Marty Friedman
(1889-1986)
Hall of Fame Induction: 1972
Card Shown:
1986-2002 Hall of Fame Metallic
Position: G
Height: 5’8″
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Max “Marty” Friedman was a defensive specialist who played professional basketball from 1909 to 1927 in a number of different leagues scattered throughout the East. He often teamed with Barney Sedran, one of the top shooters of their era. Friedman won a number of amateur and professional championships during his career. He also helped spread the game of basketball around the world.
Awards and Honors
- Friedman played for the University Settlement House AAU team from 1906-1908 and led them to an AAU championship.
- Marty’s Utica, New York team won the world championship in 1914.
- In 1915, Friedman and Sedran led their Carbondale team to 35 consecutive victories and the Pennsylvania Tri-County League championship.
- In 1919, during World War I, Friedman helped organize a 600-team tournament for the military. With Marty as the captain, his team defeated a French team 93-8 to capture the tournament title. James Naismith, the creator of basketball, was there to watch the game.
- As a member of the U.S. Army, Marty helped to spread the game of basketball around the world. His tournament in France helped lead to future international competitions such as the Inter-Allied Games, world championships, and Olympic play.
Points of Interest
- Marty was born in 1889, two years before Naismith created the game of basketball.
- Friedman and Sedran formed a duo dubbed the “Heavenly Twins.” They first played together as teenagers and later combined forces for over twelve years as professional basketball players in the early 1900s.
- In 1921, Friedman, then playing for the New York Whirlwinds, held John Beckman to only two points in the first game of a historic two-game series against the Original Celtics. The Whirlwinds, with Friedman, Sedran, and Nat Holman, won the game 40-27. The Celtics came back to win the second game 26-24. The third and deciding game was never played because officials feared the frenzied crowd would become unruly.
- Marty played on up to three different teams in the same season. In those days he often played every day and sometimes twice on Sunday. He earned a hefty salary of up to $125 per month in those early days of pro basketball.
- Friedman coached the Cleveland Rosenblums of the American Basketball League (ABL) to the 1926 ABL championship. A player-coach at the time, his bad knees prevented him from getting much playing time.
Marty Friedman Signed First Day Cover
Marty Friedman Signed Index Card
Max “Marty” Friedman Videos
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