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Edward S. Irish, also known as Ned Irish, was an American basketball promoter and one of the key figures in popularizing professional basketball. He was born in 1905 and began his career as a sports journalist for the New York World-Telegram, covering basketball games in small gymnasiums. In 1934, he left journalism to promote basketball games at Madison Square Garden, bringing college basketball to a larger venue and attracting bigger crowds. Irish's promotions were important in growing the popularity of basketball before the establishment of a professional league. He was also one of the founders of the Basketball Association of America, which later became the National Basketball Association (NBA). Irish served as president of the New York Knicks from 1946 to 1974 and played a role in the merger of the NBA with the American Basketball Association in the late 1960s. With his aggressive promoting and determined leadership, Irish had a significant influence on the growth and development of basketball in the United States.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Edward Simmons Irish |
| Birth Date | May 6, 1905 |
| Death Date | January 21, 1982 |
| Occupation | Sports journalist, promoter, president of the Knicks |
| Achievements | Enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1964, founder of the New York Knicks, helped popularize professional basketball, advocated for the merger of the NBA and the American Basketball Association |
| Known For | Aggressive promoting, strong leadership, hands-off management style |
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What You'll Learn
- Ned Irish was a basketball promoter and populariser of the sport
- He was the founder and president of the New York Knicks
- Irish was an early advocate for the merger of the American Basketball Association and the NBA
- He was a sports journalist for the New York World-Telegram
- Irish was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
Ned Irish was a basketball promoter and populariser of the sport
Edward Simmons (Ned) Irish was a basketball promoter and one of the key figures in popularising professional basketball. He was born in 1905 in Lake George, New York, and attended Erasmus Hall High School. After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania in 1928, he began his career as a sports journalist for the New York World-Telegram. In 1930, he started working in public relations for the New York Giants football team, which eventually led him to run the National Football League's information bureau.
While working as a journalist, Irish covered basketball games in small gymnasiums and was driven by a desire to expand the sport to meet the growing appetite of fans. In 1934, he left journalism to promote basketball games at Madison Square Garden. During the Great Depression, the venue was often unused, so Irish was able to book events without upfront costs, as long as attendance covered the nightly rent. His first event, a match between NYU and Notre Dame, earned him more money than he made in six months as a sportswriter.
Irish's promotions of college matchups were instrumental in growing the popularity of basketball before the establishment of a professional league. His events at Madison Square Garden became so popular that he could dictate favourable terms. By 1946, the events had an average attendance of 18,196. Irish also helped create the first major postseason college tournament, the National Invitation Tournament (NIT).
In 1946, Irish was one of the founders of the Basketball Association of America (BAA), which later became the National Basketball Association (NBA). He served as president of the New York Knicks from 1946 until 1974. During this time, he was known as a hands-off president, as his skills lay more in promotion than technical knowledge of the game. In the late 1960s, he advocated for the merger of the NBA with the competing American Basketball Association, arguing that bidding wars between rival leagues would lead to unsustainable contracts. The leagues merged in 1976.
Recognised for his significant contributions to basketball, Ned Irish was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1964 and the NYC Basketball Hall of Fame in 1991.
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He was the founder and president of the New York Knicks
Edward Simmons Irish, commonly known as Ned Irish, was an American basketball promoter and one of the key figures in popularizing professional basketball. Born in 1905, he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1928 and began working as a sports journalist for the New York World-Telegram. In 1930, he started working in public relations for the New York Giants football team, which eventually led him to run the National Football League's information bureau.
In 1934, Irish left journalism to promote basketball games at Madison Square Garden. On December 29, 1934, he organised a game between NYU and Notre Dame, which attracted 16,188 fans and earned him more money than he made in six months as a sportswriter. This event marked the beginning of Irish's successful career as a basketball promoter.
In 1946, Irish became one of the founders and the president of the New York Knicks, a position he held until 1974. During this time, he was instrumental in organising the Basketball Association of America (BAA), which later became the National Basketball Association (NBA). Irish was known for his aggressive promotion and determined leadership, which brought more than 500,000 fans to Madison Square Garden per season from 1942 to 1949.
Irish was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1964, recognising his significant contributions to the sport. His legacy includes not only his role in establishing the New York Knicks but also his impact on the growth and development of professional basketball in the United States.
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Irish was an early advocate for the merger of the American Basketball Association and the NBA
Edward S. Irish, also known as Ned Irish, was an American basketball promoter and one of the key figures in popularizing professional basketball. He was the founder and president of the New York Knicks from 1946 to 1974. Irish was a sportswriter for the New York World-Telegram and brought college basketball to Madison Square Garden, where he served as Basketball Director in 1934. He was also one of the 11 founders of the Basketball Association of America (BAA), which merged with the National Basketball League in 1949 to become the National Basketball Association (NBA).
