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When the Garden Was Eden: Clyde, the Captain, Dollar Bill, and the Glory Days of the New York Knicks
The basis for the ESPN documentary, New York Times columnist Harvey Araton’s When the Garden Was Eden is a fascinating look at the 1970s New York Knicks.Part autobiography, part sports history, part epic, this incredible sports history is set against the tumultuous era when Walt Frazier, Willis Reed, and Bill Bradley reigned supreme in the world of basketball. Perfect for readers of Jeff Pearlman’s The Bad Guys Won!, Peter Richmond’s Badasses, and Pat Williams’s Coach Wooden, Araton’s revealing story of the Knicks’ heyday is far more than a review of one of basketball’s greatest teams’ inspiring story—it is, at heart, a stirring recreation of a time and place when the NBA championships defined the national dream.“Brilliant . . . smartly written, featuring tons of interviews with the Knicks of the Phil Jackson-Clyde-Reed era.” —New York Magazine“Harvey Araton, one of our most cherished basketball writers, has evocatively rendered the team that New York never stops pining for the Old Knicks. More than a nostalgic chronicle . . . it’s a portrait of a group of proud, idiosyncratic men and the city that needed them.” —Jonathan Mahler, author of Ladies and Gentleman, the Bronx is Burning“I wasn’t there when Clyde and Willis and Dollar Bill were lighting up the Garden, let alone barnstorming Philadelphia church basements, but after reading When the Garden Was Eden I now feel like I was courtside with Woody and Dancing Harry.” —Will Leitch, founding editor of Deadspin“Harvey Araton, who writes the way Earl the Pearl played, has made the Old Knicks new again. I learned so much and I was there.” —Robert Lipsyte, author of An Accidental Sportswriter
389 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 18, 2011
111 people are currently reading
649 people want to read
About the author
Harvey Araton
12 books6 followersHarvey Araton joined the New York Times as a sports reporter and national basketball columnist in 1991 and became a "Sports of the Times" columnist in 1994. He is the author of numerous books, including most recently, When the Garden Was Eden: Clyde, the Captain, Dollar Bill, and the Glory Days of the Old Knicks. His work has also appeared in the New York Times Magazine, GQ, ESPN The Magazine, Sport, Tennis, and Basketball Weekly. Born in New York City in 1952, he is a 1975 graduate of the City University of New York. Araton lives in Montclair, New Jersey.
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June 19, 2024
I was born in the mid 70s so my NBA stars were Magic and Bird, and a few of the players from the previous decade who remained stars like Julius Erving and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. But as a kid who loved sports, I read about those stars of the preceding years and I was quite aware of the 70s New York Knicks alongside people like Wilt Chamberlain, Rick Barry, Wes Unseld, Jerry West and others.
Like the 80s Lakers who I loved, I could name most of those 70s Knicks because I read about them. They were a team of stars- Walt Frazier, Willis Reed, Bill Bradley, Dave DeBusschere, Earl Monroe, Phil Jackson and coach Red Holtzman.
As a fan, the 1970 NBA finals is cinematic and by now, I have seen it covered extensively. Famously and improbably, Willis Reed came back from injury to play in Game 7 in the kind of drama that usually only happens in pro wrestling or Hollywood movies.
The alignment of stars and the location of New York is the reason the 1970 Knicks are famous but like the similar 1986 Mets perhaps it also has to do with the ensuing decades of losing.
That said, Araton makes his convincing case that the “Old Knicks” were just that great - not only bridging the NBA into the mainstream attention but also by being that good.
The Old Knicks were unselfish in a way that seems almost archaic now. Truly playing as a team, they were able to win it all not only in 1970 but also 1973. (They also reached the NBA finals in 1972 and played in six consecutive Eastern Conference finals from 1969 to 1974. They played some great contemporary teams in the Celtics, Lakers and Bullets.
This book was a great read. Like so many similar books, he wants to tell the story of the relevant seasons and a “where are they now”. But so many of those kinds of books get bogged down in detail. This one never does.
I can’t spend time to discuss all the subplots but remember this was happening during Vietnam and the Civil Rights movement. It’s also a good snapshot of the NBA- where it was- the way college basketball and the NBA draft had greatly changed - and the way it became the entertainment enterprise it is now- with stars like Walt Frazier embracing the image and stars like Woody Allen and Dustin Hoffman watching games courtside.
Also, the Reed game reminds us of a time before social media and 24/7 sports news coverage. The acquisition of Earl Monroe still provokes thought. He left a team where he was loved and got a championship and more dollars because of it. He also was unselfish in coming over to the Knicks and as one of the best to ever play the game settled to fit in where he could to help the team win. Over and over again, the thought of team over individual play shows why the Knicks were loved and also successful (that Phil Jackson would be able to become the most successful of NBA coaches shows that lesson was well learned)
ESPN has since made a documentary of the book but both are worthwhile since the book covers a level of detail that the Doc can’t. This one has gained a reputation as one of the great sports books but it is well deserved as it does reach those heights.
The last chapter focuses on the blunders and failings of the resulting decades- it’s the book’s only misstep. He makes the case how special the Old Knicks were. But the new Knicks were dealt the card of fate, bad luck and a historically terrible owner James Dolan. The book ends with a blatant parallel to the election of Obama - which was well meaning but now sounds dated (you would never otherwise guess the book is over a decade old unless you followed the team enough to know Bill Bradley and Willis Reed have recently passed). Also the book was published about four months before Linsanity- the time of story that would have fit in of a player named Jeremy Lin who was an unlikely star.
March 25, 2012
The New York Knickerbockers, or Knicks (named after the fictional narrator in Washington Irving's satirical novel "Knickerbocker's History of New York"), one of the original teams of the National Basketball Association (NBA), has been in continuous existence since 1946. The early Knicks teams were competitive, playing in three consecutive NBA Finals from 1951-1953, but lost each series to a superior foe. The Knicks then sunk into mediocrity from the mid-1950s to the mid-1960s, playing before sparse and largely uninterested crowds at the old Madison Square Garden and the 69th Regiment Armory. The low point of the franchise occurred 50 years ago this month, when Philadelphia Warriors center Wilt Chamberlain set an as yet unbroken NBA record by scoring 100 points against the Knicks in a 169-147 shellacking on March 2, 1962.
