A distinguished scholar-athlete, NBA player, educator, and community advocate dedicated to empowering New York City’s youth.
Cal Ramsey was the fastest typist in his high school—and an All-City basketball player. He captained the NYU basketball team in his senior year—and graduated as a member of the Scholastic Honor Society and as a basketball All-American.
He was the second-round draft pick of the NBA’s St. Louis Hawks. After a stint with the New York Knicks and Syracuse Nationals, a knee injury ended his playing career. Cal spent six years teaching typing at a middle school in the South Bronx, followed by a year as an assistant principal at a Harlem middle school. He then worked with the New York Urban League and the New York Urban Coalition, advocating for smaller classes and creative teaching in NYC public high schools.
Cal was the Voice of the Knicks for ten years and later served as the team’s director of Special Projects and Community Relations representative, working on a program to keep City kids in school and to revitalize poor neighborhoods.
Cal personified the scholar-athlete, excelling at both academics and sports. He is a member of the New York City, PSAL, and NYU basketball Halls of Fame. He received the NYU President’s Alumni Achievement Award in 2004 and continues to be an active member of the Harlem community.
The Calvin Ramsey Scholarship Fund provides college scholarships to New York City high school students who have exhibited an interest in their community and achieved academic excellence.
