Fort Hamilton High School has a long, rich history of excellence in the classroom, on the stage and in the band room. As Fort celebrates its 85th anniversary, however, it is clear that Fort excellence has also translated onto the field, court and natatorium. A look back on the 85 years of sports at Fort Hamilton reveals winning moments, exceptional athletes, dynastic traditions and much to celebrate in and around The Fort.
Fort Hamilton High School sits on what was once the Crescent Athletic Club, which was founded in 1884 by Yale graduates who wanted to start a football team. Eventually, it grew in size and scope into one of the wealthiest clubs, where the wealthy elite would partake in all kinds of sports, leisurely events and, of course, socializing. In 1902, the Crescent Club hosted an international tennis tournament which evolved into a professional tennis tournament, The Davis Cup, which is still played today.
After the Great Depression, the club—which had gotten too big for its own good—faced financial troubles. The bigger the club grew, the more expensive it became to operate. As a result, the various properties that made up the Crescent Club were sold off. The Van Brunt mansion eventually became the site of Fort Hamilton High School, which was built in 1941.
Tigers Make Their Mark on the Hardwood
Of course, Fort Hamilton High School took a while to grow into what it is today. It was the arrival of the basketball legends, the King Brothers, in the 1970s that would finally put Fort on the sports map, as well as catch the eye of the entire country.
Bernard King arrived at Fort in 1970 and would eventually go on to play at the University of Tennessee from 1974-1978. He later became a star player for the New York Knicks, averaging 26.5 points per game and winning the NBA scoring title in 1985. He was a four-time All-NBA selection and was inducted into the James Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013. In a 2017 Slam magazine interview, Julius “Dr. J” Erving called King “the greatest player he ever faced.”
However, although Bernard King is generally considered one of the greatest scorers in NBA history, his brother Albert was even more popular when he arrived at Fort Hamilton High School in 1977. The 6’6” forward would go on to be named to the first McDonald’s All-American team and was ranked even higher than legendary Laker star Magic Johnson coming out of high school. He would eventually play at the University of Maryland and then for the New Jersey Nets.
Unfortunately, his success in high school and college never materialized in the pro ranks. There is no denying the King brothers left their mark on the basketball world, and it all began on the hardwood floors of The Fort, under the guidance of legendary Fort Hamilton coach Ken Kerns.
According to the New York State Basketball Hall of Fame website, Coach Ken Kerns led the Fort Hamilton Tigers to 375 victories over a 29-year career, including being named New York Daily New Coach of the Year in 1985. His legendary career was cemented when the floor in the Fort Hamilton High School 85th Street Gym was posthumously dedicated to him in 2018.
Dawn of a Dynasty: The 2000s Football Tigers
In the 1990-1991 school year, Fort Hamilton High School had its first football team. However, it was a freshmen-only team and the field on which they played was full of dirt and rocks. No one saw what was coming though, except maybe the late principal, Dr. Alice Farkhouh, who brought a football team to The Fort, and hired legendary coach Vincent Laino. Coach Laino would go on to build one of the greatest dynasties in New York City high school football history. His football Tigers consistently dominated the high school landscape, vying for the PSAL title year after year. Coach Laino’s Tigers captured back-to-back titles in 2005 and 2006. After Laino’s retirement at the end of the 2009 season, the team proved it was not done winning championships by claiming the 2010 PSAL title at Yankee Stadium, under the direction of current coach Daniel Perez, who played for Coach Laino and was recently inducted into the Fort Hamilton High School Alumni Hall of Fame.
Fort Graduate Becomes Legendary: The Jean Balukas Story
Jean Balukas was a child prodigy in the world of professional billiards. This Greek-American began playing at the age of seven and was soon dominating the pool halls of Brooklyn at the age of 13. A Fort Hamilton alumna, she went on to become one of the greatest billiards players and was recognized as an advocate for women’s rights. In fact, she was the first woman to compete with men in professional play. Balukas was so successful that she was ranked fifteenth on Billiard Digest Greatest Players of the 20th Century. Her distinguished career earned her a place in the Billiards Congress of America Hall of Fame as the youngest inductee in history.
Other Notable Fort Athletic Success Stories
Of course, Fort Hamilton’s winning ways are not limited to the football field or the basketball court, as Fort Tigers have proven to be successful in many other sports.
The Lacrosse Lady Tigers have proven that though lacrosse might not have a rich history in the urban city, it is a growing sport and one in which our Tigers have excelled in recent years. In 2019, Fort Hamilton captured its first lacrosse championship under the guidance of then-coach Matt Pastore. It would not be the first time the trophy was hoisted by the Tigers, however, as they went on to capture the 2024 title under current-coach Boris Khodorkovsky. Moreover, the Fort Hamilton Varsity Girls Tennis Team has also proven to be a formidable squad on the hardcourts, as they have claimed three city titles, most recently in 2022 under the guidance of coach Muad Nagi.
There is no denying that Fort Hamilton High School has experienced success in almost every sport — from volleyball and swimming to bowling and baseball. However, the success of these teams and individuals in particular have left their mark and continue to pave the way for the next wave of great athletes. The past 85 years of Fort athletics has been quite the journey, and it will be interesting to see what the next 85 years will bring.
