Garland F. Pinholster facts for kids
| Biographical details | ||||||||||||||
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| Born | February 19, 1928 Clyattville, Georgia |
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| Died | September 20, 2020 (aged 92) Ball Ground, Georgia |
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| Playing career | ||||||||||||||
| Basketball | ||||||||||||||
| 1948–1950 | North Georgia | |||||||||||||
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | ||||||||||||||
| Basketball | ||||||||||||||
| 1956–1966 | Oglethorpe | |||||||||||||
| Accomplishments and honors | ||||||||||||||
| Awards | ||||||||||||||
| Oglethorpe Athletic Hall of Fame Georgia Sports Hall of Fame |
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Medal record
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Garland Folsom Pinholster (February 19, 1928 – September 20, 2020) was a famous American sports coach. He coached college basketball, baseball, and tennis. He was also an athletic director. Garland Pinholster was so good at coaching that he was put into the Oglethorpe Athletic Hall of Fame in 1962. He is also a member of the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame.
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Early Life and Army Service
Garland Pinholster was born in Clyattville, Georgia, in 1928. When he was older, he joined the United States Army. He became a lieutenant, which is an officer rank. Before becoming a coach, he was a basketball player himself. He played for North Georgia College. His team even won a state championship in 1950.
Coaching at Oglethorpe University
Pinholster is best known for his time coaching at Oglethorpe University. He coached there from 1956 to 1966.
Basketball Coaching Success
As a basketball coach, Pinholster had an amazing record. His teams won 181 games and only lost 67. That's a lot of wins!
He created a special way to play offense called the wheel offense. This strategy helps players move in a circle. This movement creates good chances to score points. The wheel offense is still used today by many teams. It works well against different types of defense. These include zone defense (where players guard an area) and man-to-man defense (where each player guards one opponent). Pinholster's teams were also famous for playing very strong defense.
He even wrote books about basketball. One of his books was called Coach's Guide to Modern Basketball Defense.
Coaching the U.S. National Team
Garland Pinholster also coached the United States men's national basketball team. In 1963, he led the team to a gold medal at the 1963 Pan American Games. This was a huge achievement! Later that year, his team finished fourth in the 1963 FIBA World Championship. A famous player named Willis Reed was on the 1963 team. Another coach, Gary Colson, once said that Pinholster was "the best coach in the United States" for a time.
Public Service
After his coaching career, Pinholster became a successful businessman in Atlanta. He also served in the Georgia House of Representatives. This is where laws are made for the state of Georgia. He was a member of the Republican Party. He served from 1990 to 2002. Pinholster became a leader for his party in the Georgia House. He was also chosen to be on the Georgia State Board of Transportation.
Later Life and Death
Garland Pinholster passed away on September 20, 2020. He was 92 years old. He died in Ball Ground, Georgia.
