Dave Zinkoff

Lore & Background

It notes that the game was not televised and no video footage has been recovered, with only audio recordings of the fourth quarter preserved by the Library of Congress in 2016. Because the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) considered not renewing the league's television contract at the time, and the NBA struggled to compete against college basketball, there is no mention of a lead play-by-play announcer for the Knicks on radio or TV within this specific document. The only media presence mentioned includes the Warriors' publicist acting as a stringer for AP, UPI, and The Philadelphia Inquirer, alongside just two photographers in attendance.

In Their Own Story

The narrative provided describes the atmosphere at Hershey Sports Arena, an old, drafty gym originally built for ice hockey. On this cold, rainy Friday night, the crowd was primarily there to see an exhibition game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Baltimore Colts before the NBA matchup. The text details how Warriors coach Frank McGuire had no plan to get Chamberlain 100 points initially, though the star center scored 23 points in the first quarter alone. It recounts how the Knicks began fouling other players to keep the ball away from Chamberlain in the fourth quarter and how the Warriors countered by committing their own fouls. The source explicitly states that no members of the New York press were present because reporters were covering spring training for the Yankees and Mets in Florida, leaving a void in local coverage rather than highlighting a specific broadcaster.

Reader's Guide

This document serves as a record of a singular sporting event where the media landscape was sparse. It highlights that the game took place at Hershey Sports Arena, located 85 miles from Philadelphia, with an attendance of approximately half capacity (4,124). For researchers interested in this specific era, the source points to the audio recording of the fourth quarter as the only surviving visual or auditory evidence of the event. It notes that Chamberlain set five other league records during the game, including most free throws made, and that the teams broke the record for combined points with a total of 316. The text also mentions that Chick Hearn later recounted a story about Elgin Baylor predicting Chamberlain would score 100 points after a previous 78-point game.

Did You Know?

• No video footage of Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game exists; only audio recordings of the fourth quarter remain, preserved in the National Recording Registry since 2016.
• The New York Knicks' starting center, Phil Jordon, was out with an illness widely suspected to be a hangover, leading to Darrall Imhoff starting instead.
• Only two photographers were present at the game because New York press members were in Florida covering spring training for baseball teams.
• The game was played at Hershey Sports Arena, a drafty gym originally built for ice hockey where the smell of chocolate permeated the building.
• Chamberlain scored 78 points earlier in the season against the Los Angeles Lakers in triple overtime, breaking Elgin Baylor's previous record of 71.