Diedrich Knickerbocker is an American literary character who originated from Washington Irving's first novel, '' A History of New-York from the Beginning of the World to the End of the Dutch Dynasty, by Diedrich Knickerbocker'' (1809). He is a Dutch-American historian who is dressed in a specific type of baggy-kneed trousers referred to as '' knickerbockers'', later shortened to ''knickers''. The word ''knickerbocker'' is also used to refer to people who live in Manhattan, and was adopted in a shortened form as the Knicks by the city's

NBA The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United St ...

professional basketball team.

History

In 1809 Washington Irving wrote his first novel, ''A History of New-York from the Beginning of the World to the End of the Dutch Dynasty, by Diedrich Knickerbocker''. It was a satire of the politics of the day and history books. To promote the book he started a

hoax A hoax is a widely publicized falsehood so fashioned as to invite reflexive, unthinking acceptance by the greatest number of people of the most varied social identities and of the highest possible social pretensions to gull its victims into pu ...

by contacting various newspapers in New York City that "well-known Dutch historian Diedrich Knickerbocker had disappeared from his hotel". Irving informed people that if Mr. Knickerbocker remained absent he would publish a manuscript that the man had left behind. Many people at the time believed the story and when Irving finally revealed it was all made up he gained enough local fame to help his book become an instant success, practically launching his literary career. One of Irving's friends was actually named Knickerbocker: Herman Knickerbocker (1779–1855). Herman Knickerbocker, in turn, was of the upstate Knickerbocker clan, which descended from a single immigrant ancestor, Harmen Jansen van Wijhe Knickerbocker. Jansen van Wijhe invented the name upon arriving in

New Amsterdam New Amsterdam ( nl, Nieuw Amsterdam, or ) was a 17th-century Dutch settlement established at the southern tip of Manhattan Island that served as the seat of the colonial government in New Netherland. The initial trading ''factory'' gave rise ...

and signed a document with a variant of it in 1682.

In popular culture

In the 19th century a literary group was named after the character:

Knickerbocker Group The Knickerbocker Group was a somewhat indistinct group of 19th-century American writers. Its most prominent members included Washington Irving, James Fenimore Cooper and William Cullen Bryant. Each was a pioneer in general literature—novel ...

, who also had their own magazine, ''

The Knickerbocker ''The Knickerbocker'', or ''New-York Monthly Magazine'', was a literary magazine of New York City, founded by Charles Fenno Hoffman in 1833, and published until 1865. Its long-term editor and publisher was Lewis Gaylord Clark, whose "Editor's Ta ...

'' (1833–1865).Callow, James T. ''Kindred Spirits: Knickerbocker Writers and American Artists, 1807–1855''. Chapel Hill:

The University of North Carolina Press The University of North Carolina Press (or UNC Press), founded in 1922, is a university press that is part of the University of North Carolina. It was the first university press founded in the Southern United States. It is a member of the Ass ...

, 1967: 104. In the first and second issue Knickerbocker gave a supposed interview. The name "knickerbocker" has become a popular nickname for people who reside in Manhattan. It also inspired the name of a type of baggy-kneed trousers for boys: knickerbockers. The New York basketball team New York Knickerbockers (more commonly known as the ''Knicks'') also derived their name from this character. It also inspired a beer brand by Jacob Ruppert, the first sponsors of the TV show '' Tonight!''. Igor Cassini, a gossip columnist, used the name " Cholly Knickerbocker" as his pseudonym. "Father Knickerbocker" served the role of civic personification of New York City in the illustrated ''Daily Graphic'' newspaper, '' Puck'' magazine, and elsewhere. In May 1949, city official James J. O’Brien toured the globe dressed as Father Knickerbocker on behalf of the New York

World Trade Week International trade is the exchange of capital, goods, and services across international borders or territories because there is a need or want of goods or services. (see: World economy) In most countries, such trade represents a significant s ...

Committee.

Sources

{{DEFAULTSORT:Knickerbocker, Diedrich Literary characters introduced in 1809 Hoaxes in the United States 1809 novels Fictional historians Fictional characters from New York City Male characters in literature Washington Irving Journalistic hoaxes Knickerbocker Group Civic personifications Symbols of New York City