New Yorkers were avid basketball fans in the mid-20th century, but they reserved their passion for the powerful local college teams at City College (CCNY), St. John's, LIU, NYU, Fordham and Manhattan, until a notorious point shaving scandal in 1951 led to the de-emphasis of basketball at several schools.
Beginning in 1964, the Knicks' fortune would begin to change. Willis Reed, a center from historically black Grambling College in Louisiana, was selected in the second round. Reed would later be named captain of the Knicks, and served as the team's linchpin during its glory years from 1967-1973. Unorthodox and brash shooting guard Dick Barnett joined the team the following year. Coach Red Holzman assumed responsibility for the flagging team midway through the 1967-68 season; his steady hand and willingness to allow his savvy and highly intelligent team to run its own plays and determine how it should attack each opponent's best players directly led to the team's success and the loyalty his players afforded him. The Knicks acquired two essential players in the 1967 draft: Walt Frazier, a superb shooting guard and defensive wizard from Southern Illinois, and Phil Jackson, a long and lanky defensive specialist from North Dakota, who would become famous as the coach of the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers, winning 11 NBA titles. The All-American and future New Jersey senator and presidential candidate Bill Bradley, who was drafted in 1965 but left Princeton to attend Oxford on a Rhodes Scholarship, also began his NBA career that season. The following season brought forward Dave DeBusschere from the Detroit Pistons, a blue collar scorer and defender who also served as the Pistons' coach and as a pitcher for the Chicago White Sox.
With the essential pieces in place, the team improved dramatically over the next two seasons, as regular fans, along with celebrities such as Woody Allen, Elliott Gould and Dustin Hoffman, packed the new Madison Square Garden. The Knicks' success energized and united New Yorkers, who often found themselves divided over the Vietnam War, the civil rights movement, and the city's growing financial crisis.
The 1969-70 team burst out of the gate, winning 23 of its first 24 games en route to a 60-22 regular season. The Knicks defeated the Baltimore Bullets and the Milwaukee Bucks in the first and second rounds of the NBA playoffs, and then faced the powerful Los Angeles Lakers, led by future Hall of Famers Elgin Baylor, Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlin. Both teams were hungry for a championship; the Knicks had never won an NBA title and hadn't been to the Finals since 1953, whereas the Lakers hadn't earned hardware since 1954, losing in the Finals in six of the previous eight seasons. The teams split the first four games of the series, and appeared to be evenly matched until Game 5, when Willis Reed tore a thigh muscle. Somehow the Knicks battled back from a 10 point deficit without Reed to defeat the Lakers. With Reed on the bench, the New Yorkers were thoroughly outclassed in Game 6, setting up a deciding Game 7 in Madison Square Garden before 19,500 partisan spectators and a national television audience. One question resided on the lips of everyone who watched, listened to or participated in that game (including this 9 year old diehard Knicks fan and his father): would Willis Reed play?
"When the Garden Was Eden", written by a long time sports reporter for the Post, the Daily News and the New York Times, is at heart a love story about the great Knicks teams of the late 1960s to early 1970s, who overcame a lack of height and team speed by playing unselfish basketball that is almost foreign to the current crop of highly paid, self centered superstars who would rather take a contested shot than throw a pass to an open teammate. Araton's 40+ year career following the Knicks, many of whom remain close friends, allows the reader to learn about the lives of its stars and supporting players, the coaches and owners, the supporting staff of broadcasters, trainers, and office workers, and the fans who supported the "Old Knicks" and the newer, less talented and successful, versions that followed. Araton places his book in the context of the societal strife that surrounded and touched the players, and shows how racial differences affected many of them personally, but did not affect their relationships with each other or the chemistry of the team, unlike many other collegiate and professional teams during that time. Fans of the Knicks, especially those like me who grew up watching these great teams at MSG or on television or listening to Marv Albert's radio broadcasts on WNEW ("Yes! And it counts!"), will love and cherish this book. However, other sports fans, especially those interested in or familiar with the history of the NBA during that period, will also find a lot to enjoy in this engaging and inspirational work.
New Yorkers were avid basketball fans in the mid-20th century, but they reserved their passion for the powerful local college teams at City College (CCNY), St. John's, LIU, NYU, Fordham and Manhattan, until a notorious point shaving scandal in 1951 led to the de-emphasis of basketball at several schools.
Beginning in 1964, the Knicks' fortune would begin to change. Willis Reed, a center from historically black Grambling College in Louisiana, was selected in the second round. Reed would later be named captain of the Knicks, and served as the team's linchpin during its glory years from 1967-1973. Unorthodox and brash shooting guard Dick Barnett joined the team the following year. Coach Red Holzman assumed responsibility for the flagging team midway through the 1967-68 season; his steady hand and willingness to allow his savvy and highly intelligent team to run its own plays and determine how it should attack each opponent's best players directly led to the team's success and the loyalty his players afforded him. The Knicks acquired two essential players in the 1967 draft: Walt Frazier, a superb shooting guard and defensive wizard from Southern Illinois, and Phil Jackson, a long and lanky defensive specialist from North Dakota, who would become famous as the coach of the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers, winning 11 NBA titles. The All-American and future New Jersey senator and presidential candidate Bill Bradley, who was drafted in 1965 but left Princeton to attend Oxford on a Rhodes Scholarship, also began his NBA career that season. The following season brought forward Dave DeBusschere from the Detroit Pistons, a blue collar scorer and defender who also served as the Pistons' coach and as a pitcher for the Chicago White Sox.
With the essential pieces in place, the team improved dramatically over the next two seasons, as regular fans, along with celebrities such as Woody Allen, Elliott Gould and Dustin Hoffman, packed the new Madison Square Garden. The Knicks' success energized and united New Yorkers, who often found themselves divided over the Vietnam War, the civil rights movement, and the city's growing financial crisis.
