Knicks Legends Honored During Halftime Ceremony
May 27 2009 11:09AM
King’s Rule Over The Garden The Stuff of Legends |
Knicks President of Basketball Operations Donnie Walsh headed an 11-person committee to honor the team’s proud, rich history, selecting individuals who had a significant impact on the court in their respective decade with the Knicks Legends Award.
The honorees include Carl Braun (1940’s), Richie Guerin (1950’s), Willis Reed (1960’s), Walt Frazier (1970’s), Bernard King (1980’s) and Patrick Ewing (1990’s).
In addition to these renowned stars, the Knicks bestowed Dick McGuire -- one-time player, coach, scout and current Senior Basketball Consultant -- with the inaugural Knickerbocker Legacy Award, presented to the individual who exudes the qualities of what it means to be a Knickerbocker: Pride, Tradition and Class.
“This is terrific,” said Frazier. “This (award) is no slouch. The players and what they have accomplished here, it’s impressive. I think this is important because this epitomizes to the Knicks that this is our legacy to the team. They are the guys who built the franchise, and we will always be remembered.”
As the lights dimmed at the beginning of halftime, goosebumps arose from the sellout crowd of 19,763. The ceremony began with a short video, announcing, “What does it take to be a knick? Pride. Tradition. Class” followed by “What does it take to be a legend? Hustle, Skill. Respect.”
With longtime MSG announcer Al Trautwig serving as master of ceremonies, each legend met Walsh near halfcourt where they received their ring.
“These players - and their teams - represent a model for me as we move forward,” announced Walsh before the game. “There is no better way to honor these great men than to let our fans show their appreciation at the World's Most Famous Arena."
And show their appreciation they did, as the roar of the crowd rose louder and louder as each player was announced. By the time Ewing walked out on the court, the rollicking Garden was deafening roar.
McGuire , who Trautwig proudly declared is synonymous with the Knicks, was the first to be honored, as it was announced that the Knickerbocker Legacy Award would be renamed in his honor for future recipients.
After Trautwig honored Braun and Guerin, two hardnosed players who served in the military, the entire crowd rose in unison in anticipation of “The Captain”, Willis Reed. With memories of his historic limp onto the hardwood in Game Seven still fresh in the fans’ minds nearly forty years later, Reed this time walked onto The Garden court both proud and humbled to accept his ring.
Next up was the ultimate fan-favorite, Walt “Clyde” Frazier, who has been embraced by the fans of New York like no other athlete in New York sports history. Stylish as always in an all-black leather suit, “the living legend” added a new ring to an impressive collection that already includes two NBA championships and one “50 Greatest Players” ring.
Bernard King’s introduction was equally powerful, as the fan’s cheered on the Brooklyn native who is the only Knick to lead the league in scoring and is eligible for the Hall of Fame next month.
But when it came to the last honoree of the night, The Garden crowd was absolutely rambunctious, with chants of “Pat-rick Ew-ing” bellowing down from The Garden rafters even before Trautwig could begin to speak. By the time “the Big Fella” walked onto the court “that he will always call home,” the crowd was already at a fever pitch.
While the event was announced in early March, the Knicks organization worked tirelessly behind the scenes to put it together.
"Recognizing the strong tradition and important contributions of our Knicks alumni is essential in preserving the team's rich history, something that is important to all of us as we proceed into a new era of Knicks basketball," Walsh said.
His mission was accomplished and then some tonight.
“I came here (in February), and I talked to Donnie Walsh and he said that they were tying to do this and I was surprised,” said Reed. “I think this is a distinct honor, In six decades, there are only six guys and there were a lot of good players to play in this organization. So to be ranked as one of the six all time players in the history of this franchise is great.”
