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Cal Ramsey

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Cal Ramsey
Personal information
Born(1937-07-13)July 13, 1937
Selma, Alabama, U.S.
DiedMarch 25, 2019(2019-03-25) (aged 81)
Manhattan, New York, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Listed weight200 lb (91 kg)
Career information
High schoolCommerce (New York City, New York)
CollegeNYU (1956–1959)
NBA draft1959: 7th round, 13th overall pick
Selected by the St. Louis Hawks
Playing career1959–1961
PositionSmall forward
Number13, 15, 3
Career history
1959St. Louis Hawks
1959New York Knicks
1960Syracuse Nationals
Stats at NBA.com Edit this at Wikidata
Stats at Basketball Reference Edit this at Wikidata

Calvin Ramsey (July 13, 1937 – March 25, 2019) was an American professional basketball player and broadcaster. A standout college player for NYU, he played 13 NBA games over two seasons. After his playing career ended, he began a 28-year affiliation with the New York Knicks as a broadcaster and a community representative.

Biography

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Early life and career

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Ramsey was born in Selma, Alabama on July 13, 1937, but spent most of his life in New York City. In his youth, he played in the Rucker Park League, winning the MVP and was known for his wars with Connie Hawkins.[1] After graduating from High School of Commerce, he joined the NYU Violets as a forward in 1956. At NYU, he played with future hall of famer Thomas “Satch” Sanders. Over three years, he averaged 20.2 points per game and 17.5 rebounds.[2] in his senior year, 1958, Ramsey was named as an All-American.[3] When he died, he still held the school record for rebounds in a game, with 34 against Boston College. As of 2018, he was 11th on NYU's all-time scoring list.[4]

After graduating from NYU with a degree in business, Ramsey entered the 1959 NBA draft where the St. Louis Hawks selected him with the 13th overall pick. At a height of 6’4”, Ramsey was short to play the forward position during that era, but was not a strong enough ball handler to play guard. This limited his career, and he only played 11 games in his rookie season with the Hawks (he also played for the New York Knicks). The following season, he played in two games with the Syracuse Nationals. After his NBA career, Ramsey played semi-pro basketball for one season before injuries forced him to retire.[4]

After his playing days ended, Ramsey charged that a quota system in basketball limited the number of black players in the league at that time.[4] Fellow broadcaster Marv Albert agreed, saying “If you didn’t start as a black player, you wouldn’t be with the team.”[5] Out of basketball, Ramsey became a teacher for several years.[4]

Broadcaster and coach

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In 1972, he joined the Knicks broadcasting team, a position he held until 1982. He called the Knicks win over the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1973 NBA Finals and, over his tenure, worked with Dick Stockton for one season, and Marv Albert, who joined the television crew in 1979.[5] In 1982, the Knicks retired Ramsey from the broadcast booth and replaced him with former NBA player Butch Beard.[6]

After leaving the Knicks, he joined the coaching staff of NYU in 1983, which restored its basketball program after a 12-year hiatus.[2] His former teammate at NYU, Mike Muzio, was appointed as the head coach.[7] He continued in that role for the remainder of his life.

Later life

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In 1991, the Knicks hired him as a community ambassador where he worked with schools and youth programs. He continued attending Knicks games until his health began to fail in 2018.

On March 25, 2019, Ramsey died from cardiac arrest at a rehabilitation facility. Ramsey had suffered from diabetes for a number of years.[4]

Ramsey was inducted into the NYU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1978 and the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame in 1994.[3]

Career statistics

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Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage  3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high

NBA

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Source[8]

Regular season

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Year Team GP MPG FG% FT% RPG APG PPG
1959–60 St. Louis 4 8.8 .368 .750 4.8 .0 4.3
1959–60 New York 7 22.9 .416 .552 6.7 1.3 11.4
1960–61 Syracuse 2 13.5 .182 .500 3.5 1.5 3.0
Career 13 17.1 .383 .568 5.6 .9 7.9

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Elite 24: Rucker Park legends". espn.com. May 17, 2012. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  2. ^ a b "Former Knicks, NYU player Cal Ramsey dies at 81". Associated Press by NBA.com. March 25, 2019.
  3. ^ a b "Cal Ramsey, a basketball institution in New York, dies at age 81". Newsday. March 25, 2019.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Cal Ramsey, Knicks Broadcaster and Community Representative, Dies at 81". New York Times. March 25, 2019.
  5. ^ a b "Cal Ramsey, Knicks and NYC hoops legend, passes away at 81". New York Post. March 25, 2019.
  6. ^ "TV Sports; Beard is Instructive on Knicks' Tactics". New York Times. January 18, 1983.
  7. ^ "Sports of the Times; After 12 Years, Violets Bloom". New York Times. February 22, 1983.
  8. ^ "Cal Ramsey NBA stats". Basketball Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
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