The 1969-70 team burst out of the gate, winning 23 of its first 24 games en route to a 60-22 regular season. The Knicks defeated the Baltimore Bullets and the Milwaukee Bucks in the first and second rounds of the NBA playoffs, and then faced the powerful Los Angeles Lakers, led by future Hall of Famers Elgin Baylor, Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlin. Both teams were hungry for a championship; the Knicks had never won an NBA title and hadn't been to the Finals since 1953, whereas the Lakers hadn't earned hardware since 1954, losing in the Finals in six of the previous eight seasons. The teams split the first four games of the series, and appeared to be evenly matched until Game 5, when Willis Reed tore a thigh muscle. Somehow the Knicks battled back from a 10 point deficit without Reed to defeat the Lakers. With Reed on the bench, the New Yorkers were thoroughly outclassed in Game 6, setting up a deciding Game 7 in Madison Square Garden before 19,500 partisan spectators and a national television audience. One question resided on the lips of everyone who watched, listened to or participated in that game (including this 9 year old diehard Knicks fan and his father): would Willis Reed play?
"When the Garden Was Eden", written by a long time sports reporter for the Post, the Daily News and the New York Times, is at heart a love story about the great Knicks teams of the late 1960s to early 1970s, who overcame a lack of height and team speed by playing unselfish basketball that is almost foreign to the current crop of highly paid, self centered superstars who would rather take a contested shot than throw a pass to an open teammate. Araton's 40+ year career following the Knicks, many of whom remain close friends, allows the reader to learn about the lives of its stars and supporting players, the coaches and owners, the supporting staff of broadcasters, trainers, and office workers, and the fans who supported the "Old Knicks" and the newer, less talented and successful, versions that followed. Araton places his book in the context of the societal strife that surrounded and touched the players, and shows how racial differences affected many of them personally, but did not affect their relationships with each other or the chemistry of the team, unlike many other collegiate and professional teams during that time. Fans of the Knicks, especially those like me who grew up watching these great teams at MSG or on television or listening to Marv Albert's radio broadcasts on WNEW ("Yes! And it counts!"), will love and cherish this book. However, other sports fans, especially those interested in or familiar with the history of the NBA during that period, will also find a lot to enjoy in this engaging and inspirational work.
January 12, 2014
This book is strictly for Knicks fans and great for "Old Knicks" fans. Araton profiles the great Knick teams of the early 1970s with insight and an obvious love for a team that not only won, but did so in a way that honored an approach to sports that isn't very often on display in modern basketball.
A look at the players displayed on the cover makes one obvious impression, these were all very intelligent and educated players. They all graduated college and many went on to successful post-playing careers, not all of them in basketball. They had class and a sense of collective achievement. It is hard to imagine any NBA team today assembling such a group.
Knick fans too young to remember this team will still enjoy the book. It will serve as way to put the current group in perspective and understand why us old guys find it so hard to be impressed with the today's group.
A look at the players displayed on the cover makes one obvious impression, these were all very intelligent and educated players. They all graduated college and many went on to successful post-playing careers, not all of them in basketball. They had class and a sense of collective achievement. It is hard to imagine any NBA team today assembling such a group.
Knick fans too young to remember this team will still enjoy the book. It will serve as way to put the current group in perspective and understand why us old guys find it so hard to be impressed with the today's group.
December 6, 2011
The championship Knicks teams were before my time but this book conveyed what great teams they were and how the city fell in love with them during their championship runs.
November 28, 2015
Great book about the old Knicks, a special team in a special time.
June 24, 2025
I started this book with the intention of reading about the last Knicks championship while the team had its best chance for its next one this playoffs. While the Knicks didn’t win, the book itself was engaging enough for me not to put away following a devastating loss to Indiana a few weeks ago.
Telling the story of both championship teams through the people who lived, played, and coached it was well worth the read. Unfortunately, like most books heralding this era, the author can’t help but belittle today’s game and stars in favor of the old era. Just once I’d loved an author to celebrate the game across eras rather than just theirs.
Telling the story of both championship teams through the people who lived, played, and coached it was well worth the read. Unfortunately, like most books heralding this era, the author can’t help but belittle today’s game and stars in favor of the old era. Just once I’d loved an author to celebrate the game across eras rather than just theirs.
June 9, 2024
An enjoyable historical trip to an amazing era of the New York Knicks franchise (late 1960’s-early 1970’s) when the game was very different the passion for winning was of its truest form. The Old Knicks was a unique team that was driven by team chemistry rather than a few superstars. At the tail end of the book I was very surprised and disappointed on the author’s description of the Old Knicks as a direct comparison to Barack Obama, essentially the Old Knicks were a team of humble individuals which to me was off based for that comparison to be valid.
January 23, 2021
As a Knicks fan who was too young to remember the 99 Eastern Conference championship team, I’ve only really seen the team go to the conference semis. So reading about the Knicks of the 70s, and the two lone championship teams in franchise history was really fun. Obviously as fans we know about the greatness that comes from Clyde (both on the court and in the booth), the Captain, and the rest of the squad, but reading about their careers was enlightening. It was amazing picturing these classic moments in Knicks history, and hoping that we get some more of them in the coming years.
February 7, 2019
Probably about 60 percent good reporting to 40 percent filler, which is actually a very good average for a book of this sort. And he has five-star subject matter. One doesn’t necessarily expect to read a book like this all the way through, but I did with this one.
