Branch McCracken
Encyclopedia
Branch McCracken was a college men's basketball
coach.
As a player at Indiana, the Monrovia, Indiana
native was a three-year letter winner for Hall of Fame coach Everett Dean
. At 6-4 and 200 lb (90.7 kg)., McCracken played center, forward and guard, pacing the Hoosiers in scoring for three years.
After his college career, McCracken played professional basketball for a few local and barnstorming teams, most notably the Indianapolis Kautskys with John Wooden
and Frank Beard. This was often done while he was also coaching or working at another job and involved long car trips.
As a head coach, McCracken guided Ball State University
(1930–38) and Indiana University
(1938–43, 1946–65) to a 93-41 and 364-174 record, respectively. He coached two NCAA Championship
teams (1940 and 1953). His championship in 1940 put him in the record books as the youngest coach to win the NCAA championship (31 years old). He led Ball State to the school's only victory over the Hoosiers in school history in a year the Cardinals went 17-4. In 1948, McCracken was responsible for recruiting Bill Garrett
who became the first African American
player in Big Ten Conference
varsity basketball history.
From 1943 to 1946, McCracken served as a lieutenant in the United States Navy
, in World War II
.
McCracken was enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame
as a player in 1960. He was also honored by Monrovia Jr.-Sr. High School when his name was given to the main gymnasium.
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
coach.
As a player at Indiana, the Monrovia, Indiana
Monrovia, Indiana
Monrovia is a town in Monroe Township, Morgan County, Indiana, United States. The population was 1,063 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Monrovia is located at ....
native was a three-year letter winner for Hall of Fame coach Everett Dean
Everett Dean
Everett S. Dean was a college men's basketball and baseball coach.Born in Livonia, Indiana, Dean was the head baseball and basketball coach at his alma mater, Indiana University, from 1924 to 1938. In 1938, Dean was named head basketball coach at Stanford University, where he coached the team to...
. At 6-4 and 200 lb (90.7 kg)., McCracken played center, forward and guard, pacing the Hoosiers in scoring for three years.
After his college career, McCracken played professional basketball for a few local and barnstorming teams, most notably the Indianapolis Kautskys with John Wooden
John Wooden
John Robert Wooden was an American basketball player and coach. Nicknamed the "Wizard of Westwood", he won ten NCAA national championships in a 12-year period — seven in a row — as head coach at UCLA, an unprecedented feat. Within this period, his teams won a record 88 consecutive games...
and Frank Beard. This was often done while he was also coaching or working at another job and involved long car trips.
As a head coach, McCracken guided Ball State University
Ball State University
Ball State University is a state-run research university located in Muncie, Indiana. It is also known as Ball State or simply BSU.Located on the northwest side of the city, Ball State's campus spans and includes 106 buildings...
(1930–38) and Indiana University
Indiana University Bloomington
Indiana University Bloomington is a public research university located in Bloomington, Indiana, in the United States. IU Bloomington is the flagship campus of the Indiana University system. Being the flagship campus, IU Bloomington is often referred to simply as IU or Indiana...
(1938–43, 1946–65) to a 93-41 and 364-174 record, respectively. He coached two NCAA Championship
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
teams (1940 and 1953). His championship in 1940 put him in the record books as the youngest coach to win the NCAA championship (31 years old). He led Ball State to the school's only victory over the Hoosiers in school history in a year the Cardinals went 17-4. In 1948, McCracken was responsible for recruiting Bill Garrett
Bill Garrett (basketball)
William Leon Garrett was the first African-American basketball player in the Big Ten athletic conference.Born in Shelbyville, Indiana, he was Indiana Mr. Basketball in 1947, the year he graduated from Shelbyville High School, following Shelbyville's victory in the state tournament that year...
who became the first African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
player in Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
varsity basketball history.
From 1943 to 1946, McCracken served as a lieutenant in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
McCracken was enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame
Basketball Hall of Fame
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States, honors exceptional basketball players, coaches, referees, executives, and other major contributors to the game of basketball worldwide...
as a player in 1960. He was also honored by Monrovia Jr.-Sr. High School when his name was given to the main gymnasium.
See also
- Indiana Hoosiers men's basketballIndiana Hoosiers men's basketballThe Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing Indiana University . The school competes in the Big Ten Conference in Division I of the NCAA. The Hoosiers play on Branch McCracken Court at the Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana on the IU...
- NCAA Men's Division I Final Four appearances by coachesNCAA Men's Division I Final Four appearances by coachesThis is a list of the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Regional Championships by coach. The current names of the NCAA Tournament regions are the East, Southeast, Southwest, and West...