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Knicks, MSG Pay Tribute to Al Trautwig

The life and career of Al Trautwig was honored before the latest New York Knicks game.

Geoff Magliocchetti

Apr 30, 2024; New York, New York, USA; General view of Madison Square Garden during the third quarter of game 5 of the first round of the 2024 NBA playoffs between the New York Knicks and the Philadelphia 76ers. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Apr 30, 2024; New York, New York, USA; General view of Madison Square Garden during the third quarter of game 5 of the first round of the 2024 NBA playoffs between the New York Knicks and the Philadelphia 76ers. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The New York Knicks returned to Madison Square Garden on a somber note on Wednesday, as it marked their first game since the passing of longtime broadcaster Al Trautwig.

Trautwig, who passed away on Sunday, routinely served as a studio host for Knicks coverage on MSG Network and also filled in as a play-by-play man and sideline reporter, part of a lauded career that also featured national work with ABC, NBC, USA Network and more. Prior to tip-off and the singing of the national anthem, MSG held a moment of silence in honor of Trautwig.

"The MSG family was truly saddened by the news of Al Trautwig's passing," MSG public address announcer Mike Walczewski said. "Al was a staple of MSG Networks' Knicks and Rangers coverage for more than 30 years and his passion for the teams he covered was undeniable. He leaves behind one of the great legacies in New York sports broadcasting history."

Wednesday's game against the Philadelphia 76ers, in fact, was held on what would've been Trautwig's 69th birthday. The Garden City, NY native was a staple of New York Knicks, Rangers, and Yankees broadcasts on MSG Network from 1989 through 2019. Leading into the broadcast of Wednesday's game, Hahn posted a photo of the chair Trautwig often sat in when greeting viewers at the top of Knicks broadcasts.

MSG's Wednesday pregame show also featured a video tribute to Trautwig narrated by his studio successor Bill Pidto. featuring some of his most iconic moments on the network, such as his call of Trent Tucker's game-winning three-pointer with 0.1 seconds left on the clock in a 1990 win over Chicago. Hahn and current Knicks play-by-play man Mike Breen then discussed Trautwig's career in a heartfelt talk in the MSG studio at the Garden.

"His was a pitch perfect voice for the narration of a generation: passionate, resonant, authoritative, equal parts informative and irreverent," Pidto said. "Al Trautwig was New York to the core with a gift for words and a gifted resume."

The Knicks lead Philadelphia 61-45 at halftime.

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Geoff Magliocchetti
GEOFF MAGLIOCCHETTI

Geoff Magliocchetti is a veteran sportswriter who contributes to a variety of sites on the "On SI" network. In addition to the Yankees/Mets, Geoff also covers the New York Knicks, New York Liberty, and New York Giants and has previously written about the New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, Staten Island Yankees, and NASCAR.

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