March 4, 2012
Charlie Craveiro
Many people claim that they are fans of the famous New York Knickerbockers, but are they really? Are you a real Knicks fan or are you just part of Linsanity, or maybe just a fan of Carmelo Anthony who is arguably the best scorer in the N.B.A. This is a question that many would not like to answer honestly. I feel that if you are a real fan of the New York Knickerbockers than you should know the history of the franchise. So if you believe that you are or would like to be a real Knicks fan than you should read the book “When the Garden was Eden” by Harvey Araton. This is quite possibly the best compilation of Knicks history in a single book that there is. The book describes a period where the New York Knicks were the team to beat. They made it to the N.B.A. finals three years in a row(not to mention winning two out of the three years). This team consisted of such basketball greats that included the likes of Phil Jackson, the late Lakers coach who has won the most N.B.A. titles of any coach in the history of the N.B.A. and Walt Frazier a “Hall of Famer” who also does the commentating for the home games of the current New York Knicks on the Madison Square Garden channel. The book also describes how the whole New York community came together and supported this team while such hardships were taking place, such as the Vietnam war. This gives the reader a sense of a community coming together and uniting to support a common goal( Bringing the trophy to New York). The author, Harvey Araton does an amazing job of keeping the book interesting throughout. Probably one of my favorite parts of the book is how at the end it has the box scores of certain pivotal games throughout the era. This really gives you a sense that you were witnessing achievements take place, even if you are in my case and were not even alive during the time period that this book describes. The book also includes a photography aspect in it by showing pictures from celebrating after a win, to a team dinner, to important game moments. All of these photos are well taken and in black in white which shows their age. Overall I think that this book was very well written by a great Author in Harvey Araton. If you enjoy this book and like to read more by him he not only has other books but is a columnist for the New York Times so you can read a new piece by him just about every week. The one criticism I have for the book is that I wish it made more connections to the modern day New York Knicks. I am going to give this book a 4 / 5 stars and I do recommend it to fans of the amazing sport of basketball and its players.
Many people claim that they are fans of the famous New York Knickerbockers, but are they really? Are you a real Knicks fan or are you just part of Linsanity, or maybe just a fan of Carmelo Anthony who is arguably the best scorer in the N.B.A. This is a question that many would not like to answer honestly. I feel that if you are a real fan of the New York Knickerbockers than you should know the history of the franchise. So if you believe that you are or would like to be a real Knicks fan than you should read the book “When the Garden was Eden” by Harvey Araton. This is quite possibly the best compilation of Knicks history in a single book that there is. The book describes a period where the New York Knicks were the team to beat. They made it to the N.B.A. finals three years in a row(not to mention winning two out of the three years). This team consisted of such basketball greats that included the likes of Phil Jackson, the late Lakers coach who has won the most N.B.A. titles of any coach in the history of the N.B.A. and Walt Frazier a “Hall of Famer” who also does the commentating for the home games of the current New York Knicks on the Madison Square Garden channel. The book also describes how the whole New York community came together and supported this team while such hardships were taking place, such as the Vietnam war. This gives the reader a sense of a community coming together and uniting to support a common goal( Bringing the trophy to New York). The author, Harvey Araton does an amazing job of keeping the book interesting throughout. Probably one of my favorite parts of the book is how at the end it has the box scores of certain pivotal games throughout the era. This really gives you a sense that you were witnessing achievements take place, even if you are in my case and were not even alive during the time period that this book describes. The book also includes a photography aspect in it by showing pictures from celebrating after a win, to a team dinner, to important game moments. All of these photos are well taken and in black in white which shows their age. Overall I think that this book was very well written by a great Author in Harvey Araton. If you enjoy this book and like to read more by him he not only has other books but is a columnist for the New York Times so you can read a new piece by him just about every week. The one criticism I have for the book is that I wish it made more connections to the modern day New York Knicks. I am going to give this book a 4 / 5 stars and I do recommend it to fans of the amazing sport of basketball and its players.
May 10, 2022
Remember when the Knicks were really good and winning championships? No? Me either. Nevertheless, there ‘was’ a time and this is the story of the 1970 and 1973 champion New York Knicks.
Bill Russell had retired, the Celtics-era was over, and this presented an opportunity and level playing field to win the championship (much like when Jordan retired 25 years later).
The Lakers, with Wilt Chamberlain, and the Bucks with a young Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, were logical successors, but New York had a team of ballers playing with determination, teamwork and toughness that fans loved.
The Knicks of those years were led by Willis Reed, Dave DeBusschere, Walt (Clyde) Frazier, Bill Bradley, Dick Barnett, Earl (the Pearl) Monroe and Phil Jackson (who would go on to coach 11 championships with the Bulls and Lakers).
I know Walt (Clyde) Frazier from his TV broadcasting career, his sartorial elegance matched only by his repertoire of rhymes and phrases — ‘posting and toasting’, ‘lurking and irking’, ‘duping and hooping’. Here, I enjoyed reading about Frazier the stylish Guard, doing his own dishing and swishing; Frazier had 36 points, 19 assists and 5 steals in arguably one of the greatest Finals game 7 performances ever.
‘When the Garden Was Eden’ recalls glory days in New York, before the game’s seismic shift towards entertainment, when the Knicks were on top of the basketball world. Hopefully, someday, they will be again
(New York is still waiting for its first championship since 1973).
Bill Russell had retired, the Celtics-era was over, and this presented an opportunity and level playing field to win the championship (much like when Jordan retired 25 years later).
The Lakers, with Wilt Chamberlain, and the Bucks with a young Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, were logical successors, but New York had a team of ballers playing with determination, teamwork and toughness that fans loved.
The Knicks of those years were led by Willis Reed, Dave DeBusschere, Walt (Clyde) Frazier, Bill Bradley, Dick Barnett, Earl (the Pearl) Monroe and Phil Jackson (who would go on to coach 11 championships with the Bulls and Lakers).
I know Walt (Clyde) Frazier from his TV broadcasting career, his sartorial elegance matched only by his repertoire of rhymes and phrases — ‘posting and toasting’, ‘lurking and irking’, ‘duping and hooping’. Here, I enjoyed reading about Frazier the stylish Guard, doing his own dishing and swishing; Frazier had 36 points, 19 assists and 5 steals in arguably one of the greatest Finals game 7 performances ever.
‘When the Garden Was Eden’ recalls glory days in New York, before the game’s seismic shift towards entertainment, when the Knicks were on top of the basketball world. Hopefully, someday, they will be again
(New York is still waiting for its first championship since 1973).
