George Kalinsky

George Kalinsky was an American photographer. He was the official photographer for Madison Square Garden from 1966 until his death and served as the official photographer at Radio City Music Hall. In November 2010, the National Arts Club awarded him their Medal of Honor for Photography.

Life and career

Kalinsky was born in Hempstead, New York, on April 14, 1936, the son of Jewish parents Fay and Samuel Kalinsky, a retailer.
Kalinsky's photos were featured in multiple publications, including Sports Illustrated, People, Newsweek, and The New York Times. He authored ten books.
In May 2009, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame opened an exhibit dedicated to Kalinsky photographs of Madison Square Garden's most popular concerts. Many of these photographs are now part of the museum's permanent collection.
From the year 2010, the New York Mets, for whom Kalinsky had been the official photographer, displayed a collection of Kalinsky photographs throughout Citi Field.
Kalinsky was honored with the 2017 Legends Award by the Pratt Institute at a dinner at the Mandarin Hotel in November 2017. New York Historical had an exhibit "New York through the Lens of George Kalinsky" featuring 80 images of Kalinsky's work from the last 50 years. The show was well received and was on extended viewing until July 2018. The museum added this exhibit to their permanent collection. In February 2018, Sports Business Journal featured Kalinsky and his career on the front page of their magazine. Frank Sinatra Enterprises produced a documentary on Kalinsky's 50-year career.
Kalinsky died January 16, 2025, at age 88.

Notable photographs

New York City teams' Championships

1970 NBA Finals–Knicks defeat the Los Angeles Lakers for their first NBA championship.
1986 World Series–Mets defeat the Boston Red Sox to win World Series.
1994 Stanley Cup Finals–Rangers win Stanley Cup–first in 54 years–over the Vancouver Canucks.

Political Conventions

Other photographs

The Fight of the Century, March 8, 1971, between champion Joe Frazier and challenger Muhammad Ali
The Concert for Bangladesh, August 1, 1971
Elvis Presley's June 9–11, 1972 4 back to back sold-out concerts. One of his photos, taken during that week end, was enlarged in the shape of a three-story, 36x72 ft. billboard and unveiled at a Times Square building in New York City on April 1, 2008.
Ali-Frazier II, January 28, 1974
John Lennon's final live performance, November 28, 1974
Pope John Paul II's papal mass at Madison Square Garden, October 3, 1979
Wayne Gretzky's final game, April 18, 1999
Subway Series of 2000
The Concert for New York City to honor the victims of the September 11 attacks, October 20, 2001
From the Big Apple to the Big Easy concert to raise funds for the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts, September 20, 2005

Honors and awards

2001 – Recipient of the highest award given by the photography industry as International Photographer of the Year.
2001 – Named "Sportsman of the Year" by the National Center for Disabilities, an organization for which he served as co-chairman.
2001 – Named "Man of the Year" by Pratt Institute, where he had been a design student.
2007 – Inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.
2008 – Recipient of Pratt Institute's Lifetime Achievement Award.
2010 – NYC Basketball Hall of Fame inductee.
2010 – Recipient of National Arts Club's Medal of Honor for Photography.
2015 – Recipient of New York Knicks' Dick McGuire Legacy Award.
2017 – Recipient of Pratt Institute's Legends Award.
Served on the Fulbright Scholarship Foundation
Included in New York Resident's list of top 100 New Yorkers.