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E.A. Diddle

E.A. Diddle (born 1895-1970)

Teams coached: Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
Western Kentucky record: 759-302 (.715)
Overall record: 759-302 (.715)

Career Accomplishments:

  • NCAA National Championships:  0
  • NCAA Tournament Appearances:  3  (1940, 1960, 1962)
  • NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen:  2  (1960, 1962)
  • NCAA Tournament Final Four:  0
  • NIT Championships:  0  (Runner-up in 1942)
  • NIT Appearances:  7  (1942, 1943, 1948, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954)
  • Ohio Valley Regular Season Champion:  10  (1949, 1950, 1952, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1960, 1961, 1962)
  • Ohio Valley Tournament Champion:  4  (1949, 1952, 1953, 1954)
  • KIAC/SIAA Regular Season Champions:  14  (1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1947, 1948)

Awards:

  • Ohio Valley Coach of the Year:  1  (1962)
  • Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (inducted 1972)
  • National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame (inducted 2006)

Coaching Career (head coach, unless noted):

1922-1964 Western Kentucky

E.A. Diddle Facts

  • Edgar Allen Diddle
  • Born March 12, 1895
  • Died January 2, 1970
  • Hometown: Gradyville, Kentucky
  • Alma Mater: Centre College (BA, 1920)
  • Played both football and basketball at Centre College in Danville, KY
  • Started his coaching career at the high school level, coaching at Monticello HS (KY) for several years
  • Hired to take over as the head coach at Western Kentucky State in 1922, leading the Hilltoppers for 42 seasons
    • Won 759 games, 24 conference titles (20 OVC, 14 KIAC/SIAA) and four OVC Tournaments
    • Appeared in the postseason ten times (seven NIT, three NCAA), finishing as the Runner-up in the 1942 NIT when that event was considered the bigger of the two
    • When he was hired, Diddle also coached baseball, football and women’s basketball
      • Went 38-24-2 during his six-year tenure as head football coach (1922-28)
    • Retired in 1964, spending his final year coaching in the new WKU arena that bears his name, E.A. Diddle Arena
    • During his time at WKU, Diddle was well known for carrying and spinning a red towel on the sideline; the red towel was later incorporated into the official Hilltopper logo (spearheaded by his predecessor and former assistant John Oldham)
  • Inducted into the Kentucky Sports HOF, Western Kentucky Athletic HOF, Centre College Athletic HOF, in addition to Naismith Basketball HOF (c/o 1972) and the National College Basketball HOF (inaugural c/o 2006)
  • Along with his wife of 46 years, Louise, Diddle had one son (Edgar Jr.) and one daughter (Mary Jo)
    • Son Ed was the head coach at Middle Tennessee for six seasons, during which time the two became the first father-son duo to ever coach against each other in a college basketball game (the elder Diddle won 11 of their 12 total match-ups)

E.A. Diddle Coaching Tree

  • Buddy Cate (Tennessee Wesleyan)
  • Ed Diddle, Jr. (Middle Tennessee)
  • Peck Hickman (Louisville)
  • Bob Lavoy (Tampa)
  • Tom Marshall (Cincinnati Royals)
  • John Oldham (Western Kentucky, Tennessee Tech)
  • Charles Parsley (Southeast Missouri)
  • Bill Stokes (Middle Tennessee)

 

^ overall record includes head coaching positions at the following levels: Div I, Div II, Div III

** Listed records and accomplishments for this coach do not include wins or appearances later vacated by the NCAA