Laddie Gale

Lauren Henry "Laddie" Gale



Born:
April 22, 1917  
Grant's Pass, OR     

Died:
July 29, 1996
Gold Beach, OR   


Career
1931-32 Oakridge High School - Oregon (High School)
1932-33 Oakridge High School - Oregon (High School)
1933-34 Oakridge High School - Oregon (High School)
1934-35 Oakridge High School - Oregon (High School)
1935-36 University of Oregon (College)
1936-37 University of Oregon (College)
1937-38 University of Oregon (College)
1938-39 University of Oregon (College)
1939-40 Detroit Eagles (NBL)
1945-46 Salt Lake City Deseret Simplots (ABL- AAU)
1946-47 Salt Lake City Deseret Simplots (ABL- AAU) - Player / Head coach
1947-48 Oakland Bittners (ABL- AAU) - Player / coach

NATIONAL BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME, 1977

Born to Lauren A. and Charlotte (Smith) Gale, Laddie lived with his mom and attended grade school in Portland, Oregon, after his parents separated. He later moved with his father in Oakridge, where he was a four-year starter on the basketball team in high school. He then moved on to the University of Oregon, where he was a devastating offensive force. He missed a large portion of the 36-37 season with a broken finger, but became All-American in his junior and senior year. One of the first players to utilize the one-hand shot, Gale, along with the other members of the "Tall Firs" of Oregon, lead the Ducks to the first NCAA championship ever. After a short stint with the Detroit Eagles, Gale served in the army during World War 2. After the war, he spent two years as a player-coach in Salt Lake City, and then two more in Oakland before returning to Oregon where he entered into the real estate business. He was elected into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1977.
He was married twice, and had a son; Lauren, and two daughters; Robin Terrett and Tia Menser, and two step-children.

Source:
Basketball: A Biographical Dictionary
Deseret News, November 8, 1946


Stats:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/nbl/players/g/galela01n.html
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=galela01