Harold Olsen facts for kids
Harold G. Olsen was a famous American sports coach. He was born in Rice Lake, Wisconsin, on May 12, 1895. Harold Olsen coached basketball, football, and baseball teams. He is best known for his time as the head basketball coach at Ohio State University.
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| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 12, 1895 Rice Lake, Wisconsin |
| Died | October 29, 1953 (aged 58) Rice Lake, Wisconsin |
| Playing career | |
| Basketball | |
| 1914–1917 | Wisconsin |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| Basketball | |
| 1918–1919 | Bradley |
| 1919–1922 | Ripon |
| 1922–1946 | Ohio State |
| 1946–1949 | Chicago Stags |
| 1950–1952 | Northwestern |
| Football | |
| 1919–1921 | Ripon |
| Baseball | |
| 1919 | Bradley |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 311–241 (college basketball) 95–63 (BAA) 13–6–1 (college football) 0–1 (college baseball) |
| Tournaments | 6–4 |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| Basketball 5 Big Ten (1925, 1933, 1939, 1944, 1946) NCAA Runner-up (1939) 3 NCAA Final Four (1944–1946) |
|
| Awards | |
| Helms Foundation All-American (1917) | |
| Basketball Hall of Fame Inducted in 1959 (profile) |
|
| College Basketball Hall of Fame Inducted in 2006 |
|
Contents
Early Life and Playing Days
Harold Olsen was born in Rice Lake, Wisconsin. He grew up loving sports. He played basketball for the University of Wisconsin from 1914 to 1917. In 1917, he was named a Helms Foundation All-American. This means he was one of the best college basketball players in the country.
Coaching Career Highlights
Harold Olsen started his coaching career in 1918. He coached at several colleges before joining Ohio State.
Ohio State Buckeyes
Olsen became the head coach for the Ohio State Buckeyes in 1922. He coached there for 24 years, until 1946. During his time at Ohio State, he led the team to great success.
He won five Big Ten championships. These wins happened in 1925, 1933, 1939, 1944, and 1946. His teams were known for their strong play.
In 1939, his team reached the NCAA championship game. They finished as the runner-up that year. He also led Ohio State to the NCAA Final Four three times in a row. This was from 1944 to 1946.
Professional Basketball
After leaving Ohio State, Olsen made history. In 1946, he became the first head coach of the Chicago Stags. This team was part of the BAA, which later became the NBA. He coached the Stags for almost three seasons.
Northwestern University
Later, Olsen coached the Northwestern Wildcats men's basketball team. He coached them from 1950 to 1952.
Overall Coaching Record
Harold Olsen had a very successful coaching career. In college basketball, his teams won 311 games and lost 241. With the Chicago Stags in the BAA, he won 95 games and lost 63. He also coached college football and baseball for short periods.
Hall of Fame Recognition
Harold Olsen's contributions to basketball are remembered. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1959. This is one of the highest honors in basketball. He was also inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006. These honors show how important he was to the sport.
See also
In Spanish: Harold Olsen para niños
