Many sports teams are named for an ethnic group or similar category of people. Though these names typically refer to a group native to the area in which the sports team is based, many teams take their names from groups which are known for their strength (such as
Spartans or
Vikings), despite not being located near the historic homes of these groups.
New York Knicks (NBA), the name "Knick" is a shortened version of the word "Knickerbocker", a term which comes from a pseudonym used by
Washington Irving in his book,
A History of New York. The term was used to refer to the descendants of the original Dutch settlers of New York. Later, by extension, the term was used to describe New Yorkers in general.
Many sports teams are named for an ethnic group or similar category of people. Though these names typically refer to a group native to the area in which the sports team is based, many teams take their names from groups which are known for their strength (such as
Spartans or
Vikings), despite not being located near the historic homes of these groups.
New York Knicks (NBA), the name "Knick" is a shortened version of the word "Knickerbocker", a term which comes from a pseudonym used by
Washington Irving in his book,
A History of New York. The term was used to refer to the descendants of the original Dutch settlers of New York. Later, by extension, the term was used to describe New Yorkers in general.