05/27/2026
New York said “ in 4,” and the team answered. Now it’s on to the Finals 🏀
To mark the moment, we’re looking back at the original 1946–47 New York Knickerbockers.
This signed program features members of that first team: Hank Rosenstein, Leo Gottlieb, Nat Militzok, Sonny Hertzberg, Tommy Byrnes, Stan Stutz, Ossie Schechtman, and Ralph Kaplowitz.
Schechtman, who grew up in Brooklyn, is credited with scoring the first basket in NBA history.
Donated by Larry Gooberman, the program was signed at Madison Square Garden during a night honoring Knicks legend Dick McGuire. Gooberman spotted the original players nearby, grabbed a pen, and collected all ten signatures.
