The term Knickerbockers originated with the Dutch settlers who first populated the New York area in the 1600's. It became better known as the style of pants that the settlers wore. The pants were rolled by the knee and became associated as "Knickerbockers" or "Knickers".
The figure of the Dutch settler became symbolized by the figure of "Father Knickerbocker" in full Dutch outfit of cotton wig, three cornered hat, buckled shoes, and knickers. The name Knickerbockers was first used to characterize a New York Sports team when a baseball team from Manhattan named itself the Knickerbocker Nine.
Then, in 1946, when it came time to assign a name for the charter basketball franchise assigned to New York, the term Knickerbockers was a natural choice. According to club legend, the final choice came down to placing names into a hat anonymously. When they were pulled out, Knickerbockers was the overwhelming selection, and the name of the franchise was born with Father Knickerbocker as the first logo.
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