Dr. Altchek

Dr. Altchek was our family doctor when we lived in Knickerbocker Village. He even made house calls. I remember one when I had scarlet fever. His office was on East Broadway near the Educational Alliance. Later he moved across the street to the Seward Park Houses when they were built. He went to Seward Park High School with my father. He was a Sephardic Jew whose family emigrated from Turkey. Years later I met his daughter Robin when I was in a teacher sabbatical program. I was reminded of this picture when the KV boys were talking about the good old days of the Knicks. It was posted on pseudo-intellectualism on 12/11/06. Here's the original text:

Recently rediscovered in a remote hard drive. Taken by me sometime in 1970-3 (?). I even developed and printed it myself. I got these great seats from my "Aunt Florence's" Wall Street honcho brother Arthur Crames. I inadvertently captured my childhood doctor, M. Richard Altchek (circled). He became the team physician of the Knicks. A LES boy, he grew up with my father. Sadly he died in his early 50's from leukemia. That's Reed, Debusschere, and Frazier fighting for the rebound. Mendy Rudolph is the referee. I believe the opposing team was the Baltimore Bullets.

Postscript:
A search of the NBA archives and with some trial and error detective work I figured that this game took place on January 29. 1970. The score was 127-106 in favor of the Knicks. The opponent was the Pistons and the Piston players are Otto Moore and Jimmy Walker. After that win the Knicks were 43-11. Those were the days!
12/11/06

Postscript, An email from Bob
We used Dr. Essner whose office was in KV but I don't remember the bldg. A heavy-set guy with a mustache who made house calls and no matter what you had--cough, sore throat, sprained ankle--he always gave us an injection in the rear. Don't think he ever went to a Knicks' game.