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Centennial class

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Benjamin Auerbach

Benjamin Auerbach was born and raised in the Bronx in 1919. He was a Allstar basketball player at DeWitt Clinton High school 1935-1937. Auerbach decided to stay in the Bronx and attend NYU then located in the Bronx, his junior year 1940 he received the coveted Haggerty Award given to the best male collegiate basketball player in the greater New York area.

Bernard Fliegel

Bernard Fliegel was born on May 13, 1918. His parents, who were Jewish immigrants from Odessa, Ukraine, started developing an interest in this new game of basketball. At 6'3", he was a star player at DeWitt Clinton and led them to a PSAL city championship, an All American, a Haggerty Award winner, and graduated at the age of 16! He enrolled at CCNY and was hailed as the best player in the city. After graduating at the age of 19, he enrolled at Fordham University School of Law. He played professionally in the ABL while attending law school. Fliegel was offered to play for the New York Knicks in the newly developed NBA, but his desire to practice law made him refuse the invitation.

Joel "Shikey" Gotthoffer

Joel "Shikey" Gotthoffer was born January 1, 1911; his family emigrated from Austria. His family moved to the Bronx, where he started gravitating towards this new game called basketball. "I guess I started playing basketball before I could read," he recalled. I can't remember a time in my life, not playing basketball." He helped form a neighborhood basketball team called The Bronx Owls. Together, they built a basketball court behind the tenement houses they lived in between 165th and 163rd on Union Ave. in the East Bronx. He was already a skilled player by the time he reached high school, He attended James Monroe in The Bronx, where he helped lead the team to three consecutive NYC championships. He attended NYU. Gotthoffer played in the newly formed American Basketball League ABL, played with the Philadelphia SPHA's. When he started playing with them, he earned 35 cents a game; by 1942, he was earning a whopping one hundred dollars. He won five American Basketball League championships and the MVP in 1935-36. A Bronx Basketball Legend.

Hank DeZonie

Hank DeZonie — A True Basketball Pioneer Born in Harlem in 1922, Hank DeZonie later moved with his family to the Bronx, where he developed his game on the playgrounds. He credited the Jewish players he competed with for teaching him many of the finer points of basketball. DeZonie attended Clark University in Atlanta before returning to New York City and pursuing professional basketball. Hank DeZonie was among the pioneering Black players who attempted to break professional basketball’s color barrier during an era of segregation and racial discrimination. His opportunity to compete at the highest level was denied because of the color of his skin. Although he never received the opportunity he deserved, his courage and determination helped challenge the barriers that would eventually fall for those who followed. Hank DeZonie — a Bronx basketball legend, a barrier-breaker, and a true pioneer of the game.

Dave Tobey

Dave Tobey, an NBA Hall of Famer born March 17, 1898, died July 25, 1988. He was a high school basketball star at DeWitt Clinton. Toby became a referee who refereed professional basketball league games from 1918–1925 and officiated college games from 1926 through 1945. Tobey was chosen for almost every important game in New York City in the 1930's and 1940s. In 1944, he authored a well-received book on officiating. Tobey is considered by many to be the greatest college referee of the 20th century. Tobey was enshrined in The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1961. A Bronx basketball pioneer.

Louis Bender

Louis “Lulu” Bender — A True Basketball Pioneer Louis “Lulu” Bender (March 8, 1910 – September 10, 2009) was one of the early pioneers who helped basketball grow in popularity in New York City during the Great Depression and helped establish Madison Square Garden as a premier destination for the game. A Bronx basketball standout, Bender played at DeWitt Clinton High School before attending Columbia University, where he became a three-time All-Ivy League selection and two-time All-American in the early 1930s. Bender became a fan favorite. When he took the court, the crowd would erupt with chants of “Lulu! Lulu! Lulu!” — a reflection of the excitement and popularity he brought to the game. He later played professionally in the American Basketball League, one of the nation’s pioneering professional basketball leagues. His accomplishments extended far beyond basketball. After earning his law degree, Bender served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York and later enjoyed a distinguished five-decade career as a criminal defense attorney. Louis “Lulu” Bender passed away in 2009 at the age of 99, leaving behind an extraordinary legacy. “Lulu! Lulu! Lulu!” the chant may have faded, but his place in basketball history never will. Louis “Lulu” Bender a Bronx basketball legend and a true pioneer of the game.

