Jack Garfinkel
Jack Garfinkel, also known as Jacob “Dutch” Garfinkel, was an American basketball guard born on June 13, 1918, in Brooklyn, New York. He played high school basketball at Thomas Jefferson and then at St. John’s University (1938–1941) under coach Joe Lapchick, winning the Haggerty Award in 1941 as the top player in the New York City area. After college, he served in the U.S. Army during World War II.
Garfinkel played professionally for the Philadelphia Sphas (1944–45), the Rochester Royals (1945–46), and the Boston Celtics (1946–1949). He was part of the Celtics’ first team in the 1946–47 season and helped the Celtics win the NBL title in 1946. After his playing days, he became a basketball coach and official.
He died on August 14, 2013, at the age of 95, and was the last surviving player from the Celtics’ inaugural team.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 14:28 (CET).