The evolution of the New York Knicks logo
History | Logo | Pictures
& videos
Father Knickerbocker
Classic
Roundball
Secondary
Logo
The New
Look
The New
Look Revised
50th
Anniversary Season
Ever wonder why your favorite team is called the Knickerbockers? Or what the very first Knicks logo was? Well here's the complete history, from the origins of Father Knickerbocker to the special logo designed specifically for the 50th Golden Anniversary.
The term Knickerbockers originated with the Dutch settlers who first populated the New York area in the 1600's. It became better known as the style of pants that the settlers wore. The pants were rolled by the knee and became associated as "Knickerbockers" or "Knickers". The figure of the Dutch settler became symbolized by the figure of "Father Knickerbocker" in full Dutch outfit of cotton wig, three cornered hat, buckled shoes, and knickers. The name Knickerbockers was first used to characterize a New York Sports team when a baseball team from Manhattan named itself the Knickerbocker Nine.
Then, in 1946, when it came time to assign a name for the charter basketball franchise assigned to New York, the term Knickerbockers was a natural choice. According to club legend, the final choice came down to drawing the name from a hat. When Knickerbockers was the overwhelming selection, the name of the franchise was born with Father Knickerbocker as the first logo
The Father Knickerbocker logo (right) was used from the 1946-47
season until the 1963-64 season. The figure of Father
Knickerbocker dribbling a basketball was a symbol that evoked the
history and spirit of the city and while the name was eventually
abbreviated to Knicks, the legacy remains the same. From the
beginning, the colors of the franchise have remained the same.
The official colors of New York City have always been orange,
blue, and white, and except for a short time in the early 80's,
the Knicks have always used those traditional colors.
The Knicks changed their logo for the 1964-65 season to the
Classic Roundball logo (right) which was the logo they won
both championships under. The Roundball logo remained mostly
unchanged for the better part of almost 30 years and became the
image by which the franchise was known worldwide.
The
Knicks also used this Secondary Logo (right) from the late
'60s to the early '70sas an alternative to the Classic Roundball.
The logo remained unchanged until June 17, 1992 when the Knicks
completely redesigned and revolutioned the Classic Roundball into
the New Look.
The New
Look incorporates three-dimensional graphics with a sleeker more
modern lettering, and placed the logo within a triangle
frame. The updating of the logo shows Knicks look and attitude
for the '90s and a reestablishing of the championship form.
At
the beginning of the 1995-96 season, the Knicks continued to
refine their logo and introduced The New Look Revised. The new
image had the words "New York" across the top.
Now
in the club's 50th Anniversary season, the Knicks field a new
team and a new logo for the silver anniversary. The special
logo will be used in conjunction with throwback uniforms, games
highlighting each decade in Knick history, and other
commemorative events.
History | Logo | Pictures & videos
This page hosted by
Get
your own Free Home Page
