Lost in the reaction, retrospection and recognition following the death of Boston Celtics patriarch Arnold “Red” Auerbach last weekend was the anniversary of another famous New England sports figure exclusively linked to the Celtics.

Wednesday marked the start of Tom Heinsohn’s 50th year as a member of the Boston Celtics’ organization and 26th straight as one half of America’s longest-running telecast duo.

Only Auerbach can claim more years of service to the Celtics, as this would have been his 57th season overseeing the organization he built to become the NBA’s elite.

Tuesday night was to have been the premier of a Fox Sports Net New England special on Heinsohn titled “Tommy, Forever Green,” but FSSNE officials elected to push the premier back to Nov. 7 to rerun FSNNE’s “Legend of Red” one-hour special.

“We moved it out of respect for Red Auerbach and his passing,” said FSNNE marketing and communications director Skip Perham.

Auerbach and Heinsohn are both permanently attached to the Celtics’ legacy, and this half-hour Heinsohn special slam dunks that point home.

“Red Auerbach taught the Celtics how to win, but Tommy showed them how to win,” Celtics broadcast partner Mike Gorman says on the special.

Right from the start of Heinsohn’s first NBA season (1956-57), winning is about the only thing the Celtics did. Boston won its first NBA title that season and the former Holy Cross star won all-star and NBA rookie of the year honors.

Eight seasons, seven NBA titles, and five all-star appearances later, Heinsohn had to end his pro playing career at the age of 30 due to a hematoma on his plantar fascia (foot) muscle that hampered his walking and running ability and wouldn’t allow him to jump.

Four years after his retirement, Heinsohn succeeded Auerbach as coach and led the Celtics to two more NBA titles in nine seasons while compiling a 427-263 record and .619 winning percentage that ranked him ninth all-time among NBA coaches.

Heinsohn then went right into the broadcast booth and has spent the last 27 basketball seasons working alongside Gorman (the first was 1979, calling Providence College basketball games).

“Who’s the one constant, since 1956, along with Red?” Boston Globe columnist Bob Ryan says in the special. “It’s Tommy.”

The only criticism for this special is that it couldn’t get more archival footage in, but it’s hard to cram 50 years into 30 minutes.

Well-known players such as John Havlicek, K.C. Jones, Sam Jones, Bill Sharman, Bill Russell, Jim Loscotuff, Tom “Satch” Sanders, Bob Cousy and even more obscure ones such as Lakers guard Hot Rod Hundley and former Holy Cross and Celtics teammate Togo Palazzi are quoted.

“There were tons and tons of stuff I’d never seen before,” said Perham. “The thing that struck me was the point somebody made about Tommy winning the first title without Red as coach or Russell as a player or coach.”

One of the highlights comes from a humorous, informal interview with Heinsohn, Auerbach and Russell conducted two years ago. Celtics officials and journalists like Ryan and Joe Fitzgerald also provided good anecdotes.

There’s lots to like on this compressed look at Heinsohn’s long career, but a big plus is the old footage of Heinsohn playing for Holy Cross and the Celtics, which will be new for many viewers.

“There’s a whole generation of fans who only know him as a broadcaster,” said Perham. “But he’s been so much more over the last 50 years.”

I’ll take baseball for $200, Alex

Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling will appear on “Jeopardy” next week during celebrity week. He will play for charity on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. on Bangor television station WVII (Channel 7).

Andrew Neff can be reached at 990-8205, 1-800-310-8600 or at aneff@bangordailynews.net