The First Basket
Pittsburgh Premiere
Director: David Vyorst
USA, 2007, BetaSP, 86 minutes
English
When Ossie Schectman, a Jewish kid from Queens, made the first basket for the New York Knickerbockers back in 1946, who knew it was the precursor of today’s NBA? The First Basket follows the little-known history of Jews and basketball at the beginning of the 20th century. For Jewish immigrants, especially youth, sports played an important role in helping them assimilate. By the 1920s, almost all urban Jewish neighborhoods had a basketball team. When these teams evolved into professional leagues by the late 1940s, Jewish players and coaches led the way. David Vyorst’s fascinating film is narrated by Peter Riegert.