6'4" 185 pound center passes away, played in first NBA game

Wonder if he threw his weight around. Was particularly struck by the mention in the piece that "Jewish players were the best around; they simply dominated the game." Then, I guess, they realized they could make more money by OWNING the teams. From today's NY Times obits, a glimpse into another era. Long live Oscar Schectman:

Hank Rosenstein, Player in First N.B.A. Game, Dies at 89

By VINCENT M. MALLOZZI
Published: March 2, 2010

Hank Rosenstein, who played in what is considered the National Basketball Association’s first game, in 1946, as an original member of the New York Knicks, died on Saturday in Boca Raton, Fla., where he lived. He was 89.

Hank Rosenstein, left, played for the Knicks in 1946 when they beat Toronto in what is considered the first N.B.A. game.

The cause was heart failure, said a nephew, Warren Rosenstein.

Rosenstein was a 6-foot-4-inch, 185-pound center and forward who starred at Boys High School in Brooklyn and at City College before joining the pros.

He was a member of the newly christened Knickerbockers when they faced the Toronto Huskies before an estimated crowd of 8,000 at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto on Nov. 1, 1946. At the time, New York and Toronto were members of the Basketball Association of America, and this was the league’s first game. The B.A.A. would merge with the National Basketball League in 1949 to form the National Basketball Association.

The N.B.A., tracing its roots to those two earlier leagues, today considers the Toronto contest its inaugural game. New York won the game, 68-66.

In an era when professional and amateur teams reflected the ethnic immigrant populations of their respective cities, Rosenstein suited up for the game with seven other Jewish teammates. They were Oscar Schectman, Leo Gottlieb, Stan Stutz, Jake Weber and Ralph Kaplowitz (who made up the original starting five) as well as Sidney Hertzberg and Nat Militzok. The coach was Neil Cohalan, formerly of Manhattan College. Of those, only Schectman survives.

Rosenstein made two shots from the field and 1 of 2 free throws for a total of 5 points for the Knicks. He had one assist and committed five fouls.

“Back then, pro teams drafted mostly local kids, so for the Knicks that meant taking a lot of Jewish players because they were the best around; they simply dominated the game,” Ray Lumpp, who played with the Knicks from 1948 to 1952, said in an interview on Monday.

Rosenstein played in 31 games for the Knicks that season, averaging 4.3 points per game, before he was traded to the Providence Steamrollers.

He left the B.A.A. to play professionally in the talent-laden American Basketball League, joining the Scranton Miners. He played five seasons with the Miners, helping them win back-to-back championships in 1949-50 and again in 1950-51, when he led the team in scoring with 422 points and an 11.7-point average.

After his playing career, he became a coach in the semiprofessional Eastern Pro League.

Rosenstein is survived by three sons, Glen, Mark and Neil; a brother, Bernard; and a sister, Sara Block.

He was inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1998 and the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007.