BIG STAGE ITER NEW YORK S FAMOUS MANHATTAN SKYLINE IS PUNCTUATED BY SKYCRAPERS I n SEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEFERRIFFITIE EEEEEEEEEEE Air VANANNNNNNNNNNNNN VMIAMI
HARRY GALLATIN o residents and visitors alike New York City is known for its shows The Theater District which includes the famed Broadway has more than 40 theaters that entertain millions of people each year with plays musicals operas concerts and ballets Not far from the Theater District is another big stage Madison Square Garden is home to some of the best sporting shows in the city New York Knicks basketball games which have been running for nearly 70 years In 1946 a professional league called the Basketball Association of America BAA was founded and the New York Knickerbockers were one of its first franchises I The team's name was quickly shortened to Knicks by sportswriters to save space in sports page headlines NINNNININIA The Knicks established a reputation as being one of the classiest teams in the BAA and later in the National
FORWARD DAVE DEBUSSCHERE FOUND WAYS TO SLIP TO THE HOOP FOR SCORING BURSTs Basketball Association NBA Ned Irish the Lapchick's reputation as a basketball mentor club's founder had a clear cut philosophy We helped him draw top young talent to the Knicks will create first class conditions for a first In 1947 for example guard Carl Braun an class team in a first class city he declared outstanding baseball and basketball prospect Thanks to Irish the Knicks boasted professional decided to break his pitching contract with basketball's first training camp its first athletic the New York Yankees for the chance to play trainer and its most aggressive scouting basketball under Lapchick Braun was noted for program Irish also found a first class coach the deadly accurate two handed set shot that to lead his new squad Joe Lapchick who left he released from over his head He would put nearby St John's University to take over the up dozens of shots in practice often whispering local pro team swish as the ball sailed through the net A 10
RK COURTSIDE STORIES SWEETWATER In 1950 three years after Jackie Robinson broke Major League MAKES HISTORY Baseball's color barrier the Knicks became the first NBA team to sign an African American player forward Nat Sweetwater Clifton The 6 foot 7 Chicago native whose nickname was derived from his love of soft drinks had come to the Knicks attention while performing with the Harlem Globetrotters in the late 1940s Clifton's huge hands enabled him to snare one handed rebounds and whip outlet passes to teammates heading downcourt When he first joined the Knicks Clifton seemed almost too mild mannered for New York coach Joe Lapchick Then during a preseason game in 1951 a Boston Celtics player shoved Clifton and shouted a racial slur at him The Knicks forward decked the loudmouthed opponent and offered to take on the entire Boston team The incident seemed to awaken an aggressive instinct in Clifton and earned him respect around the league While he was an integral part of the Knicks squad on the court Clifton was still not allowed to stay at the same hotel as his teammates during road trips to several southern and midwestern cities 11