March 30, 2014
This book teaches an important lesson: sports writers who aspire to be novelists should have domineering editors. This book did not result from such a collaboration and this comes across as a boring uncle's reminiscings. Instead of sharing a golden era, this book's stultifying grammar and non-rules-based syntax convey a cranky old person's half told story about a time when something something happened. (read: 2013)
January 6, 2020
One of the most dramatic moments in NBA history occurred when the captain of the New York Knicks, Willis Reed, came out with his team for the start of the seventh game of the 1970 Finals. The story of that moment, and that team, has grown to legendary status and it captured in this very good book by Harvey Araton.
While the book was written just after the 40th anniversary of this even, it is still just as memorable a time for Knicks fans now, coming up on the 50th anniversary. Even those who have only seen the grainy film of Reed making his way down the tunnel after suffering a severe injury in game 5 smile when mentioning "The Captain." Araton doesn't limit his complimentary and almost idyllic prose to Reed. Other Knicks players such as Walt "Clyde" Frazier, "Dollar" Bill Bradley, Dick Barnett, coach Red Holtzman and later Earl "The Pearl" Monroe are just some of the players who not only are highlighted in their contributions to the team, but also in a significant number of pages for each one.
These mini-biographies on each man are the slowest parts of the book, as each one goes into great detail about their early lives, their youth, their thoughts on the Knicks and their post-basketball lives, especially Frazier who is a long-time broadcaster for the team. However, once a reader gets past them, starting with Chapter 7, the history lesson for the Knicks is terrific. Reading about not only the 1970 championship team, but also their next few years which culminated in another championship (to date, the latest one for this team) in 1973, was like taking a time trip back to Madison Square Garden in the early 1970's. The reader will not only feel like he or she is enjoying the basketball from that era, but will also get a taste of New York City in those days – at least the more positive social aspects.
Some personal stories about "super fans" and other associated people also help capture the atmosphere and stories that make up the New York Knicks of that time, considered to be the best in the team's history. How "celebrity row" came into being and why so many celebrities wanted to be seen at Madison Square Garden is probably the best reading in the book that isn't basketball. And speaking of the basketball writing, that is the best aspect of the book as it almost brings the reader courtside to the action, especially that game in 1970 in which the Knicks dominated the Los Angeles Lakers to capture the championship.
Knicks fans will especially want to read this, if they have not already done so. Even if one is not a New York fan, but instead likes to read about basketball history, this is one that will be enjoyed by that person.
https://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/20...
While the book was written just after the 40th anniversary of this even, it is still just as memorable a time for Knicks fans now, coming up on the 50th anniversary. Even those who have only seen the grainy film of Reed making his way down the tunnel after suffering a severe injury in game 5 smile when mentioning "The Captain." Araton doesn't limit his complimentary and almost idyllic prose to Reed. Other Knicks players such as Walt "Clyde" Frazier, "Dollar" Bill Bradley, Dick Barnett, coach Red Holtzman and later Earl "The Pearl" Monroe are just some of the players who not only are highlighted in their contributions to the team, but also in a significant number of pages for each one.
These mini-biographies on each man are the slowest parts of the book, as each one goes into great detail about their early lives, their youth, their thoughts on the Knicks and their post-basketball lives, especially Frazier who is a long-time broadcaster for the team. However, once a reader gets past them, starting with Chapter 7, the history lesson for the Knicks is terrific. Reading about not only the 1970 championship team, but also their next few years which culminated in another championship (to date, the latest one for this team) in 1973, was like taking a time trip back to Madison Square Garden in the early 1970's. The reader will not only feel like he or she is enjoying the basketball from that era, but will also get a taste of New York City in those days – at least the more positive social aspects.
Some personal stories about "super fans" and other associated people also help capture the atmosphere and stories that make up the New York Knicks of that time, considered to be the best in the team's history. How "celebrity row" came into being and why so many celebrities wanted to be seen at Madison Square Garden is probably the best reading in the book that isn't basketball. And speaking of the basketball writing, that is the best aspect of the book as it almost brings the reader courtside to the action, especially that game in 1970 in which the Knicks dominated the Los Angeles Lakers to capture the championship.
Knicks fans will especially want to read this, if they have not already done so. Even if one is not a New York fan, but instead likes to read about basketball history, this is one that will be enjoyed by that person.
https://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/20...
November 12, 2022
This book is very difficult to assess. I loved the idea of learning more about the Old Knicks and feel that this book did provide this. From this regard it was a brilliant book, I was soaking-up the stories about the greats which extended beyon Willis and Clyde. Bradley, Dick Barnett, Cazzie Russell - these were the guys that I didn't new anything, Earl Monroe, DeBusschere - were someone of whom I've knew very little. So it was a very pleasant dive into the characters and portraits of the team that I am rooting for. Also, being one of the few books that I've read on the topic, it also has a first comer bias.
However, it also did feel like it was written just like the any other sports book - glamorizing and romanticizing its subject (although I've really enjoyed the excerpts where Araton shared positions voice by the Knicks opponents, by it West, Heinsohn, or others). I also feel that the cultural background of the times could have been developed even further, as I am fascinated with the symbiotic relationship between basketball and city culture surrounding it.
So overall I'd say it is a very averagely written book on a personally very interesting topic which makes my valuation invariably subjective.
Sadly but in the end I feel compelled to voice my displeasure of the Epilogue including such warm words about Karl Malone and having him compared to Willis Reed, and especially since that comparison extended beyond mare basketball skills or on-court presence. I feel that regardless of Malone's achievements on court, when talking about him, as a person, the author should not forgotten the many flaws that include having two separate occasions of having his children neglected and failing to recognize paternity. And what is more important, one of these cases being related to a child, birthed by a 13-year old girl (!). These stories are public knowledge and have been such since late 90s, so its disturbing that a book written in 2010s glosses this over....
