Davey Whitney facts for kids
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| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 8, 1930 Midway, Kentucky |
| Died | May 10, 2015 (aged 85) Biloxi, Mississippi |
| Playing career | |
| 1948–1952 | Kentucky State |
| Position(s) | Guard |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1954–1964 | Burt HS |
| 1964–1969 | Texas Southern |
| 1969–1989 | Alcorn A&M/Alcorn State |
| 1989–1994 | Wichita Falls Texans (asst.) |
| 1994 | Mississippi Coast Gamblers (asst.) |
| 1996–2003 | Alcorn State |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 562–364 |
| Tournaments | 3–6 (NCAA D-I) 1–2 (NIT) 10–5 (NAIA D-I) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
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| College Basketball Hall of Fame Inducted in 2010 |
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Baseball career |
|
| Infielder | |
| debut | |
| 1952, for the Kansas City Monarchs | |
| Last appearance | |
| 1954, for the Kansas City Monarchs | |
| Teams | |
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Davey Lee Whitney Sr. (born January 8, 1930 – died May 10, 2015) was a famous American college basketball coach. People also knew him as "The Wiz". He coached basketball at Texas Southern University and Alcorn State University. Over 33 years, he won 566 games and lost 356. He was a very successful coach who helped many young athletes.
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Early Life and Sports
Davey Whitney was born in Midway, Kentucky. He went to Paul Laurence Dunbar High School in Lexington. While there, he lived with friends. Whitney played as a guard on the basketball team. He led his school to state tournaments in 1947 and 1948. In 1948, his team won the league title.
He then attended Kentucky State University and graduated in 1952. At Kentucky State, Whitney was a talented athlete. He played basketball, baseball, football, and ran track. After college, Whitney played professional baseball. He was a shortstop and third baseman for the Kansas City Monarchs. This team was part of the Negro American League from 1952 to 1954.
Coaching Career Highlights
Whitney started his coaching journey in 1954. He became the head basketball coach at Burt High School in Clarksville, Tennessee. In ten seasons, his teams won over 200 games. They even won the National Negro High School Basketball Championship in 1961.
His first college coaching job was at Texas Southern University in 1964. He coached there for five years. In 1969, he moved to Alcorn A&M. This school later became Alcorn State in 1974. Alcorn State was known more for its football team.
Building a Basketball Powerhouse
Coach Whitney focused on finding local players. He helped make the Alcorn State basketball team very strong. During the 1970s and 1980s, they became a top team. They won nine regular season titles in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). In 1974, his team reached the championship game. This was in the 1974 NAIA Division I men's basketball tournament. It was their best postseason run ever.
Two years later, Alcorn State joined Division I. In 1979, Whitney's team made it to the second round. This was in the 1979 National Invitation Tournament. They even upset Mississippi State in the first round.
In 1980, Alcorn State made history. They became the first HBCU (Historically Black College or University) to win a game. This was in the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship. They beat South Alabama in the first round. During his time at Alcorn, people started calling Whitney "The Wiz".
Later Coaching Years
In 1989, Alcorn State let Whitney go. This happened after three difficult seasons. He then became an assistant coach. He worked for the Wichita Falls Texans basketball team. They won a championship in 1991. He also helped the Mississippi Coast Gamblers.
Whitney returned to Alcorn State in 1996. The team had not been doing well. But within three years, he led them back to the NCAA Tournament. He retired for good in 2003.
Coaching Style and Legacy
Coach Whitney was known for being a tough coach. His teams played with a lot of effort. They were famous for strong rebounding. They also played very tough defense. For example, his 1998-99 team was one of the best in the nation. They were great at rebounding. They also allowed opponents to score very few points.
Whitney set many records at Alcorn. He became the second winningest coach. This was in the history of HBCU college basketball. Only Clarence "Big House" Gaines had more wins. Whitney also holds the only postseason wins for Alcorn. These wins were in the NCAA and NIT tournaments.
Two years before he returned, Alcorn State renamed their home arena. It became the Davey Whitney Complex. This was done to honor him. So, he was one of the few coaches to coach in an arena named after him.
In 2010, Davey Whitney was honored again. He was inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.
Death
Davey Whitney passed away at his home. He died in Biloxi, Mississippi on May 10, 2015. He was 85 years old.
