As head coach: Joseph Bohomiel Lapchick (April 12, 1900 – August 10, 1970) was an American professional basketball player,[1] mostly known for playing with the Original Celtics in the 1920s and 1930s.

After ending his playing career in 1937, Lapchick became head coach at St. John's University, a position he held until 1947, when he took over the New York Knicks in the NBA.

Born in Yonkers, New York to Czech immigrants, Lapchick as a boy helped his struggling family make ends meet by scrounging for coal near railroad tracks.

When a large cut on Lapchick's wrist became infected with uniform dye, a teammate rubbed off the scab with a towel and doused the wound with whiskey.

Still a young man, Lapchick re-formed the Celtics with Dutch Dehnert, Davey Banks, Nat Hickey, Johnny Beckman, Carl Husta and him.

They hit the road for five years, with Lapchick handling driving duties, and Kate Smith singing "God Bless America" at games.

In 1947 he passed up a then-astronomical offer of $12,000 per year to stay at St. John's, opting instead to accept a job as coach of the New York Knickerbockers of the fledgling Basketball Association of America.

Stress related health problems ended his professional coaching career and caused an occasional on-court fainting spell and even a few heart attacks.

As a player, Lapchick had sharp passing and shooting skills that made him one of the first great pro centers and that helped his teams win several championships.

Continuing to emphasize his themes of personal achievement and responsibility, Lapchick was hired by the New York Knicks for the 1947-48 season, the second in team history.

The Knicks met the Minneapolis Lakers, who had won two league championships in the past three seasons under coach John Kundla and player such as George Mikan.

Though a great motivator, Lapchick was a wild man on the sidelines, stomping on his coat, smashing chairs, and tossing various objects into the air.

Lapchick rested for only a month before returning to St. John's, where in nine more seasons he led the Redmen to two more NIT crowns, giving them a record four titles.

The school's mandatory-retirement rules forced Lapchick, a two-time college Coach of the Year, to step down after the 1964–65 season at age 65.

In 1968 he wrote 50 Years of Basketball, a book that was both a compilation of stories from Lapchick's early days as a player and an explanation of his coaching philosophy.

From star player to successful coach to popular author to respected dignitary, Lapchick played a variety of roles in his more than 50 years in the game of basketball.

Dr. Richard Lapchick is a human rights activist working for racial equality, an internationally recognized expert on sports issues, a scholar and an author.

He is also President/CEO of the National Consortium for Academics and Sport (NCAS), a school outreach program which focuses on teaching youth how to improve race relations, and develop conflict resolution skills.