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MARSHFIELD — You never can tell what's gonna happen in this business. With some people, it's here today and gone tomorrow. With us, it's a steady, constant diet of sameness. Buckpasser Saturday, followed on Sunday by scattered clouds and Red Auerbach. The area is saturated with tycoons.

The South Shore was overlaid Sunday with a steady, insistent murmur—puzzling. It could have been distant thunder or surf on the breakwater at Scituate. You'd have never guessed—not in a million years—but it was the drum, drum bounce, bounce of basketballs.

Tall, Taller and 'Mama Mia'

Traced to its source the sound came from a bosky dell on a side road whereon is located Camp Milbrook, wherein is located the sixth annual basketball school of the Redman, Auerbach. There were still a few weary parents straggling down the lane with trunks and footlockers shortly after 3 p.m. They were followed by these young fellas, who fell into the general categories of medium-tall, tall, taller and "Mama Mia."

They had come from all hell and gone to the eastern boundary of the basketball world for words of wisdom from the master.

Here, simultaneously with his school for kids 12 to 19, Auerbach, now general manager of a team called Celtics, provides asphalt stages on which the new Boston players and some of the veterans fence for position. Bill Russell is now the coach and Red says Bill will make the decisions. He arrives Monday to join Larry Siegfried, already here and talking contract with Auerbach and Satch Sanders.

Among the other staff members are Ben Carnevale, athletic director at N. Y. U. and former Navy coach; Eddie Donovan, general manager of the Knicks and Alex Hannum, new coach of the 76ers, who arrives Wednesday.

Five of the six draft choices are here for Russell's perusal. There are Charlie Hunter, Oklahoma City guard, 6-foot-4 (we refuse to call him big game); Gary Turner, Texas Christian center, 6-foot-6; Leon Clark, Wyoming center, 6-foot-6; Russ Gumina, San Francisco guard, 6-foot-2; John Austin, Boston College guard, 6-foot-1. The sixth man, Jim Barnett, Oregon guard, is on National Guard duty.

There are others who are attracted to this camp of the champions by the glitter of the name of the Celtics. Toby Kimball, of Sudbury, former Connecticut rebounder is here trying to find out if he can play in the big league after playing in Italy. He's 6-foot-9.

Working out and assisting the staff are some collegians and some fabulous high school kids. Collegians are Joe Kennedy of Duke; Ted Hummer, Princeton captain; John Tolmie of Rockland and Annapolis and Arthur Beatty of American U. He's seven feet, Ma.

The high schoolers are Sid Catlett, the 6-foot-8 All America from DeMatha High, Washington, D.C. and Austin Car, six-feet, from Macklin, Washington, D. C., the area's MVP.

Cousin Brendan Among Those Present

The woods are full of surprises, like my long lost cousin, Brendan McCarthy, playing dribble, bang, thump to get down from 215 pounds to a 210 Thursday Boston College practice weight.

Brendan was among the enraptured audience at 3:10 p.m. when the maestro, Auerbach, ascended the podium for his inaugural address. Wearing white hair, white flannel shorts, white legs, sunglasses, a whistle, the cigar and a tennis stomach, he spoke movingly for several moments — on blisters.

I don't care what he looks like, Nancy, I wish I had his money.

Photo caption: TAKES OVER—Bill Russell, player-coach of the Celtics, starts his duties at Red Auerbach's basketball school, Marshfield. L. to r.—Russ and Red watch rookies work and Red sees Russ tutor Rookie John Austin of B. C.

Photo caption: Steve Curley of Framingham was a longtime coach in Holliston and still works as a counselor at the Red Auerbach Basketball School summer camp. Daily News And Wicked Local Staff Photo/Ken McGagh

For over 30 years Steve Curley lived in Holliston. He loved sports and put in 13 years as an assistant football coach at Holliston High. Then he moved to Cape Cod for a long stint. Recently, he moved to Framingham, which made it easier to keep tabs on his grandchildren, Isaac and Molly, who play baseball and run track respectively, at Blackstone Valley Tech.

But whatever the address, there has been a constant in Curley's life, besides being wedded to Bryna for 60 years, and it's his devotion to the Red Auerbach Basketball School for boys. "It's the oldest in the country," Curley said. If anyone is aware of a longer run, kindly drop him a line.

The summer school for hoop began in 1960 at Camp Milbrook, Marshfield. It was where the Celtics, coached by the legendary Auerbach, practiced pre-season, where rookies like, oh, Larry Bird, to drop a name, first showed his game after being drafted by Auerbach.

One day Jerry Volk, a friend of Auerbach's, and father of future Celtics general manager Jan Volk, approached Auerbach about starting a camp for basketball-minded boys. Maybe one of Red's players could run the camp. Instead, "Red said 'How about me?'" recalled Jan Volk, who lives in Wayland.

The school – Auerbach preferred school to camp – had a long run at Milbrook before moving to other sites, most recently at Nichols College in Dudley.

Curley had been a college student and counselor at the school back in the Milbrook days. Now he runs the camp which maintains Auerbach's name. Curley had planned a 60th year celebration of the hoop school in 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic washed those intentions away.

Photo caption: Photo of former Celtics coach Red Auerbach and Steve Curley (left) of Framingham. Courtesy Photo. Handwritten inscription on the photo: "To Steve — Kindest Personal Regards to a great partner. Red Auerbach"

But Curley learned a lot from Auerbach, his idol, like you don't just quit. In an earlier existence, the school was held at Brandeis, and that's where Curley is setting up camp again from July 19-23.

The pandemic fallout meant "we are late recruiting (campers)," said Curley. "We're now up and running. We built a new website." (www.redabballschool.com)

In the past the boys at the camp were housed in dorms. Concerned about social distancing, Curley decided to do day camps this time.

Newcomers should be ready for a vigorous week on the court. "The philosophy has been the same from the start," Curley said. "We work the kids hard and still make sure they have fun. We have talented kids and kids that want to get better."

With that in mind, Curley is bringing in Linda Martindale, who will be the first woman coach at the camp. Martindale coaches the boys' team at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High.

She's not exactly new to the school, or its maestro, Curley. Her three sons have attended. The oldest, Judson, is a 6-6 shooting guard at Holy Cross.

Martindale has a loud and clear rave for Curley, "I respect and value him," she said. "I can't give the school a higher recommendation. Steve's the salt of the earth, and he tells the best stories." Martindale expects to see some familiar faces – boys she coaches at Lincoln-Sudbury – to enroll for the July session.

Jan Volk and Curley go back a long way. Volk recalled Curley babysitting him. "He's a very interesting guy," said Volk. Curley loves to talk about his dad, Eddie "Newsboy" Curley, a featherweight fighter who was on the card the night the original Boston Garden opened up.