Nicholas J. "Nat" Hickey (born Nicola Zarnecić; January 30, 1902 – September 16, 1979) was a Croatian-American professional basketball coach/player and baseball player. He turned to coaching basketball after his retirement from playing full-time in 1942 but occasionally activated himself as a player for the teams he was coaching. In 1948, at the age of 45, Hickey played two games with the Providence Steamrollers of the Basketball Association of America (BAA) while serving as the team's head coach, making him the oldest player in NBA history, a mark he still holds today.
![]() Hickey with the Original Celtics, c. 1941 | |
Personal information | |
---|---|
Born | Korčula, Dalmatia, Austro-Hungary (now Croatia) | January 30, 1902
Died | September 16, 1979 Johnstown, Pennsylvania, U.S. | (aged 77)
Nationality | American |
Listed height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
Listed weight | 180 lb (82 kg) |
Career information | |
High school | Hoboken (Hoboken, New Jersey) |
Playing career | 1921–1948 |
Position | Guard / forward |
Number | 11 |
Coaching career | 1944–1951 |
Career history | |
As player: | |
1921–1922 | Hoboken St. Joseph's |
1922–1923 | Eddie Holly's Majors |
1922–1923 | New York Crescents |
1923–1925 | Eddie Holly's Majors |
1925–1929 | Cleveland Rosenblums |
1929–1931 | Chicago Bruins |
1931–1934 | Original Celtics |
1934–1935 | Boston Trojans |
1935–1942 | Original Celtics |
1944–1945 | Pittsburgh Raiders |
1945–1946 | Indianapolis Kautskys |
1946–1948 | Buffalo Bisons / Tri-Cities Blackhawks |
1948 | Providence Steamrollers |
As coach: | |
1944–1945 | Pittsburgh Raiders |
1945–1946 | Indianapolis Kautskys |
1946–1948 | Buffalo Bisons / Tri-Cities Blackhawks |
1948 | Providence Steamrollers (interim HC) |
1950–1951 | Johnstown Clippers |
Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Stats at NBA.com | |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Early life
editHickey was born Nicola Zarnecić on the Croatian island of Korčula (then Kingdom of Dalmatia, Austro-Hungary).[1] He attended Hoboken High School in Hoboken, New Jersey.[2]
Professional basketball career
editAs a 5'11" guard/forward, Hickey played from the 1920s through 1940s with multiple early professional teams, including the Hoboken St. Joseph's, Eddie Holly's Majors, New York Crescents, Cleveland Rosenblums, the Chicago Bruins, Boston Trojans, Original Celtics of the American Basketball League and the Pittsburgh Raiders, Indianapolis Kautskys, and Tri-Cities Blackhawks of the National Basketball League.
Providence Steamrollers (1948)
editOn January 1, 1948, Hickey was appointed as head coach of the Providence Steamrollers of the Basketball Association of America (BAA).[3] He replaced the previous coach, Hank Soar,[4] who had accumulated a 2–17 record.[3] On January 23, Hickey was placed on the active playing list for the Steamrollers and appeared in uniform for a game against the Washington Capitols the following night but did not play.[5] On January 27, he played in a game against the St. Louis Bombers and recorded two points from free throws.[6]
On January 28, the Steamrollers were five points behind in a game against the New York Knicks when Hickey checked himself in.[7] He played the last 3.5 minutes of the first half during which time he missed his only field goal attempt and committed four personal fouls.[8] The Knicks' margin ballooned to 19 points during Hickey's playing time and they eventually won the game 75–71.[8] Hickey was two days away from his 46th birthday and was believed to be the oldest active professional basketball player at the time; he played against the Knicks' 20-year-old Carl Braun who was the youngest professional basketball player.[9] He was lampooned after his Knicks appearance in an article by the Associated Press which ridiculed him as an "old geezer" and "ancient pro."[9] Hickey dismissed the criticism by stating that he only played because he believed he could help the team and said, "please don't think I'm simply playing to get some publicity as the oldest active pro basketball player."[9]
As a result of his appearance in the Knicks game, Hickey still holds the record for the oldest player in NBA history at 45 years and 363 days.[10] He expressed a desire to play again,[9] even being expected to play in a game against the Boston Celtics two days later,[11] but ultimately continued with only his coaching duties.[12] The Steamrollers accumulated a 4–25 record under Hickey and he was replaced by Ken Loeffler at the end of the season.[4]
Johnstown Clippers (1951)
editHickey became the coach of the Johnstown Clippers of the All-American Basketball League during the 1950–51 season. On January 11, 1951, Hickey was driving the team back to Johnstown, Pennsylvania, after a game in Wheeling, West Virginia, when he lost control of his car on the Lincoln Highway and crashed.[13] Clippers player George "Chuck" Karmarkovich, a 24-year-old who was considered the team's biggest star, was ejected from the car and killed.[13][14] The Clippers were disbanded the following day and Hickey did not return to coaching.[13] Hickey was found to not be responsible for Karmarkovich's death.[14]