Nat Hollman

Nat Holman — A Basketball Hall of Fame Pioneer Nat Holman (1896–1995) was one of the most influential figures in the early history of basketball — first as a great player and later as a legendary coach. Holman attended Commerce High School before becoming a star at NYU. Playing in the Bronx, he packed the gym for home games and helped bring greater attention and excitement to the growing sport of basketball. During the 1920s, Holman was widely regarded as one of the finest all-around players of his era. He later starred with the legendary Original Celtics, one of basketball’s greatest early professional teams, helping them win American Basketball League championships in 1927 and 1928. Holman began coaching at City College of New York at just 23 years old while still in his prime as a player. Over a remarkable 37-year coaching career, he compiled a 421–190 record. His greatest achievement came in 1950, when CCNY made basketball history by becoming the first and only team to win both the NCAA Tournament and the NIT championship in the same season — a feat that has never been duplicated. For his extraordinary contributions to the game, Nat Holman was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1964. Nat Holman — a Bronx basketball trailblazer whose influence helped shape the game for generations to come. Did you like this feature? One historical correction worth making for the website: Holman was born October 19, 1896, rather than 1897, and the historic CCNY double championship occurred in 1950. His commonly listed CCNY coaching record is 421–190.

Wilmeth Sida-Singh

Wilmeth Sida-Singh, Tuskegee Airmen, was born on February 13, Washington, D.C. His parents were both African Americans. After the death of his father, his mother married Sammuel Sida-Singh, a medical student from India who adopted Wilmeth, giving him his family name. Raised in the Bronx, he attended DeWitt Clinton, where he led them to a city championship in 1934. He received an athletic scholarship to Syracuse University in 1935. Racial discrimination prevented him from enjoying a pro career. He joined the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C. He later applied and was accepted as a member of the Tuskegee Airmen, the only African American unit in the US Army Air Force, and won his wings as a pilot. Sidat-Singh died tragically in 1943 during a training mission. A Bronx basketball legend, thank you for your service.

Howard Cain

Howard Cain — A Bronx Basketball Pioneer Howard Cain represents an important generation of early Bronx basketball pioneers whose contributions to the game came long before basketball became the worldwide sport it is today. Like many players from basketball’s formative years, much of Cain’s story has been lost to time. Records from that era are limited, but his connection to the early development of Bronx basketball deserves to be remembered. In 2024, the Bronx Basketball Hall of Fame honored Howard Cain as a member of its historic Centennial Class, recognizing pioneers who helped bring attention to the blossoming game of basketball during its earliest years. The history of Bronx basketball is not only the story of the famous names whose statistics were preserved. It is also the story of men like Howard Cain, who were part of the foundation upon which generations of Bronx basketball greatness were built. Howard Cain — his records may have faded with time, but his place in Bronx basketball history will not be forgotten.

Willie Rubenstein

Willie Rubenstein, born in the Bronx on April 3, 1912, was one of the outstanding New York basketball players of his generation. Rubenstein developed his game at Theodore Roosevelt High School in the Bronx, where he established himself as a talented basketball player before taking his game to the collegiate level. He went on to become a standout at New York University (NYU) during an era when college basketball was rapidly growing in popularity. Rubenstein emerged as one of NYU’s leading players and helped bring greater attention to New York City basketball. Rubenstein later entered the professional ranks, playing six seasons, primarily with the New York Jewels of the American Basketball League. His career came during an important period in the development of professional basketball, years before the creation of the NBA. From Theodore Roosevelt High School to college basketball and the professional game, Rubenstein represented the Bronx at every step of his basketball journey. Willie Rubenstein died in 1980, but his accomplishments and contribution to the early history of the game live on. Willie Rubenstein — Bronx born, Bronx raised, and a true pioneer of New York basketball.