When the American Basketball Association (ABA) was competing against the NBA in the late 1960s, Ned Irish was an early advocate for a merger between the two leagues. He argued that teams in rival leagues bidding for players would lead to contracts that couldn't be sustained by team revenues. The ABA and NBA began merger talks as early as 1970, but an antitrust lawsuit filed by the NBA Players Association, known as the Oscar Robertson suit, delayed the merger until 1976 when the lawsuit was finally settled.
The ABA owners were eager to merge with the NBA, as they believed it would help them gain access to better TV markets and established NBA players. The NBA owners also voted in favour of the merger, with a vote of 13-4, just barely over the 3/4 majority required. The merger would combine the rival leagues into a single, 28-team league that would retain the NBA name.
While there were several attempts to merge the leagues over the years, litigation and disagreements over the terms of the merger delayed the process. For example, the NBA's reserve clause was considered illegal and could not be a part of the merger, and amendments proposed by the Senate to address this issue were rejected by both leagues.
Finally, in 1976, the merger was approved, and four ABA teams—the Pacers, Nuggets, Spurs, and Nets—joined the NBA. The remaining two ABA teams folded, and their players entered a dispersal draft. This merger was a significant pro sports business maneuver, combining the teams and talent of the two rival leagues and solidifying the NBA's position as a major basketball league in the United States.
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He was a sports journalist for the New York World-Telegram
Edward Simmons Irish, born on May 6, 1905, in Lake George, New York, was an American basketball promoter and one of the key figures in popularizing professional basketball. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1928 and began his career as a sports journalist for the New York World-Telegram.
During his time at the World-Telegram, Irish covered basketball games in small 500-1,000 seat gymnasiums. He often recounted a story of covering a game at Manhattan College, where the crowd overwhelmed the tiny gym, forcing him to climb through a window and tear his best suit. This story, whether true or not, reflected his ambition to expand the game of basketball to match the enthusiasm of its fans.
In 1930, while still working at the World-Telegram, Irish started supplementing his income by taking on public relations work for the New York Giants football team. This opportunity led him to manage the National Football League's information bureau during the 1930s.
On December 29, 1934, Irish left his job at the World-Telegram to focus on promoting basketball games at Madison Square Garden. His first event, a match between NYU and Notre Dame, attracted 16,188 spectators and earned him more money than he had made in six months as a sports journalist. This event marked the beginning of his successful career in basketball promotion and his impact on the sport's popularity.
Irish's work in promoting college basketball matchups at Madison Square Garden played a crucial role in expanding the sport's popularity before the establishment of a professional league. His efforts in bringing the nation's top college teams to New York and his aggressive promotion resulted in over 500,000 fans attending games at Madison Square Garden per season from 1942 to 1949.
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Irish was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
Edward S. Irish, also known as Ned Irish, was an American basketball promoter and one of the key figures in popularising professional basketball. He was the founder and president of the New York Knicks from 1946 to 1974.
Irish served as the Basketball Director of Madison Square Garden in 1934. He helped create the first major postseason college tournament, the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). In 1946, he was instrumental in organizing the Basketball Association of America (BAA), the forerunner of today's NBA. Irish was farsighted enough to take basketball out of college gymnasiums and put it into Madison Square Garden.
Irish was a diligent newspaperman who took delight in the craft of reporting. He was a sportswriter for the New York World-Telegram and began promoting basketball games at Madison Square Garden in 1934. As this was during the Great Depression, the venue was often unused, and Irish was able to book events without putting up his own money. His promotions of college matchups were important to growing the popularity of basketball before the establishment of a professional league.
In addition to his promotional skills, Irish played a significant role in the merger of rival leagues. When the American Basketball Association competed against the NBA in the late 1960s, he advocated for a merger, arguing that bidding wars between leagues would lead to unsustainable contracts. The leagues merged in 1976.
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Frequently asked questions
Edward S. Irish (May 6, 1905 – January 21, 1982), commonly known as Ned Irish, was an American basketball promoter and one of the key figures in popularizing professional basketball.
Ned Irish was instrumental in taking basketball out of college gymnasiums and putting it into Madison Square Garden. He was also a promoter of college basketball matchups, which helped grow the popularity of the sport at a time when there was no established professional league.
In 1946, Ned Irish was one of the 11 founders of the Basketball Association of America (BAA), which merged with the National Basketball League in 1949 to become the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Ned Irish served as the founder and president of the New York Knicks from 1946 until 1974. He was mostly known for his promotional skills rather than his technical knowledge of the game.
