Harry Gallatin, Basketball Hall of Famer, Dies at Age 88

The New York Knicks confirmed that team legend and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Harry Gallatin died Wednesday. He was 88.

Gallatin played for the Knicks from 1948 through 1957. He made seven All-Star teams during that stretch while also earning a first-team All-NBA selection in 1954.

He moved on to the Detroit Pistons for a short stint following his Knicks career. He then transitioned into the coaching realm, leading the St. Louis Hawks for two-plus seasons, including the 1962-63 campaign, when he was named Coach of the Year.      

The Illinois native made his return to the Knicks as the team's head coach midway through the 1964-65 season. He couldn't replicate the success he had as a player, however, and was let go the following year. He went 136-120 (.531) overall across parts of four seasons on the bench.

That lack of coaching success didn't tarnish his legacy with the team, though. He'll always be remembered for his tenacious play down low, where he made up for his lack of size (6'6", 210 lbs) with a combination of strength and skill that allowed him to adapt as the game started to feature taller post players.

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Gallatin finished his career with averages of 13 points and 11.9 rebounds across 10 seasons. He also found himself in the spotlight for setting the NBA's first iron man streak, appearing in 682 straight games. A.C. Green is now the recordholder at 1,192 games.

"The Horse" remained a Knicks supporter even when his playing and coaching days were over. He talked about the franchise's rebuild with Marc Berman of the New York Post in May, and his outlook came as no surprise given the role he filled throughout his career.

"Hopefully the draft and free agency will give them more players," Gallatin said. "What we're doing now is looking for somebody who can start in the middle and that's where the game starts—underneath the basket."

One thing's for sure: The Knicks' rebuilding process would be in much better shape if they could find more players who could match Gallatin's work ethic and determination. Of course, that's a tall task.