Popular "MSG Vault" Returns to MSG Network This Summer with Seven New Episodes

First new episode "Garden Returns: Back Where They Belong" Premieres Tonight

New York – May 24, 2010 – MSG original series “MSG Vault,” hosted by Al Trautwig, returns to the network’s summer programming slate with seven new episodes starting tonight at 8:00 p.m.  The one-hour show offers a historical look back at some of the most memorable Madison Square Garden moments pulled from the network’s vault of over 90,000 tapes.

The fifth season of “MSG Vault” features a notable list of special guests and interviews including Dick Barnett, Lou Carnesecca, Stan Fischler, Rod Gilbert, Allan Houston, Brian Leetch, Earl Monroe, Chris Mullin, Ed Pinckney, Rick Pitino, Willis Reed, Mike Riordan, Cazzie Russell, and Bill Wennington. (see episode descriptions below)

“MSG Vault” is part of Classic Mondays on MSG’s Summer Block Party, a celebration of summer with themed programming every night starting at 8:00 pm.

2010 “MSG VAULT” EPISODE DESCRIPTIONS

Monday, May 24 - 8:00 PM MSG Vault #1

GARDEN RETURNS: BACK WHERE THEY BELONG – All-time greats in New York, Patrick Ewing, Walt “Clyde” Frazier, Eddie Giacomin and Mark Messier return to MSG after departing via trade or free agency. “Clyde’s” return to MSG as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers took place on October 25, 1977.  Al Trautwig and “Clyde” returned to the studio to call the 1977 game over the original footage since the retrieved copy had no announcers. Ewing’s return took place when the Knicks hosted the Seattle Super Sonics on February 27, 2001. Eddie Giacomin returned to MSG, just days after being claimed off waivers by the Detroit Red Wings, on November 2, 1975. Grab the tissue as the Rangers host Mark Messier and the Vancouver Canucks for #11’s tearful return on November 25, 1997, the beloved captain’s first game back in the Garden after leaving as a free agent. MSG Vault guests in this episode include Brian Leetch, Allan Houston, Rod Gilbert, John Andariese, Stan Fischler and NY Times writers Dave Anderson and Harvey Araton.

Monday, May 31 - 8:00 PM MSG Vault #2

KNICKS PLAYOFFS: LOST AND FOUND – After the 1970 and 1973 Championships were starting to fade, and long before the 1994 NBA Finals against the Houston Rockets, the Knicks took on the Rockets with Rudy Tomjanovich and Calvin Murphy in a first round meeting on April 12, 1975. How about the Knicks and Bulls in a playoff meeting without Ewing or Jordan? MSG will showcase a playoff game from March 31, 1981, with Michael Ray Richardson and Artis Gilmore. Though both are Knicks losses, these forgotten playoff meetings are worthy of reflection. Plus Al Trautwig and Walt Frazier call play-by-play and color over footage of a 1978 Knicks-Cavaliers playoff game. ”Clyde” was a Cavalier but did not play because of an injury. MSG Vault guests in this episode include John Andariese, and NY Times writers Dave Anderson and Harvey Araton.

Monday, June 14 - 8:00 PM MSG Vault #3

1970 NBA Finals Game 5 Film - Knicks captain Willis Reed made history in 1970 with his dramatic entrance at MSG in game 7 of the NBA Finals. That game against the Lakers, and that moment would not have been possible had his teammates not rallied after his injury in the first quarter of game 5 of the series. Since no television broadcast of game 5 exists, MSG will feature voiceover play-by-play and color by Al Trautwig and former Knick Mike Riordan using original Knicks scout film from the game. Featured guests are John Warren and Cal Ramsey, plus interviews with Willis Reed, Dick Barnett and Cazzie Russell.

