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{{Short description|American basketball coach}}
{{Unreferencedmore citations needed|date=December 2009}}
{{Infobox college coach
| name = Ken Loeffler
| image = Ken_Loeffler.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Loeffler from the 1956 ''Aggieland''
| sport = [[Basketball]]
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1902|4|14}}
| birth_place =
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1975|1|1|1902|4|14}}
| death_place = [[Rumson, New Jersey]], U.S.
| alma_mater =
| player_years1 = 1920–1924
| player_team1 = [[Penn State Nittany Lions men's basketball|Penn State]]
| coach_years1 = 1928–19341928–1935
| coach_team1 = [[Geneva Golden Tornadoes men's basketball|Geneva]]
| coach_years2 = 1935–1942
Line 27:
| coach_years7 = 1955–1957
| coach_team7 = [[Texas A&M Aggies men's basketball|Texas A&M]]
| overall_record = 370–213320–213 (college)<br>79–90 (professional)
| bowl_record =
| tournament_record = 9–1 ([[NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|NCAA]])<br>5–3 ([[National Invitation Tournament|NIT]])<br>4–6 (BAA playoffs)
| championships = 1 [[List of NCAA Men's Division I Basketball champions|NCAA]] ([[1954 NCAA Basketballbasketball Tournamenttournament|1954]])<br>2 NCAA Final Four (1954, [[1955 NCAA Basketballbasketball Tournamenttournament|1955]])<br>1 [[National Invitation Tournament|NIT]] ([[1952 NIT|1952]])
| awards =
| coaching_records =
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| BASKHOF_id = ken-loeffler
}}
'''Kenneth D. Loeffler''' (April 14, 1902 – January 1, 1975) was an American collegiate and professional [[basketball]] coach. He was mostly known for guiding the [[La Salle Explorers men's basketball]] team to the 1954 [[NCAA1952 Men'sNational DivisionInvitation I Basketball Championship|NCAA championshipTournament]] and the 1952 [[National1954 InvitationNCAA Tournamentbasketball tournament]] championshiptitles.
 
After earning a [[Bachelor's degree]] at [[Pennsylvania State University]] (1920–24) and a short pro basketball career (1924–29), the [[Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania]] native began his collegiate coaching career at [[Geneva College]] (1928–341928–35). In 19341935 he became basketball head coach at [[Yale University]], and also assistant coach to the [[American football|football]] and [[baseball]] varsity. In seven years at Yale Loeffler put up a 61–82 record. During [[World War II]] he served in the [[U.S. Air Force]].
 
After the war Loeffler began coaching pro teams in the [[Basketball Association of America]]., Firstfirst the [[St. Louis Bombers (NBA)|St. Louis Bombers]] (1946–48), then the [[Providence Steamrollers]] (1948–49). In 1949 he returned to the college ranks when he became head coach at La Salle. With players like future Hall of Famer [[Tom Gola]], Loeffler's La Salle teams went on to dominate college basketball over half a decade in the early 1950s. In six seasons at La Salle, Loeffler led the [[La Salle Explorers|Explorers]] to a post-season appearance in every single season. Under Loeffler, La Salle made four trips to the NIT (before it was considered "second-rate") and two visits to the [[NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship|NCAA Tournamenttournament]]. In 1955 Loeffler moved on to become the head coach at [[Texas A&M University|Texas A&M College]], a post he held until 1957.
 
On October 1, 1964, Loeffler was elected to the [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]]. He died on January 1, 1975, of an apparent heart attack, in [[Rumson, New Jersey]].<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Ken Loeffler, Who Led LaSalle To Basketball Titles, Dies at 72 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1975/01/03/archives/ken-loeffler-who-led-lasalle-to-basketball-titles-dies-at-72.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=January 3, 1975 |access-date=July 6, 2018 }}</ref>
On October 1, 1964, he was elected to the [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]].
 
