The names of the players on the last Knicks championship team, the 1972-73 squad, still echo through Madison Square Garden, with six of their jerseys hanging in the rafters. And while he was not one of the stars like Walt Frazier or Willis Reed, Harthorne Wingo was for a time nearly as familiar.
As the Knicks moved from a powerhouse to a struggling franchise, the chants of "De-fense" were swapped with a cry of "Harthorne Wingo," for the popular 6-9 forward. The Knicks announced on Monday that Wingo passed away Saturday at the age of 73.
It was no coincidence that he captured the hearts of New Yorkers and not just for his name.