However, it also did feel like it was written just like the any other sports book - glamorizing and romanticizing its subject (although I've really enjoyed the excerpts where Araton shared positions voice by the Knicks opponents, by it West, Heinsohn, or others). I also feel that the cultural background of the times could have been developed even further, as I am fascinated with the symbiotic relationship between basketball and city culture surrounding it.
So overall I'd say it is a very averagely written book on a personally very interesting topic which makes my valuation invariably subjective.
Sadly but in the end I feel compelled to voice my displeasure of the Epilogue including such warm words about Karl Malone and having him compared to Willis Reed, and especially since that comparison extended beyond mare basketball skills or on-court presence. I feel that regardless of Malone's achievements on court, when talking about him, as a person, the author should not forgotten the many flaws that include having two separate occasions of having his children neglected and failing to recognize paternity. And what is more important, one of these cases being related to a child, birthed by a 13-year old girl (!). These stories are public knowledge and have been such since late 90s, so its disturbing that a book written in 2010s glosses this over....
April 21, 2019
The history of New York Knicks, particularly focused on his glorious years (1968-1974, aprox), when they won two NBA titles. It pretty interesting to know more about them (so I'm younger and didn't remember that era).
Araton devotes many pages to that victorious team. And that should be all, since everything else seems filler. A little bit of the early years to contextualize would be fine, but the summary about the following decades is superfluous.
In fact, the title of the book itself makes mention of that special team, and Araton devotes the main role of the book to its players, namely Willis Reed, Walt Frazier, Bill Bradley, Dave DeBusschere or Earl Monroe, but also secondary players as Dean Meminger. I think the narration is more player-oriented than team-oriented, just the opposite of what the author wants to communicate about that successful team.
Besides, sometimes it gets a little weird how the author inserts things from his own life, going beyond a simple first-person narration. I know Araton is a well known journalist, but I don't want to read about him, but about Knicks, the organitation and his players.
One point I've liked the most is the realization of how and how much basketball has changed since then. To be able to compare that era and the curent, to the point of almost look like a different sport, I think. In any case, both of them would be really enjoyable.
PS: there is a remarkable 30 for 30 ESPN documentary based in this book, with the same name than the book and directed by Michael Rapaport.
Araton devotes many pages to that victorious team. And that should be all, since everything else seems filler. A little bit of the early years to contextualize would be fine, but the summary about the following decades is superfluous.
In fact, the title of the book itself makes mention of that special team, and Araton devotes the main role of the book to its players, namely Willis Reed, Walt Frazier, Bill Bradley, Dave DeBusschere or Earl Monroe, but also secondary players as Dean Meminger. I think the narration is more player-oriented than team-oriented, just the opposite of what the author wants to communicate about that successful team.
Besides, sometimes it gets a little weird how the author inserts things from his own life, going beyond a simple first-person narration. I know Araton is a well known journalist, but I don't want to read about him, but about Knicks, the organitation and his players.
One point I've liked the most is the realization of how and how much basketball has changed since then. To be able to compare that era and the curent, to the point of almost look like a different sport, I think. In any case, both of them would be really enjoyable.
PS: there is a remarkable 30 for 30 ESPN documentary based in this book, with the same name than the book and directed by Michael Rapaport.
April 15, 2023
What a major disappointment.
The author seems to spend as much time on other events that occurred during the Knicks 1969-1970 season, such as the shootings at Kent State, as he does about the Knicks.
He wasn’t just putting the season in the context of the times, it was more like this was a book about the times and, oh yeah, there was some basketball being played too.
He spends one sentence on a spectacular finish to a game, where with one second left on the clock and the Knicks down by one, Walt Frazier was inbounding the ball from the sideline, threw it toward the basket where Willis Reed jumped up, catches the ball in midair, and puts in the basket.
The Knicks had practiced that play dozens of times and it never worked. When they needed in a game that miraculous season, it worked.
I watched that game on TV. It was an amazing ending to the game, but you would never know it was one of highlights of the season from this book.
The book was as much about the author’s infatuation with the celebrities attending the games, such as Spike Lee and Woody Allen, as the Knicks.
When he wasn’t discussing the important people who were at the games, he was busy praising Bill Clinton and Barack Obama (somehow extolling their virtues in a book that is supposedly about the 1969 - 1970 Knicks?).
More an ego trip of the author’s - his musings and meanderings, his personal thoughts about life, and the celebrities and politicians he wanted to fawn over.
What a disappointment.
The author seems to spend as much time on other events that occurred during the Knicks 1969-1970 season, such as the shootings at Kent State, as he does about the Knicks.
He wasn’t just putting the season in the context of the times, it was more like this was a book about the times and, oh yeah, there was some basketball being played too.
He spends one sentence on a spectacular finish to a game, where with one second left on the clock and the Knicks down by one, Walt Frazier was inbounding the ball from the sideline, threw it toward the basket where Willis Reed jumped up, catches the ball in midair, and puts in the basket.
The Knicks had practiced that play dozens of times and it never worked. When they needed in a game that miraculous season, it worked.
I watched that game on TV. It was an amazing ending to the game, but you would never know it was one of highlights of the season from this book.
The book was as much about the author’s infatuation with the celebrities attending the games, such as Spike Lee and Woody Allen, as the Knicks.
When he wasn’t discussing the important people who were at the games, he was busy praising Bill Clinton and Barack Obama (somehow extolling their virtues in a book that is supposedly about the 1969 - 1970 Knicks?).
More an ego trip of the author’s - his musings and meanderings, his personal thoughts about life, and the celebrities and politicians he wanted to fawn over.
What a disappointment.
January 28, 2025
I got into basketball in the 2023 season, to say I am a newgen fan is apt. After reading this I can say I have some degree of oldhead knowledge and a new appreciation for the roots of my fanbase. Walt "Clyde" Frazier is an MSG mainstay and learning his story amongst the rest of his team has helped me cultivate a greater understanding of an era steeped in mysticism.
There's still some oldhead knowledge I haven't been conferred. The history of the NBA is one of team location and name changes, mergers with lesser leagues, and a fair few scandals. I think the author does assume the reader is learned in this area, I am not, so using this as a primary source prompted a lot of google searching and head scratching, I found my reading pace was a tad uneven because of this.