==Head coaching record==
 
===College basketball===
{{CBB Yearly Record Start | type = | conference = | postseason = | poll = }}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = [[Geneva Golden Tornadoes men's basketball|Geneva Covenanters]]
| conference = Independent
| startyear = 1928
| endyear = 19341935
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1928–29
| name = Geneva
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}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1929–30
| name = Geneva
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}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1930–31
| name = Geneva
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}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1931–32
| name = Geneva
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}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1932–33
| name = Geneva
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}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1933–34
| name = Geneva
| overall = 13–9
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| season = 1935–361934–35▼
| seasonname = 1936–37Geneva▼
| season overall = 1937–3816–7▼
| conference =
| confstanding =
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}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| season = [[1935–36 NCAA men's basketball season|1935–36]]
| championship =
▲ | season = 1935–36
| name = Yale
| overall = 8–16
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}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| season = [[1936–37 NCAA men's basketball season|1936–37]]
| championship =
▲ | season = 1936–37
| name = Yale
| overall = 12–8
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}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| season = [[1937–38 NCAA men's basketball season|1937–38]]
| championship =
▲ | season = 1937–38
| name = Yale
| overall = 7–12
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}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| season = [[1938–39 NCAA men's basketball season|1938–39]]
| championship =
| season = 1938–39
| name = Yale
| overall = 4–16
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}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| season = [[1939–40 NCAA men's basketball season|1939–40]]
| championship =
| season = 1939–40
| name = Yale
| overall = 13–6
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}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| season = [[1940–41 NCAA men's basketball season|1940–41]]
| championship =
| season = 1940–41
| name = Yale
| overall = 10–12
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}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| season = [[1941–42 NCAA men's basketball season|1941–42]]
| championship =
| season = 1941–42
| name = Yale
| overall = 7–12
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}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| season = [[1945–46 NCAA men's basketball season|1945–46]]
| championship =
| season = 1945–46
| name = Denver
| overall = 9–15
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}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| season = [[1949–50 NCAA men's basketball season|1949–50]]
| championship =
| season = 1949–50
| name = La Salle
| overall = 21–4
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason = [[1950 National Invitation Tournament|NIT QuarterfinalsQuarterfinal]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| season = [[1950–51 NCAA men's basketball season|1950–51]]
| championship =
| season = 1950–51
| name = La Salle
| overall = 22–7
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}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = postseason
| season = [[1951–52 NCAA men's basketball season|1951–52]]
| name = [[1951–52 La Salle Explorers men's basketball team|La Salle]]
| overall = 24–5
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason = [[19501952 National Invitation Tournament|NIT ChampionsChampion]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| season = [[1952–53 NCAA men's basketball season|1952–53]]
| championship =
| season = 1952–53
| name = La Salle
| overall = 25–3
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason = [[19501953 National Invitation Tournament|NIT QuarterfinalsQuarterfinal]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = national
| season = [[1953–54 NCAA men's basketball season|1953–54]]
| name = [[1953–54 La Salle Explorers men's basketball team|La Salle]]
| overall = 26–4
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason = [[1954 NCAA Basketballbasketball Tournamenttournament|NCAA ChampionsChampion]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| season = [[1954–55 NCAA men's basketball season|1954–55]]
| championship =
| season = 1954–55
| name = [[1954–55 La Salle Explorers men's basketball team|La Salle]]
| overall = 26–5
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason = [[1955 NCAA Basketballbasketball Tournamenttournament|NCAA Runner-up]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
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}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| season = [[1955–56 NCAA men's basketball season|1955–56]]
| championship =
| season = 1955–56
| name = Texas A&M
| overall = 6–18
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}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| season = [[1956–57 NCAA University Division men's basketball season|1956–57]]
| championship =
| season = 1956–57
| name = Texas A&M
| overall = 7–17
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}}
{{CBB Yearly Record End
| overall = 370–213320–213 ({{Winning percentage|370320|213}})
}}
 
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==References==
{{Reflist}}
 
==External links==
* {{Basketballhof|ken-loeffler}}
 
{{Navboxes| list1 =
{{Geneva Golden Tornadoes men's basketball coach navbox}}
{{Yale Bulldogs men's basketball coach navbox}}
{{Denver Pioneers men's basketball coach navbox}}
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{{Basketball Hall of Fame coaches}}
}}
{{Authority control}}
 
{{DEFAULTSORT:Loeffler, Ken}}
[[Category:1902 births]]
[[Category:1975 deaths]]
[[Category:American men's basketball coaches]]
[[Category:American men's basketball players]]
[[Category:Basketball coaches from Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Basketball players from Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:College men's basketball head coaches in the United States]]
[[Category:Denver Pioneers men's basketball coaches]]
[[Category:Geneva Golden Tornadoes men's basketball coaches]]
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[[Category:Yale Bulldogs football coaches]]
[[Category:Yale Bulldogs men's basketball coaches]]
[[Category:Monmouth University faculty]]

