Bob Rosen, the longtime basketball/baseball statistician who witnessed the Knicks’ first game in 1946, passed away Friday. He was 84.
Rosen, a Garden staple, worked for the Elias Sports Bureau since 1962. The firm provides historical research/statistical data for pro sports – with Rosen one of the pioneers well before analytics and “Moneyball.’’
At Knicks games, Rosen passed on in-game statistical nuggets to broadcasters and writers like candy and was the team’s occasional official scorer. ESPN’s Mike Breen gave a tribute Friday night to Rosen during its national playoff telecast.
Until the end, Rosen still attended Knicks games, still chatted about the Brooklyn Dodgers in press boxes.