Haskell Cohen
Encyclopedia
Haskell Cohen was the public relations director of the National Basketball Association
from 1950 to 1969. He is known as the creator of the NBA All-Star Game. He was inducted to the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame
for his contributions in basketball.
, forming a two-man office. At that time, the basketball world had just been stunned by the college basketball point-shaving scandal
. Cohen came up with an idea of hosting an All-Star Game featuring the league's best player, similar to the Major League Baseball
's All-Star Game
. He believed that such showcase would regain fans' interest in basketball. Podoloff and the majority of team owners were pessimistic that the idea would gone bad and tainted the league's image. However, Boston Celtics
owner remained confident with Cohen's idea. He offered to host the game and to cover all the expenses or potential losses incurred from the game. The first NBA All-Star Game
was held on March 2, 1951 at the Boston Garden
. The game became a success, drawing a crowd of 10,094, much higher than that season's average attendance of 3,500. Since then, the All-Star Game became an annual mid-season tradition in the NBA.
Before joining the NBA, Cohen was a writer for the Pittsburgh Courier and also a scout for the Duquesne Dukes
. While scouting for Duquesne, he discovered Fletcher Jones. Jones became a professional basketball player before becaming a medical doctor. He later teamed up with Cohen, NBA player Jack Twyman
and hotel owner Milton Kutsher in 1958 to create the Maurice Stokes
charity game. The game was intended to raise money for Stokes, who had just suffered encephalopathy
, a brain injury that damaged his motor control center. That game became an annual tradition to raise money for other former players in financial need. The Maurice Stokes games were held at Kutsher's Hotel
in Monticello, New York
or at their camp, the Kutsher's Sports Academy
.
In 1948, Cohen founded the United States Committee Sports for Israel. The committee sponsored American participation in the Maccabiah Games
in Israel
, an Olympic-style competition for Jewish athletes. He later became the president of the committee from 1961 to 1969. In 1981, he became the first chairman of International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame
Selection Committee. He held the position until 1989 and in 1991 he received the Hall of Fame Pillar of Achievement, an honor given to a person who have made significant contributions to sports.
He was a longtime contributing editor to Parade
, an American national Sunday newspaper magazine. He originated its high school all-American teams in football and basketball. He was also the sports editor for the Jewish Telegraphic Agency
for 17 years. He was also a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame
Board of Trustees, a member of the United States Olympic Basketball Committee
, and a member of the Amateur Basketball Association USA.
. He graduated from Boston University
with a journalism degree.
Cohen died on June 28, 2000 in his home in Fort Lee, New Jersey
at the age of 86. He is survived by two daughters, three grandchildren, and sixteen great-grandchildren.
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
from 1950 to 1969. He is known as the creator of the NBA All-Star Game. He was inducted to the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame
International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame
The International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame was opened July 7, 1981, in Netanya, Israel. It honors Jewish athletes and their accomplishments from anywhere around the world....
for his contributions in basketball.
Career
In 1951, Cohen joined the NBA as the league's publicity director. He teamed up with NBA President Maurice PodoloffMaurice Podoloff
Maurice Podoloff was a U.S. lawyer and basketball and ice hockey administrator. He was the first president of the National Basketball Association...
, forming a two-man office. At that time, the basketball world had just been stunned by the college basketball point-shaving scandal
CCNY Point Shaving Scandal
The CCNY point shaving scandal of 1950-1951 was a college basketball point shaving gambling scandal that involved seven schools in all, with four in Greater New York and three in the Midwest...
. Cohen came up with an idea of hosting an All-Star Game featuring the league's best player, similar to the Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
's All-Star Game
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
. He believed that such showcase would regain fans' interest in basketball. Podoloff and the majority of team owners were pessimistic that the idea would gone bad and tainted the league's image. However, Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
owner remained confident with Cohen's idea. He offered to host the game and to cover all the expenses or potential losses incurred from the game. The first NBA All-Star Game
1951 NBA All-Star Game
The 1951 NBA All-Star Game was an exhibition basketball game played on March 2, 1951 at Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, home of the Boston Celtics. The game was the first edition of the National Basketball Association All-Star Game and was played during the 1950–51 NBA season...
was held on March 2, 1951 at the Boston Garden
Boston Garden
The Boston Garden was an arena in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Designed by boxing promoter Tex Rickard, who also built the third iteration of New York's Madison Square Garden, it opened on November 17, 1928 as "Boston Madison Square Garden" and outlived its original namesake by some 30 years...
. The game became a success, drawing a crowd of 10,094, much higher than that season's average attendance of 3,500. Since then, the All-Star Game became an annual mid-season tradition in the NBA.