Monday, June 21 - 8:00 PM MSG Vault #4

MVP! MVP! MVP! Willis Reed and the 1970 NBA All-Star Game – Only three players in NBA history have ever won the Most Valuable Player award of the All-Star Game, Regular Season and Playoffs in the same season, and one of them is Michael Jordan who accomplished the feat twice in 1996 and 1998, the other is Shaquille O’Neal who won the MVP triple crown in 2000 (though Shaq’ was All-Star co-MVP). The only other player to do this – and the first to do it – was Knicks captain Willis Reed in 1970. In this episode, MSG will feature a rare broadcast of the 1970 NBA All-Star Game, played on January 20, 1970 at the Spectrum in Philadelphia. Reed scored 21 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in a game that featured more than a dozen future Hall Of Fame players and coaches, including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Connie Hawkins, and Lenny Wilkens. He was joined by several Knicks on the East All-Star team, with Walt Frazier making his NBA All-Star debut as a starter, and Knicks forward Dave DeBusschere as a reserve. Hall of Famer Red Holzman coached the team. Featured guests in this periodical are Earl Monroe, John Warren and Cal Ramsey, plus interviews with Willis Reed, Dick Barnett, Mike Riordan and Cazzie Russell.

Monday, July 5 - 8:00 PM MSG Vault #5

The Pearl and the Magician – A recovered tape from the March 4, 1973 game has one of the few complete broadcasts from the Knicks’ 1973 Championship season. Even rarer is its location. The Baltimore Bullets hosted the matinee at the Cole Field House in College Park, Maryland on the campus of the University of Maryland. Originally an NBA “Game of the Week”, Chris Schenkel is joined by Hall Of Famer Bill Russell to broadcast the regular season matchup between long-time rivals. The broadcast begins with a quirky feature on Jerry Lucas performing magic tricks. The MSG Vault episode will also focus on Earl Monroe, who is playing against his former team and wearing uniform number 21, not his usual number 15, which the Knicks later retired. The mystery behind Monroe’s missing jersey reveals a story about the state of the NBA. Featured guests are Earl Monroe and Cal Ramsey, plus interviews with Willis Reed, Dick Barnett, Mike Riordan and Cazzie Russell.

Monday, July 12 - 8:00 PM MSG Vault #6

Beasts Of The East: 1985 Big East Quarterfinals - Starting with a historic 1981 press conference announcing the young conference’s end of season showcase at the Garden, the episode fast forwards to what many agree is the pinnacle of Big East hoops – 1985. With big names like Patrick Ewing of Georgetown and Chris Mullin from St. John’s to highlight the A-list field, few tickets were as hot as the Big East Tournament in 1985. This episode will showcase four games from the quarterfinal round played on March 7, 1985. Georgetown (27-2) and St. John’s (25-2) enter as the #1 and #2 teams in the country, Syracuse (ranked #12) is led by famed Brooklyn point guard Dwayne “Pearl” Washington, and un-ranked Villanova (18-9) needed a good showing in the tournament to earn an NCAA bid. Guests include the aforementioned Washington, Ralph Dalton (Georgetown), Charles Smith (Pittsburgh), Walter Berry (St. John’s) and Roy S. Johnson who covered the tournament for the NY Times. Also featured are Lou Carnesecca, Chris Mullin, Bill Wennington, Rollie Massimino, Ed Pinckney and Rick Pitino.

Monday, July 26 - 8:00 PM MSG Vault #7

Beasts Of The East: 1985 Big East Final Four - 1985 is a banner year for the Big East Conference sending three teams to the NCAA Final Four, but the Big East’s March Madness began even earlier with the Final Four of the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden. Many have replayed Villanova’s historic upset in the 1985 NCAA Final, but this Final Four is now uncovered in the ‘Vault’. Few may recall Chris Mullin along with St. John’s handing Villanova its final defeat of the 1985 season, leaving the Wildcats wondering if their tournament dreams were dead. These were intense battles, as evidenced by Patrick Ewing of Georgetown getting into a scuffle with another All-American player, Syracuse guard Dwayne “Pearl” Washington. This Final Four at MSG really packed a punch and represents a unique Garden-related connection to the historic 1985 NCAA Tournament. Guests include “Pearl” Washington, Ralph Dalton (Georgetown), Charles Smith (Pittsburgh), Walter Berry (St. John’s) and Roy S. Johnson who covered the tournament for the NY Times. Also featured in this episode are interviews with Lou Carnesecca, Chris Mullin, Bill Wennington, Rollie Massimino, Ed Pinckney and Rick Pitino.