Latest revision as of 00:42, 4 March 2023

Ken Loeffler
Loeffler from the 1956 Aggieland
Biographical details
Born(1902-04-14)April 14, 1902
DiedJanuary 1, 1975(1975-01-01) (aged 72)
Rumson, New Jersey, U.S.
Playing career
1920–1924Penn State
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1928–1935Geneva
1935–1942Yale
1945–1946Denver
1946–1948St. Louis Bombers
1948–1949Providence Steamrollers
1949–1955La Salle
1955–1957Texas A&M
Head coaching record
Overall320–213 (college)
79–90 (professional)
Tournaments9–1 (NCAA)
5–3 (NIT)
4–6 (BAA playoffs)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
NCAA (1954)
2 NCAA Final Four (1954, 1955)
NIT (1952)
Basketball Hall of Fame
Inducted in 1964 (profile)
College Basketball Hall of Fame
Inducted in 2006

Kenneth D. Loeffler (April 14, 1902 – January 1, 1975) was an American collegiate and professional basketball coach. He was mostly known for guiding the La Salle Explorers men's basketball team to the 1952 National Invitation Tournament and 1954 NCAA basketball tournament titles.

After earning a Bachelor's degree at Pennsylvania State University (1920–24) and a short pro basketball career (1924–29), the Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania native began his collegiate coaching career at Geneva College (1928–35). In 1935 he became basketball head coach at Yale University, and also assistant coach to the football and baseball varsity. In seven years at Yale Loeffler put up a 61–82 record. During World War II he served in the U.S. Air Force.

After the war Loeffler began coaching pro teams in the Basketball Association of America, first the St. Louis Bombers (1946–48), then the Providence Steamrollers (1948–49). In 1949 he returned to the college ranks when he became head coach at La Salle. With players like future Hall of Famer Tom Gola, Loeffler's La Salle teams went on to dominate college basketball over half a decade in the early 1950s. In six seasons at La Salle, Loeffler led the Explorers to a post-season appearance in every single season. Under Loeffler, La Salle made four trips to the NIT (before it was considered "second-rate") and two visits to the NCAA tournament. In 1955 Loeffler moved on to become the head coach at Texas A&M College, a post he held until 1957.

On October 1, 1964, Loeffler was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He died on January 1, 1975, of an apparent heart attack, in Rumson, New Jersey.[1]

Head coaching record[edit]

College[edit]

Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Geneva Covenanters (Independent) (1928–1935)
1928–29 Geneva 14–5
1929–30 Geneva 10–9
1930–31 Geneva 13–10
1931–32 Geneva 14–7
1932–33 Geneva 13–6
1933–34 Geneva 13–9
1934–35 Geneva 16–7
Geneva: 93–53 (.637)
Yale Bulldogs (Eastern Intercollegiate Basketball League) (1935–1942)
1935–36 Yale 8–16 6–6 T–3rd
1936–37 Yale 12–8 7–5 T–3rd
1937–38 Yale 7–12 3–9 7th
1938–39 Yale 4–16 3–9 6th
1939–40 Yale 13–6 7–5 T–3rd
1940–41 Yale 10–12 4–8 T–4th
1941–42 Yale 7–12 3–9 6th
Yale: 61–82 (.427) 33–51 (.393)
Denver Pioneers (Mountain States Conference) (1945–1946)
1945–46 Denver 9–15 1–11 7th
Denver: 9–15 (.375) 1–11 (.083)
La Salle Explorers (Independent) (1949–1955)
1949–50 La Salle 21–4 NIT Quarterfinal
1950–51 La Salle 22–7 NIT First Round
1951–52 La Salle 24–5 NIT Champion
1952–53 La Salle 25–3 NIT Quarterfinal
1953–54 La Salle 26–4 NCAA Champion
1954–55 La Salle 26–5 NCAA Runner-up
La Salle: 144–28 (.837)
Texas A&M Aggies (Southwest Conference) (1955–1957)
1955–56 Texas A&M 6–18 3–9 T–5th
1956–57 Texas A&M 7–17 3–9 T–6th
Texas A&M: 13–35 (.271) 6–18 (.250)
Total: 320–213 (.600)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

Professional basketball[edit]

Legend
Regular season G Games coached W Games won L Games lost W–L % Win–loss %
Playoffs PG Playoff games PW Playoff wins PL Playoff losses PW–L % Playoff win–loss %
Team Year G W L W–L% Finish PG PW PL PW–L% Result
SLB 1946–47 61 38 23 .623 2nd in Western 3 1 2 .333 Lost in League Quarterfinals
SLB 1947–48 48 29 19 .604 1st in Western 7 3 4 .429 Lost in League Semifinals
PRO 1948–49 60 12 48 .200 6th in Eastern - - - - Missed Playoffs
Career 169 79 90 .467 10 4 6 .400

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Ken Loeffler, Who Led LaSalle To Basketball Titles, Dies at 72". The New York Times. January 3, 1975. Retrieved July 6, 2018.

External links[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ken_Loeffler&oldid=1142719403"