Knick to ever lead the NBA in rebounding:

Harry Gallatin

THE TIME

1953-54 season

THE BACKGROUND

Gallatin joined the Knicks in 1948, when they were still a member of the Basketball Association of America, and made seven All-Star Game appearances in his nine years with the team before finishing his career with the Pistons in 1957-58. Dubbed “The Horse,” Gallatin averaged a doubledouble his last eight years in pro ball. He also played minor league baseball for the Cubs and Reds.

THE SKINNY

As his nickname hints, Gallatin was not. He was just 6-foot-6 but was a powerful 225 pounds and regularly fought (and won) battles under the boards with the likes of George Mikan and Dolph Schayes. Gallatin was a centerpiece of Knicks teams that reached three straight Finals from 1951-53, losing twice to Mikan’s Minneapolis Lakers and once to the Rochester Royals. His 15.3 rebounds per game in 1953-54 was almost a full board better than runner-up Mikan.

THE OTHERS WHO CAME CLOSEST

Remarkably, Gallatin’s 1954-55 followup season was the only time another Knick finished as high as runner-up in the rebounding category, when he finished behind Philadelphia’s Neil Johnston. Willis Reed and Patrick Ewing never even finished in the top three, though David Lee was third in 2009 (11.7).

THE QUOTE

“Competition has always been my cup of tea. And to me, there is no fiercer competition than when there’s three or four people going for a rebound and you come down with it. That’s awfully satisfying to me.” — Gallatin, in 1954

THE AFTERMATH

Gallatin was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 1991, and for years old-time Knicks fans have clamored that his No. 11 jersey deserves to sit in the rafters with the rest of the Knicks’ legends. He served as basketball coach at Southern Illinois after retiring, but left to coach the NBA’s St. Louis Hawks a year before the Knicks’ most famous Saluki, Walt Frazier, was recruited there.

THE LEGACY

Gallatin grabbed 33 rebounds against the Fort Wayne Pistons on March 15, 1953, a single-game Knicks record that still stands (later matched by Willis Reed). No load-management for the Horse, either: He played in 746 consecutive games, also a team record.