The 14th National Basketball Association All-Star Game was played on January 14, 1964, at Boston Garden in Boston, the home of the Boston Celtics. This was the fourth time the game was held in Boston.
The coaches were the Celtics' Red Auerbach for the East and the Los Angeles Lakers' Fred Schaus for the West. The East won the game 111âÂÂ107. Oscar Robertson was named the Most Valuable Player with 26 points and 8 assists, both game highs, as well as 14 rebounds.
The game was notable for the threat of a strike by the players, who refused to play just before the game unless the owners agreed to recognize the players' union. The owners agreed primarily because it was the first All-Star Game to be televised and if it were not played due to strike it would have been embarrassing at a time when the NBA was still attempting to gain national exposure. The NBA did not have a national TV contract at the time, but ABC agreed to televise the All-Star game and consider a contract for continuing coverage. They made it clear that if the All-Star Game was not played, ABC would drop its interest completely. This led directly to many rights and freedoms not previously extended to professional basketball players.