Cal Ramsey, NYU’s long-time men’s basketball assistant coach and former All-American player, was honored as a Rucker Park “legend” at a ceremony during halftime of the New York Liberty vs. Chicago Sky WNBA game on Friday, August 14 at Madison Square Garden.
The evening celebrated the rich history of the Rucker Pro League and the Madison Square Garden players & management who have participated since its inception in 1965. Ramsey, who in addition to his involvement with NYU also works as the New York Knicks’ Director, Special Projects and Community Relations Representative, was honored along with Carol Blazejowski, the Liberty’s President and General Manager, Donnie Walsh, the Knicks’ President, Basketball Operations.
The trio was honored for its achievements at Rucker Park.
Blazejowski, Ramsey, Walsh (photo by Dave Saffran/MSG Photos)
“Having played at the Rucker League, I have a great deal of pride knowing that I was able to share the same court with so many legends, including Madison Square Garden's own Carol Blazejowski, Cal Ramsey and a host of others,” Walsh said.
The Rucker Pro League is a New York City basketball institution that was founded by Bob McCullough (a 1965 Cincinnati Royals draftee out of Benedict) and former Knick Fred Crawford, who continued the legacy of the Rucker League created by Holcombe Rucker in 1950. Garden and NBA legends such as Willis Reed, Walt Frazier, Earl Monroe, Bill Bradley, Wilt Chamberlain, former Violet Tom “Satch” Sanders, Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Julius Erving played at the Holcombe Rucker Park’s “hallowed ground” courts located at 155th Street and Frederick Douglas Boulevard in Harlem over the years.
Ramsey, a 1959 graduate of NYU’s School of Commerce with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, earned All-America status as a senior. He still holds a number of Violet hoops records, including rebounds in a game (34 vs. Boston College), season rebound average (19.6), career rebounds (1,101), and career rebound average (17.5). He is currently eighth on NYU’s all-time scoring list with 1,275 points.
Cal Ramsey, a NYC Legend (photo by Dave Saffran/MSG Photos)
Ramsey, who also served NYU as Assistant Director of Alumni Relations for 20 years, received the NYU President's Alumni Achievement Award in 2004 for his contributions to his alma mater. He was inducted into the NYU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1978 and into the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame in 1994.