Vandeweghe ErnieBirth Chart

Ernest Maurice Vandeweghe Jr. was a professional basketball player born in Montreal, best known for his time with the New York Knicks in the league’s early years. A versatile athlete from his teens, he excelled at Colgate as an All‑American before being selected in the 1949 Draft and playing six seasons in the NBA as a 1.91 m guard. After ending his athletic career in 1956, he graduated in medicine and served as a physician in the U.S. Air Force, including assignments abroad. At the same time he remained involved in sports administration: he chaired the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports and served on the Olympic Sports Commission during Gerald Ford’s administration, taking part in the development of legislation affecting amateur sport and physical education. His renown is also extended by his athletic family: he was the father of Kiki VanDeWeghe (NBA star) and Tauna Vandeweghe (Olympic swimmer), and the grandfather of tennis player CoCo Vandeweghe. He also worked in the financial sector as an executive and contributed to sports publications as a commentator. Vandeweghe died in 2014, leaving a legacy both on the courts and in policies promoting physical activity in the United States.