This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/29/2019
Before he was a Hall of Fame head coach, Red Holzman was a star in the fledgling National Basketball League. Holzman had played ball for the University of Baltimore and City College of New York (coached by the great Nat Holman) before serving in the Navy during WWII. After his discharge, Holzman turned pro, first playing for the NBL’s Rochester Royals where he won Rookie of the Year honors in 1946. He followed that up with two all-star seasons and stayed with Rochester as the franchise switched to the NBA. The Rochester fans celebrated their young star with a “Red Holzman Nite” on March 9, 1950, presenting him with this 10-karat gold filled watch in appreciation for all his work making the Rochester club one of the best in the league. The Royals would win their one and only NBA title the following season.
This Wittnauer wristwatch has a very attractive mid-century modern gold case with script numbers on its face. The stopwatch hand has been lost but the larger minute and hour hands are present. The back of the case has been engraved with “RED HOLZMAN NITE 3-9-50 ROCH. ROYALS” and "10K G.F. BEZEL STEEL BACK." The black leather band (Benrus) is not the original, but everything else is as-issued. The watch shows ample wear with some surface scuffs and abrasions. A one-of-a-kind piece commemorating Holzman’s career as a star player prior to his rise as one of the best head coaches in NBA history. Comes from the personal collection of Red Holzman with an LOA from his family.