Harold Anderson

W. Harold Anderson ( born September 11, 1902 in Akron, Ohio, † June 13, 1967 ) was an American professional basketball player and coach. Anderson was one of the first coach to record the milestone of 500 victories in college basketball. Between 1942 and 1963 he led for 21 seasons, the basketball team of Bowling Green State University ( BGSU ), and from 1934 to 1942, the University of Toledo. Anderson succeeded with these two teams as the first coach in history, two different teams to participate in the National Invitation Tournament ( NIT) to lead.

Player

Anderson distinguished himself early as a player at his high school in Akron, Ohio, from. After his move to Otterbein College, Columbus, Ohio, Anderson was successful in various sports. As a player of the basketball team, he was elected in 1923 and 1924 Most Valuable Player (MVP).

Coach

After graduating from college was Harold W. Anderson first nine years as a coach at high school level before becoming head coach of the 1934 " Toledo Rockets " at the University of Toledo. In the period 1934-1942 he scored with the team a record of 142 wins to 41 losses, which corresponds to a winning percentage of 77.6 percent. He brought the team also for its first participation in the NIT.

For the following 21 years Anderson took over the coach position at BGSU. The team of the " Falcons " he led until his retirement to a score of 362 victories in 185 defeats, a winning percentage of 66.2 percent. Anderson reached with the team total of six NIT appearances and three appearances at the NCAA Tournament. He coached at BGSU among other things, the later NBA star Nate Thurmond.

Awards

The sports hall was built by the BGSU in 1960, the university was officially in 1963, the name " Anderson Arena " in recognition of Anderson's. Since then, the formerly " Memorial Hall " called sports facility bears (in honor of the commitment to the U.S. Armed Forces fallen former students) the double name " Memorial Hall / Anderson Arena ".

For his career performance as a coach in college basketball W. Harold Anderson was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1985.