Johnny Oldham

John O. Oldham


Born:
June 22, 1923
Beaver Dam, KY

Died:
November 23, 2020
Bowling Green, KY


Career
1940-41 Hartford High School - Kentucky (High School)
1941-42 Hartford High School - Kentucky (High School)
1942-43 Western Kentucky University (College)
1946-47 Western Kentucky University (College)
1947-48 Western Kentucky University (College)
1948-49 Western Kentucky University (College)
1949-50 Fort Wayne Pistons (NBA)
1950-51 Fort Wayne Pistons (NBA)
1951-52 College High School - Bowling Green, Kentucky (High School) Head coach
1952-53 College High School - Bowling Green, Kentucky (High School) Head coach
1953-54 College High School - Bowling Green, Kentucky (High School) Head coach
1954-55 College High School - Bowling Green, Kentucky (High School) Head coach
1955-56 Tennessee Tech (College) Head coach
1956-57 Tennessee Tech (College) Head coach
1957-58 Tennessee Tech (College) Head coach
1958-59 Tennessee Tech (College) Head coach
1959-60 Tennessee Tech (College) Head coach
1960-61 Tennessee Tech (College) Head coach
1961-62 Tennessee Tech (College) Head coach
1962-63 Tennessee Tech (College) Head coach
1963-64 Tennessee Tech (College) Head coach 
1964-65 Western Kentucky University (College) Head coach
1965-66 Western Kentucky University (College) Head coach
1966-67 Western Kentucky University (College) Head coach
1967-68 Western Kentucky University (College) Head coach
1968-69 Western Kentucky University (College) Head coach
1969-70 Western Kentucky University (College) Head coach
1970-71 Western Kentucky University (College) Head coach

Born in Kentucky, Oldham enrolled at Western Kentucky but after his freshman year he entered the U.S. Navy to fight for his country in World War 2. He returned to WKU after the war, and wound up with over 1000 points in his time there. After playing two seasons in the NBA, Oldham turned to coaching, taking the reigns at College HS in Bowling Green, Kentucky. He then took the head coaching job at Tennessee Tech, and after nine seasons, returned to guide the WKU team he once played for. He coached there seven years, once leading the Hilltoppers into the Final Four.

In December of 2015, Oldham fell from a ladder at his house and broken bones in his face and arms, and faced a difficult recovery for a man of any age, let alone 92 years old. The family was accepting donations to help with the medical costs and intensive recovery costs, and the WKU and TT family helped immensely. As I write this, I do not now the status of his recovery but hope he is doing well.

Source:
Western Kentucky Hall of Fame
http://www.bgdailynews.com/news/online-fundraiser-for-coach-oldham-continues-to-draw-support/article_a41243df-f9e8-5103-a147-ba2a7a98547c.html


Stats:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/o/oldhajo01.html
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=oldhajo01