Great Moments in New York Knicks History

By: Mark Kuta 1

The term "Knickerbockers" traces its origin back to the Dutch settlers who came to the New World - and especially to what is now New York - in the 1600s. Specifically, it refers to the style of pants the settlers wore ... pants that rolled up just below the knee, which became known as "Knickerbockers," or "Knicks."
Through history, the Dutch settler "Knickerbocker" character became synonymous with New York City. The city's most popular symbol of the late 19th and early 20th centuries was "Father Knickerbocker," complete with cotton wig, three-cornered hat, buckled shoes, and, of course, knickered pants.
The Knickerbocker name had its first use in the world of sports in 1845, when Alexander Cartwright's Manhattan-based baseball team - the first organized team in baseball history - was named the "New York Knickerbockers" or the "Knickerbocker Nine." The Knicks name stayed with the team even after it moved its base of operations to Elysian Fields at Hoboken, N.J. in 1846. (The baseball link may have prompted Casey Stengel to joyously exclaim, "It's great to be back as the manager of the Knickerbockers!" when he was named pilot of the newborn Mets in 1961.) Thus, the Knickerbocker name was an integral part of the New York scene when the Basketball Association of America granted a charter franchise to the city in the summer of 1946. As can best be determined, the final decision to call the team the "Knickerbockers" was made by the club's founder, the legendary Ned Irish. "The name came out of a hat," recalled Fred Podesta, the longtime Garden executive who passed away at age 86 in 1999. "We were all sitting in the office one day -- Irish, (public relations director) Lester Scott and a few others on the staff. We each put a name in the hat, and when we pulled them out, most of them said Knickerbockers, after Father Knickerbocker, the symbol of New York City. It soon was shortened to Knicks." In keeping with another New York Knicks tradition, the team's colors have always (except for the years from 1980-81 through 1982-83) been orange, blue and white. . .the official colors of New York City. Thus the New York Knicks.
New York Knicks Win Championship - In 1969-70 the New York Knicks won 60 regular-season games for the first time, including a then NBA-record 18-game winning streak from October 24 through November 28. They started at 9-1 and never looked back. New York built its success on pressure defense and a selfless passing game. Reed, Frazier, and DeBusschere played in the NBA All-Star Game, with Reed earning the game's Most Valuable Player Award. Despite a slight fade to 6-7 over the final weeks of the season, New York finished with a 60-22 record and the Eastern Division crown. In the playoffs New York defeated Baltimore in seven games and bounced the Milwaukee Bucks in five.
The NBA Finals pitted the New York Knicks against a Los Angeles Lakers team led by Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain. The games were filled with drama as the teams traded victories. The two clubs split Games 3 and 4, both of which went to overtime. The seventh contest, on May 8, provided one of the most stirring moments in NBA history. Reed, the New York Knicks' captain and center, had injured his leg in Game 5 and had sat out Game 6 as the Lakers won easily, 135-113. He was not expected to play again during the series, and his absence seemed certain to doom the Knicks. Instead, Reed limped onto the court at the last minute before the Game 7 tipoff, started the game, made the first two baskets, and provided the dose of adrenaline that his teammates needed. Frazier scored 36 points, handed out 19 assists, and was a perfect 12-for-12 from the free throw line. The Knicks beat the Lakers, 113-99, for the title. Reed was the regular-season NBA Most Valuable Player, the All-Star Game MVP, and the Finals MVP. Reed and Frazier were selected to the All-NBA First Team, the first New York Knicks to earn the honor since Harry Gallatin did so in 1953-54. Red Holzman was named NBA Coach of the Year. But the key to the New York Knicks' success was teamwork.

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