Sidney "Sonny" Hertzberg (July 29, 1922 – July 25, 2005) was an American professional basketball player.
Early life
Hertzberg was born in Brooklyn, New York, grew up in Crown Heights, and was Jewish.[1][2] Hertzberg played at Samuel J. Tilden High School and City College of New York, where he was a teammate of longtime Knicks coach Red Holzman.[2]
Professional career
Hertzberg began his professional career in 1946, signing with his home team New York Knicks. He played with the team in the inaugural Basketball Association of America season in 1946–47. He played five games with the team in the 1947–48 before being released. Hertzberg signed with the Washington Capitols, and played for two seasons with the team under future Hall of Fame coach Red Auerbach. On September 28, 1949, Hertzberg was traded to the Boston Celtics for Chick Halbert.[3] Hertzberg was reunited with former Washington coach Auerbach in his second season with Boston in 1950–51. Auerbach and rookie point guard Bob Cousy referred to Hertzberg as "the second coach on the floor", and he was respected for his playmaking and court savviness.[4]
After playing five seasons of professional basketball, Hertzberg served as a scout and broadcasting commentator for the Knicks.[4]
He is a member of the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame, the Old-Timers Basketball Hall of Fame, the City College Hall of Fame, and the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.[2]
Later life and death
Hertzberg went on to become a managing director of Bear Stearns, an investment banking and brokerage firm.[4]
Hertzberg died of heart failure on July 25, 2005, at his home in Woodmere, New York.[4]
BAA/NBA career statistics
| Legend | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Games played | FG% | Field-goal percentage | ||
| FT% | Free-throw percentage | RPG | Rebounds per game | ||
| APG | Assists per game | PPG | Points per game | ||
| Bold | Career high | ||||
Regular season
| Year | Team | GP | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1946–47 | New York | 59 | .289 | .758 | – | .6 | 8.7 |
| 1947–48 | New York | 4 | .071 | .750 | – | .3 | 1.3 |
| 1947–48 | Washington | 37 | .273 | .797 | – | .6 | 7.4 |
| 1948–49 | Washington | 60 | .285 | .817 | – | 1.9 | 7.4 |
| 1949–50 | Boston | 68 | .318 | .749 | – | 2.9 | 10.2 |
| 1950–51 | Boston | 65 | .316 | .826 | 4.0 | 3.8 | 9.8 |
| Career | 293 | .299 | .792 | 4.0 | 2.1 | 8.7 | |
Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1947 | New York | 5 | .217 | .750 | – | 1.0 | 7.2 |
| 1949 | Washington | 11 | .348 | .851 | – | 2.5 | 10.7 |
| 1951 | Boston | 2 | .231 | .800 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 5.0 |
| Career | 18 | .294 | .833 | 1.0 | 1.9 | 9.1 | |
See also
References
- ^ From Set Shot to Slam Dunk: The Glory Days of Basketball in the Words of ... - Charles Salzberg - Google Books
- ^ a b c Hertzberg, Sonny : Jews In Sports @ Virtual Museum
- ^ "Sonny Hertzberg Stats". Basketball Reference. Accessed on June 21, 2017.
- ^ a b c d Richard Goldstein (July 29, 2005). "Sonny Hertzberg, 82, a Knick From the Very Beginning, Dies". The New York Times. p. A 21. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
External links
- Career statistics from NBA.com and Basketball Reference
- Knicks.com – Remembering Sonny
- The First Basket – Documentary Film
