Nat Holman
(1896-1995)
Hall of Fame Induction: 1964
Card Shown:
2009-10 Panini Hall of Fame
Position: G
Height: 5’11”
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Nat Holman, often referred to during his life as “Mr. Basketball,” was one of the greatest basketball players to play the game during the 1920s. Nat played for the Original Celtics, an early barnstorming team (from New York) that was one of the best of its era. He was a great shooter, a talented passer, and an effective floor leader for the Celtics. With Holman running the team as its floor general, the Celtics compiled a 720-75 record from 1921-1928 and were perhaps the greatest team of their era. In addition to Holman those Celtics teams included Hall of Fame players Johnny Beckman, Dutch Dehnert, and Joe Lapchick.
Before joining the Original Celtics, Nat played for the New York Whirlwinds, who had Barney Sedran, Marty Friedman, and Chris Leonard on their team. In 1921, he faced the Celtics in a three-game series to claim the title as the best team in New York. Holman led the Whirlwinds to victory in game 1 as he scored 22 points and the Whirlwinds won 40-27. The game drew about 11,000 fans, a record for an indoor basketball game at the time. The Whirlwinds lost the second game 26-24. The third game, for reasons still unclear, was never played. Shortly thereafter, the Celtics lured Holman and Leonard to play for their team, at the same time diminishing their greatest competition.
Awards and Honors
- Holman was a basketball star from an early age. He led his elementary school, P.S. 62, to a city championship. He later led Commerce High School to a city championship in the early 1910s.
- After his barnstorming days with the Celtics ended, Nat joined the Brooklyn Visitation of the American Basketball League (ABL) in 1926. He also played in the ABL for Syracuse and the Chicago Bruins in the ABL.
- Holman was named to the Associated Press’s First Team of the Half-Century (1900-1950) and was rated the third best player of that era behind only George Mikan and Hank Luisetti.
- In 1950, Nat coached the City College of New York (CCNY) to the NCAA and NIT college basketball championships in the same year. This feat has never been duplicated and probably never will be again since today’s teams are only able to compete in one of these two tournaments each season.
- Nat finished his coaching career with a career record of 420 wins and 190 losses. This .689 winning percentage is a testament to his highly effective coaching style.
Points of Interest
- In the 1930s, Nat was a critic of the new one-handed shot that had made its way to New York from the West Coast. He once threatened to quit rather than teach his players the one-handed shot, as opposed to the traditional two-handed set shot that was common practice in those days. Holman didn’t quit and eventually his players also began using the one-handed shot.
- Holman coached Hall of Fame coach Red Holzman in the 1940s. Holzman later coached the New York Knicks to two NBA championships in the 1970s.
- In the 1940s, Nat adopted a fast-break style of basketball with his teams. His movement offense became known as “New York style” basketball. As a coach, Holman preached team basketball, defense, continually moving the ball, and hitting the open man.
- Holman coached for 41 years at the CCNY and was well-respected for his abilities in that position. In 1951, the college basketball world was rocked by a gambling scandal. Nat denied that his players were involved. When he found out that they had been involved he left CCNY for a few years, but later returned to the school to coach.
- Holman was instrumental in the international spread of the game of basketball. As President for the United States Committee for Sports for Israel, Nat taught the game in Israel. He also traveled to Canada, Japan, Turkey, Mexico, and Taiwan as an ambassador for the game, teaching others the game he loved.
- Nat is also a member of the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame and the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.
Nat Holman Cut Signature Card by SportKings
