globe report, the development could include three office towers of up to 30 stories with a mix of retail, office and hotel space; a possible six-story atrium; and the addition of significant square footage to the arena itself that could be used to expand existing concourses.
