Joe Lapchick

Joseph Bohomiel Lapchick


Born:
April 12, 1900
Yonkers, NY

Died:
August 10, 1970
Monticello, NY


Career
1917-18 Yonkers Hollywood Inn (Independent)
1918-19 Yonkers Hollywood Inn (Independent)
1919-20 Yonkers Hollywood Inn (Independent)
1920-21 Schenectady Dorpians (NYSL)
1920-21 Holyoke Co. E. (IL)
1921-22 Schenectady Doprians (NYSL)
1921-22 Troy Trojans (NYSL)
1921-22 Brooklyn Visitation (MBL)
1921-22 Holyoke Reds (IL)
1921-22 Mt.Vernon Armory Big Five (Independent)
1922-23 Troy Trojans (NYSL)
1922-23 Brooklyn Visitations (MBL)
1922-23 Holyoke Reds (IL)
1923-24 Original Celtics (Independent)
1924-25 Original Celtics (Independent)
1925-26 Original Celtics (Independent)
1926-27 New York Celtics (NLN)
1926-27 Brooklyn Celtics (ABL)
1927-28 New York Celtics (ABL)
1928-29 Cleveland Rosenblums (ABL)
1929-30 Cleveland Rosenblums (ABL)
1930-31 Cleveland Rosenblums (ABL) Head coach / player
1930-31 Toledo Red Men (ABL)
1931-32 Original Celtics (Independent)
1932-33 Original Celtics (Independent)
1932-33 Yonkers (MBL)
1933-34 Original Celtics (Independent)
1933-34 Plymouth (PSL)
1934-35 Original Celtics (Independent)
1935-36 Original Celtics (Independent)
1936-37 Original Celtics (Independent)
1936-37 St. John's University (College) Head coach
1937-38 St. John's University (College) Head coach
1938-39 St. John's University (College) Head coach
1939-40 St. John's University (College) Head coach
1940-41 St. John's University (College) Head coach
1941-42 St. John's University (College) Head coach
1942-43 St. John's University (College) Head coach
1943-44 St. John's University (College) Head coach
1944-45 St. John's University (College) Head coach
1945-46 St. John's University (College) Head coach
1946-47 St. John's University (College) Head coach 
1947-48 New York Knicks (BAA) Head coach

1948-49 New York Knicks (BAA) Head coach
1949-50 New York Knicks (NBA) Head coach
1950-51 New York Knicks (NBA) Head coach
1951-52 New York Knicks (NBA) Head coach
1952-53 New York Knicks (NBA) Head coach
1953-54 New York Knicks (NBA) Head coach
1954-55 New York Knicks (NBA) Head coach
1955-56 New York Knicks (NBA) Head coach
1956-57 St. John's University (College) Head coach
1957-58 St. John's University (College) Head coach
1958-59 St. John's University (College) Head coach
1959-60 St. John's University (College) Head coach
1960-61 St. John's University (College) Head coach
1961-62 St. John's University (College) Head coach
1962-63 St. John's University (College) Head coach
1963-64 St. John's University (College) Head coach
1964-65 St. John's University (College) Head coach 

NATIONAL BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME, 1964

One of the first big-men in the game, 6'5 Lapchick was a star for the Original Celtics when that time was the highest-drawing professional team in the country. He would also four many teams at the same time, able to make a decent enough living at the game in an era where the term "professional" was not as independent as later days. He was on the Celtics when they took over the Brooklyn franchise in the ABL, and the Celtics were a dominant force. So dominant, in fact, the team was forced to disband by the other franchises. Lapchick and two other Celtics would join the Cleveland Rosenblums and they won two ABL titles. When the Depression ended the ABL in 1931, Lapchick and the others reformed the Celtics. Lapchick would retire as a play in 1937 when he took the head coaching job at St. John's.
As a coach, Lapchick lead St. John's to four NIT championships in his time there, which was interrupted by nine seasons coaching the Knicks. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1964, and died of heart failure in 1970.


Source:
Basketball Hall of Fame
NY Times Obituary, August 11, 1970
Philadelphia Inquirer, August 11, 1970
Asheville Citizen-Times, August 11, 1970

Stats:
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/joe-lapchick/