Still, Harvey Araton's prose is candid and lush with the sheer affection he holds for the New York Knicks. You can feel the love and reverence from a man whose pivotal life moments have been keyed by the team's vast successes and devastating failures. It is a vivid love letter to a team that I adore. I hope the Old Knicks and Harvey are happy to see how far we've come since this era.
There's still some oldhead knowledge I haven't been conferred. The history of the NBA is one of team location and name changes, mergers with lesser leagues, and a fair few scandals. I think the author does assume the reader is learned in this area, I am not, so using this as a primary source prompted a lot of google searching and head scratching, I found my reading pace was a tad uneven because of this.
Still, Harvey Araton's prose is candid and lush with the sheer affection he holds for the New York Knicks. You can feel the love and reverence from a man whose pivotal life moments have been keyed by the team's vast successes and devastating failures. It is a vivid love letter to a team that I adore. I hope the Old Knicks and Harvey are happy to see how far we've come since this era.
June 26, 2025
Though not a fan, I was very impressed with the New York Knicks in the early 70s. Willis Reed, Dave DeBusschere, Bill Bradley, Walt Frazier, Dick Barnett, Red Holtzman etc. In my freshman year of college, I was surrounded by New York Knick fans. I also remember the championship game against the Lakers, where a very injured and limited. Willis Reed walked out on the court at Madison Square Garden and played a few minutes. Inspired by this, the Knicks beat the Lakers and won the championship.
If you are a Knick fan of that generation, you will love this book. Though I am not a Knick fan, I am a basketball fan and liked the book. There is a lot of background and biographical information about the players, coaches and owners that I wasn't particularly interested in. Araton covered the rise, apex and the start of the decline for the franchise.
There are a lot of interesting stories and anecdotes about the players on and off the court.
I do confess to being an admirer and fan of Bill Bradley. I enjoyed. Araton’s profile of Dollar Bill and his contributions to the team.
The price was right ($0) so this book was a good investment...
If you are a Knick fan of that generation, you will love this book. Though I am not a Knick fan, I am a basketball fan and liked the book. There is a lot of background and biographical information about the players, coaches and owners that I wasn't particularly interested in. Araton covered the rise, apex and the start of the decline for the franchise.
There are a lot of interesting stories and anecdotes about the players on and off the court.
I do confess to being an admirer and fan of Bill Bradley. I enjoyed. Araton’s profile of Dollar Bill and his contributions to the team.
The price was right ($0) so this book was a good investment...
June 11, 2019
I've been reading this during the NBA finals between the Warriors and Raptors and the similarities are quite interesting. First, there's the Kevin Durant/Willis Reed comparison. Durant doesn't quite hobble onto the court but is obviously hurt but performs heroically as did Reed but then Durant is reinjured but the Warriors win. The similarities between Steve Kerr and Red Holzman and the way the two teams play/played are obvious. Will the results be the same? We shall see.
Over-all I liked the book especially the pieces about the key individuals who made up this very special group. I didn't care for the end with the constant carping about modern players by the "old-timers." That is getting way to old and could've been left out.
I enjoyed the author's inserting himself into story at different times. The "tension" between writer and fan is a unique vantage point to advance different stories.
Good, not great but worth reading if you're a hoops fan of this era.
Over-all I liked the book especially the pieces about the key individuals who made up this very special group. I didn't care for the end with the constant carping about modern players by the "old-timers." That is getting way to old and could've been left out.
I enjoyed the author's inserting himself into story at different times. The "tension" between writer and fan is a unique vantage point to advance different stories.
Good, not great but worth reading if you're a hoops fan of this era.
April 18, 2020
One of my favorites, this was a re-read for these odd times. The New York Knicks arguably haven't been good at basketball since the days of Patrick Ewing (Jeremy Lin's brief run as "the only good thing about the team" might come close), but in the early Seventies they won two titles in four years with a team comprised of role players and Hall of Famers. Harvey Araton recreates the tenor and tone of those times with this book, which examines the lives of players like Willis Reed, Bill Bradley, Dave DeBusschere, Walt "Clyde" Frazier, Earl "The Pearl" Monroe, and others. It's truly a wonderful cast of characters, as the Old Knicks are led by Red Holzman to the heights of basketball glory for a brief shining moment (after the 11-championship run of the Boston Celtics and a decade before the Magic-Bird era and the advent of one Michael Jordan). A fun, informative read, and well worth my revisiting.
March 8, 2018
I loved this team when I was a kid (and I'm cringing to think how long ago the last Knicks championship was). Harvey Araton did a nice job bringing that era of basketball -- and of New York City -- to life. There was a good bit of franchise history I hadn't known. I agree with the assessment that this is an insiders' book. I wish there'd been even more on the fringe players.
I also liked how the book addressed a question I've long pondered: how would the champion Knicks, a small team even by the standards of that time, fare today? It would be fun to see how far smarts, ball movement, and rel team play would carry them against "dunk and pony shows" (an Araton phrase I enjoyed).
I do believe the book's focus got diluted when it turned to the Knicks of the past couple of decades, though. I found that material extraneous.
I also liked how the book addressed a question I've long pondered: how would the champion Knicks, a small team even by the standards of that time, fare today? It would be fun to see how far smarts, ball movement, and rel team play would carry them against "dunk and pony shows" (an Araton phrase I enjoyed).
I do believe the book's focus got diluted when it turned to the Knicks of the past couple of decades, though. I found that material extraneous.
July 25, 2024
The story of the Knicks two 70s NBA championships is more than just a simple breaking of stats or play by play. It is the story of a team that came together at a strange time in the world and overcame some of the greatest teams and personal trials to find success.
The book does a fantastic job covering the early days of the Knicks long before the 1970s team and the lives of the players involved. Each of the core members of the team is covered and have quotes talking about their time with the team and opponents' thoughts. There are some bitter sweet moments, but it is a truly great story of a great team.
