Carl Braun (basketball)
A sharp-shooting guard who bridged the early and modern NBA eras, becoming a five-time All-Star and respected coach.
1927–2010 (age 83)·American basketball player and coach·Birthday: September 25·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Carl Braun's basketball story is one of quiet consistency and a smooth, ahead-of-its-time offensive game. Growing up in Garden City, New York, he starred at Colgate University before joining the New York Knicks in 1947, where he would spend the majority of his 13-year playing career. In an era dominated by bruising big men, Braun was a guard with a pure jump shot and a knack for scoring, leading the Knicks in points for eight consecutive seasons. His career was bookended by military service, first after college and again when he missed two full seasons during his prime to serve in the Korean War. After retiring as a player, he transitioned seamlessly into coaching, taking the helm of the Knicks and later working as a scout. Braun's legacy is that of a versatile athlete—he also played minor league baseball—and a fundamental pillar of the early Knicks franchise.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Carl was born in 1927, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Carl Was Born
The biggest hits of 1927
#1 Movie
Wings
Carl's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1927Born
Lindbergh flies solo across the Atlantic; The Jazz Singer premieres
President: Calvin Coolidge"My Blue Heaven" — Gene Austin
1932Started school
Amelia Earhart flies solo across the Atlantic
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Night and Day" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Grand Hotel
1940Became a teenager
The Blitz: Germany bombs London
Gas: $0.18/galHome: $2,938Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I'll Never Smile Again" — Tommy DorseyBest Picture: Rebecca
1943Could drive
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1945Could vote
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1948Turned 21
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1957Turned 30
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1967Turned 40
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1977Turned 50
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 60
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 70
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 80
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2010Died at 83
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
Key Achievements
- Selected as an NBA All-Star five times (1953–1957).
- Led the New York Knicks in scoring for eight straight seasons from 1948 to 1956.
- Served as a player-coach for the Knicks during the 1959-60 season.
- Inducted into the Colgate University Athletic Hall of Honor for his basketball and baseball prowess.
Did You Know?
He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, missing the 1951-52 and 1952-53 NBA seasons.
Braun was also a talented baseball player, signing a contract with the Boston Braves organization.
He was the head coach of the Knicks during the 1959-60 season, which was Wilt Chamberlain's rookie year.
“A good jump shot is the most reliable tool a guard can have.”