Professional baseball career
editAside from basketball, Hickey enjoyed a lengthy career in baseball, playing 15 minor league seasons and managing two. Hickey managed and played several seasons of minor league baseball as an outfielder. Notably, he was baseball Hall of Famer Stan Musial's first minor league manager with the Williamson Colts in 1938.[15]
Hickey was inducted into the Cambria County Sports Hall of Fame in 1965 for his basketball and baseball achievements.[16]
Personal life
editHickey was a cousin of parachute jumper Nick Piantanida.[1]
Hickey died on September 16, 1979, in Johnstown, Pennsylvania.[17][18]
Career statistics
editLegend | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
GP | Games played | FGM | Field-goals made | ||
FG% | Field-goal percentage | FTM | Free-throws made | ||
FTA | Free-throws attempted | FT% | Free-throw percentage | ||
APG | Assists per game | PTS | Points | ||
PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
NBL
editSource[19]
Regular season
editYear | Team | GP | FGM | FTM | FTA | FT% | PTS | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1944–45 | Pittsburgh | 2 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 4.0 | ||
1945–46 | Indianapolis | 13 | 30 | 13 | 73 | 5.6 | ||
1946–47 | Tri-Cities | 8 | 9 | 6 | 12 | .500 | 24 | 3.0 |
1947–48 | Tri-Cities | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1.000 | 3 | 1.0 |
Career | 26 | 43 | 22 | 13 | .538 | 108 | 4.2 |
NBA
editRegular season
editYear | Team | GP | FG% | FT% | APG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1947–48 | Providence | 2 | .000 | .667 | .0 | 1.0 |
Head coaching record
editRegular season | G | Games coached | W | Games won | L | Games lost | W–L % | Win–loss % |
Playoffs | PG | Playoff games | PW | Playoff wins | PL | Playoff losses | PW–L % | Playoff win–loss % |
Team | Year | G | W | L | W–L% | Finish | PG | PW | PL | PW–L% | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Providence | 1947–48 | 29 | 4 | 25 | .138 | 4th in Eastern | — | — | — | — | Missed playoffs |
Source[20]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Ryan, Craig. Magnificent Failure. Washington and London: Smithsonian Books. p. 12.
- ^ "Nat Hickey, Former Cage Ace, Back on Wood". Pottsville Republican. December 29, 1944. p. 4. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
- ^ a b "Nat Hickey Named Steamroller Pilot". The Akron Beacon Journal. January 1, 1948. p. 26. Retrieved July 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Roller Cage Post Taken By Loeffler". Democrat and Chronicle. April 29, 1948. p. 26. Retrieved July 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Hickey Weighs Return to Wars Against Knicks". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. January 28, 1948. p. 15. Retrieved July 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Bombers Rip Hickey Coached Five, 94-61". The Dispatch. January 28, 1948. p. 21. Retrieved July 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Sports in Brief". Mount Vernon Argus. January 29, 1948. p. 20. Retrieved July 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Knicks Tied for Lead In Pro Basket Race". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. January 29, 1948. p. 17. Retrieved July 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d "Pro Basket Ball Now Sissified, Says Hickey". Evening Star. January 30, 1948. p. 17. Retrieved July 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Boeck, Greg (April 2, 2007). "Mavericks make motivated Willis, 44, NBA's oldest player". USA Today. Retrieved May 15, 2010.
- ^ "Nat Hickey Will Perform Tonight Against Celtics". The Boston Globe. January 30, 1948. p. 30. Retrieved July 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Menton, Paul (February 4, 1948). "Hickey Found Court No Place For Him". The Evening Sun. p. 43. Retrieved July 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c "Johnstown Clippers Disbanded After Death of Karmarkovich; Joll Escapes Auto Injury". The Indiana Gazette. January 12, 1951. p. 15. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
- ^ a b "Drivers Exonerated In Highway Death of George Karmarkovich". The Cumberland News. March 9, 1951. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
- ^ Akin, William E. (2006). West Virginia Baseball: A History, 1865-2000. McFarland. p. 147. ISBN 9780786425709.
- ^ "Nicholas "Nat" Hickey". Cambria County Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
- ^ "Obituary Index" (PDF). Johnstown Tribune-Democrat.
- ^ "Nat Hickey BK". NJ Sports Heroes. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
- ^ "Nat Hickey NBL Stats". Basketball Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
- ^ "Nat Hickey: Coaching Record, Awards". Basketball Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved January 8, 2024.