Before joining the NBA, Cohen was a writer for the Pittsburgh Courier and also a scout for the Duquesne Dukes
Duquesne Dukes
The Duquesne Dukes are the athletic teams of Duquesne University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.Duquesne has played men's basketball only in NCAA Division I and has played football as a club team from 1891–1894, 1896–1903, 1913–1914, and 1920–1928, in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision ...
. While scouting for Duquesne, he discovered Fletcher Jones. Jones became a professional basketball player before becaming a medical doctor. He later teamed up with Cohen, NBA player Jack Twyman
Jack Twyman
John Kennedy "Jack" Twyman is an American former professional basketball player and sports broadcaster.-Playing career:...
and hotel owner Milton Kutsher in 1958 to create the Maurice Stokes
Maurice Stokes
Maurice Stokes was an American professional basketball player in the 1950s, whose career was cut short by a debilitating injury...
charity game. The game was intended to raise money for Stokes, who had just suffered encephalopathy
Encephalopathy
Encephalopathy means disorder or disease of the brain. In modern usage, encephalopathy does not refer to a single disease, but rather to a syndrome of global brain dysfunction; this syndrome can be caused by many different illnesses.-Terminology:...
, a brain injury that damaged his motor control center. That game became an annual tradition to raise money for other former players in financial need. The Maurice Stokes games were held at Kutsher's Hotel
Kutsher's Hotel
Kutsher's Hotel and Country Club in Monticello, New York, is the last of the Borscht Belt grand resorts ....
in Monticello, New York
Monticello, New York
Monticello is a village located in the Town of Thompson in Sullivan County, New York, United States. The population was 6,512 at the 2000 census. It is the seat for the Town of Thompson and the county seat of Sullivan County...
or at their camp, the Kutsher's Sports Academy
Kutsher's Sports Academy
It is amazing!Kutsher's Sports Academy is a summer sleepaway camp in Monterey, Massachusetts for children ages 7-17. It was originally "conceived and developed by Milton and Joseph Kutsher and legendary basketball coach Clair F. Bee in 1968." The Kutsher family owned and operated the academy...
.
In 1948, Cohen founded the United States Committee Sports for Israel. The committee sponsored American participation in the Maccabiah Games
Maccabiah Games
The Maccabiah is an international Jewish athletic event similar to the Olympics held in Israel every four years under the auspices of the Maccabi Federation, affiliated with the Maccabi World Union. The Maccabiah Games is the third largest international sports competition in the world...
in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, an Olympic-style competition for Jewish athletes. He later became the president of the committee from 1961 to 1969. In 1981, he became the first chairman of International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame
International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame
The International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame was opened July 7, 1981, in Netanya, Israel. It honors Jewish athletes and their accomplishments from anywhere around the world....
Selection Committee. He held the position until 1989 and in 1991 he received the Hall of Fame Pillar of Achievement, an honor given to a person who have made significant contributions to sports.
He was a longtime contributing editor to Parade
Parade (magazine)
Parade is an American nationwide Sunday newspaper magazine, distributed in more than 500 newspapers in the United States. It was founded in 1941 and is owned by Advance Publications. The most widely read magazine in the U.S., Parade has a circulation of 32.2 million and a readership of nearly 70...
, an American national Sunday newspaper magazine. He originated its high school all-American teams in football and basketball. He was also the sports editor for the Jewish Telegraphic Agency
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
The Jewish Telegraphic Agency is an international news agency serving Jewish community newspapers and media around the world. The JTA was founded on February 6, 1917, by Jacob Landau as the Jewish Correspondence Bureau in The Hague with the mandate of collecting and disseminating news among and...
for 17 years. He was also a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame
Basketball Hall of Fame
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States, honors exceptional basketball players, coaches, referees, executives, and other major contributors to the game of basketball worldwide...
Board of Trustees, a member of the United States Olympic Basketball Committee
USA Basketball
USA Basketball is a non-profit organization and the governing body for basketball in the United States. The organization represents the United States in FIBA and the men's and women's national basketball teams in the United States Olympic Committee...
, and a member of the Amateur Basketball Association USA.
Personal life
Haskell Cohen was born to a Jewish family in Worcester, MassachusettsWorcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
. He graduated from Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
with a journalism degree.
Cohen died on June 28, 2000 in his home in Fort Lee, New Jersey
Fort Lee, New Jersey
Fort Lee is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 35,345. Located atop the Hudson Palisades, the borough is the western terminus of the George Washington Bridge...
at the age of 86. He is survived by two daughters, three grandchildren, and sixteen great-grandchildren.