Joe Lapchick

Basketball Player

Birthday April 12, 1900

Birth Sign Aries

Birthplace New York

DEATH DATE Aug 10, 1970 (70)

#256250 Most Popular

About

Hall of Fame player and coach in basketball's early era. He coached the New York Knicks to NBA Finals appearances in 1951, 1952 and 1953.

Before Fame

He started playing basketball about 20 years after its inaguration.

Trivia

His book, 50 Years of Basketball, was part memoir, part coaching manual.

Family Life

He married Bobbie Sarubbi in 1931 and they stayed together for the rest of his life.

Associated With

In the pre-NBA era he coached a traveling team that was introduced at every game by Kate Smith, who sang "God Bless America."