New York City lost a hoops legend on Monday.

Cal Ramsey, a former Knicks player and announcer, passed away at the age of 81 from a heart attack.

Ramsey was on the Knicks during the 1959-60 season and was a color analyst for the team's broadcasts from 1972-82.

The Knicks will hold a moment of silence, special tribute and memorial uniform ribbon during their March 28 game against the Toronto Raptors.

"Cal represented the Knicks with pride for more than five decades as a player, broadcaster and one of the greatest ambassadors in New York City basketball history," Knicks owner James Dolan said in a statement. "He was the epitome of class, wisdom and dignity, and will be remembered for the thousands of young lives he influenced as a community leader. Knicks games will not be the same without Cal's presence. He will be greatly missed."

Ramsey was born on July 13, 1937 in Selma, Ala. but attended high school in New York at Commerce High School. He went on to play basketball at New York University where he was an All-American his senior year.

He spent just three years in the NBA with the St. Louis Hawks, Knicks, and Syracuse Nationals.
He joined the Knicks community relations team in 1991 and has served as team ambassador the last 28 years. He also returned to NYU as an assistant coach in 1993 and was on the staff through the 2018-19 season.

In 1978, Ramsey was inducted into the NYU Athletics Hall of Fame and then in 1994 into the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame.

Ramsey received the NIT Man of the Year Award in 2002 and the Distinguished Service Award from the Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association in 2005.

He was also honored by the Knicks alongside Dick McGuire for the Knickerbocker Legacy Award in 2010.

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