The ending seems to go on a bit long as it covers a bit of the 2010s team, which at this point is long past. The final chapter also feels problematic at this day and age as it heavily features Karl Malone. Overall, it's still a fantastic read.
The book does a fantastic job covering the early days of the Knicks long before the 1970s team and the lives of the players involved. Each of the core members of the team is covered and have quotes talking about their time with the team and opponents' thoughts. There are some bitter sweet moments, but it is a truly great story of a great team.
The ending seems to go on a bit long as it covers a bit of the 2010s team, which at this point is long past. The final chapter also feels problematic at this day and age as it heavily features Karl Malone. Overall, it's still a fantastic read.
December 11, 2023
I was a huge fan of The 1972-73 Knicks. They were the first team with whom I experienced a championship. It was magic! So is this book for the most part. I really enjoyed reading the accounts fo the two championship seasons and profiles of the players. I know a lot about all of them but I learned new things in this book. Two criticisms I have are that coverage of the 90s-2010s Knicks wasn't really necessary. It felt like filler. The second is, throughout the book, Araton refers to the team from that era as the "Old Knicks". The use of "Old" felt unnecessary since the entire book is about the Knicks from that era. You know from context that he is referring to the teams from 1969-1973. But overall, the book is an absolute joy to read!
May 29, 2024
Great basketball tales, great memories, but it’s much more than basketball. It’s a love letter to New York and also a celebration of community, a band of brothers and bona fide teamwork. Shades of this year’s Knicks. Very well written and laugh out loud funny in parts.
I was at the Princeton/Michigan game in 1964 at the Garden, rooting for Bradley. I was also witness to much of the rest of the ups and downs for the Knicks over the years (although not from as close a vantage point).
Thank you, @HarveyAraton for bringing back warm memories, and @LexiCariello for sending me the book. Maybe I can get you both on my podcast to discuss the book and it’s relation to the New York Knicks season just ended. “Tell Me What You’re Reading”; #bookwormsinthewild
I was at the Princeton/Michigan game in 1964 at the Garden, rooting for Bradley. I was also witness to much of the rest of the ups and downs for the Knicks over the years (although not from as close a vantage point).
Thank you, @HarveyAraton for bringing back warm memories, and @LexiCariello for sending me the book. Maybe I can get you both on my podcast to discuss the book and it’s relation to the New York Knicks season just ended. “Tell Me What You’re Reading”; #bookwormsinthewild
May 30, 2024
The Knickerbockers I Knew Back When!
Stumbled upon this book with no help from Amazon & Loved every minute of it! Was always a fan of the Knicks as everyone else knew them & the Knickerbockers as my grandpa & I knew them!! This was a marvelous read about a time when someone other than the Celtics were Great in the east & did it the old fashioned way with a lunch pail & good old hard work (Hustle) may not be what they were known for in the press due to them always emphasizing the personalities!!! While my grandpa & I watched most of these games on tape delay from Palm Springs or Spokane that was indeed a seminal experience for us while everyone else was fast asleep!!!!
Stumbled upon this book with no help from Amazon & Loved every minute of it! Was always a fan of the Knicks as everyone else knew them & the Knickerbockers as my grandpa & I knew them!! This was a marvelous read about a time when someone other than the Celtics were Great in the east & did it the old fashioned way with a lunch pail & good old hard work (Hustle) may not be what they were known for in the press due to them always emphasizing the personalities!!! While my grandpa & I watched most of these games on tape delay from Palm Springs or Spokane that was indeed a seminal experience for us while everyone else was fast asleep!!!!
April 20, 2020
Comprehensive and deeply personal story of the Old Knicks championship years and all that followed in the years after. Tracing the ups and downs, the trades and tribulations of the greats and with dialogue direct from the mouth of the stars, including primarily Willis Reed, along with Walt Frazier, Dave DeBusschere and countless more. The book feels like a journey, spanning four decades and thanks to the writers passion by the end of it you feel like you’ve gone on the whole ride with these players. And what a ride it is.
April 24, 2021
The positives: 1) The creation of the 69-70 Knicks first NBA champion was well-covered, with a lot of insight I hadn't read elsewhere; 2) the national politics of the era were--thankfully--kept to a minimum, and it remain mostly focused on the team.
The negatives: 1) The 1972-73 Knicks, while discussed more in depth than any other book I've seen so far, still didn't get as much attention as the 69-70 group; 2) the writing seemed to get somewhat schizophrenic at the end, jumping around quite a bit, trying to cram the era between 1974 and 2010 into just a few pages.
The negatives: 1) The 1972-73 Knicks, while discussed more in depth than any other book I've seen so far, still didn't get as much attention as the 69-70 group; 2) the writing seemed to get somewhat schizophrenic at the end, jumping around quite a bit, trying to cram the era between 1974 and 2010 into just a few pages.
August 15, 2025
Araton details the glorious days of the Knicks and the downfall that has plagued New York fans up until today. The unglamorous book, filled with interviews and raw first-hand accounts from players, coaches, and the author himself, crafts a compelling story of how champions are made, replaced, fall, and remembered. Despite centering on the period in which the Garden was Eden, Araton breaks out of the bubble of Madison Square, revealing how the cultural and political climate of the seventies impacted not only New York, but the country, the world, and professional basketball players.
September 23, 2023
Slow at times. Fast at others. I enjoyed the parts where there were interviews from their superstar opponents like Jerry West. But I didn’t want to read about the bench players at all. I didn’t like how the author inserted himself into the story at times and it became a first-person narrative. I would have rated this book 2.5 stars if that were an option. Almost made it a 2-star book. Would not recommend.
January 23, 2025
My 5-star rating is based on personal interest, readability, and emotion. Four stars if we take emotion out of the equation. I was around when those Knicks won titles, but too young to be actually aware of them. The Knicks of that era were my dad's favorite team, and I inherited my fandom from him. Also inherited was my esteem for those players, and reading "When the Garden was Eden" brought all of that back for me, as well as memories of my dad. Thanks, Harvey.
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