Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. announced today that Dolph Schayes, National Basketball Association Hall of Famer and a Bronx native, would be inducted into the 2015 Bronx Walk of Fame.
“We have a long tradition of producing basketball legends, and Dolph Schayes is one of those legends that laid the foundation for future generations,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. “He is a pioneer who was among one of the league’s first stars after the Basketball Association of America (BAA) merged with the National Basketball League (NBL) to form what we now know as the NBA, including participating the NBA’s first All-Star Game in 1951. His ability to drive to basket, from the power forward, as well as hit a lethal two-handed set shots over most defenders made him a force to be reckoned with in the NBA.”
“I am honored to be inducted into the Bronx Walk of Fame,” said Schayes. “Growing up in The Bronx made a huge impact on my life and made me who I am. This borough is very special to me and I am very grateful to be recognized by Bronx Borough President Diaz.”
Schayes grew up on Davidson Avenue and 183rd Street, near Jerome Avenue in University Heights, attended Creston Junior High School 79 and DeWitt Clinton High School (1945–48), where he led the basketball team to the borough championship.
After playing for New York University – where he won the Haggerty Award, given to the All-Metropolitan New York Division I men’s college basketball Player of the Year – Schayes went on to play for the Syracuse Nationals (who would later become the Philadelphia 76ers), where he had a stellar career appearing in 12 NBA All-Star games, being named into six All-NBA first teams and winning the NBA Championship in 1955 helping defeat the Fort Wayne Pistons in seven games.
Schayes, who was a player-coach for the Philadelphia 76ers in 1963, eventually took his talents to the sideline and earned an NBA Coach of the Year award in 1966.
For his contributions to the game and the league, Schayes was named into the NBA 25th Anniversary Team, the NBA’s 50th Anniversary All-Time Team, and inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1972. He was also inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, the U.S. National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, and the National Jewish American Sports Hall of Fame.
Schayes will be officially inducted to the Bronx Walk of Fame as part of the 44th annual Bronx Week, a program of The Bronx Tourism Council. Bronx Week is an annual highly-anticipated 11-day event where the entire borough, including government, business, and the community-at-large, come together to celebrate “The Best of The Bronx” through festivals, concerts, health fairs, parades, performances and a host of other activities.
Bronx Week 2015 will take place from May 7-17. At the end of the 11-day celebration, our hometown heroes like Schayes are honored with induction into the Bronx Walk of Fame, where their names are emblazoned on a street sign to reside on the historic Grand Concourse forever.
For more information about Bronx Week 2015, visit ilovethebronx.com.