Harry Litwack

Harry Litwack (1907-1999)

Teams coached: Temple Owls
Temple record: 373-193 (.659)
Overall record: 373-193 (.659)

Career Accomplishments:

  • NCAA National Championships:  0
  • NCAA Tournament Appearances:  6  (1956, 1958, 1964, 1967, 1970, 1972)
  • NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen:  2  (1956, 1958)
  • NCAA Tournament Final Four:  2  (1956, 1958)
  • NIT Championships:  1  (1969)
  • NIT Appearances:  6  (1960, 1961, 1962, 1966, 1968, 1969)
  • Middle Atlantic Regular Season Champion(1964, 1967, 1969, 1972)

Awards:

Coaching Career (head coach, unless noted):

1952-1973 Temple
1948-1951 Philadelphia Warriors (asst)
1931-1951 Temple (freshmen)

Harry Litwack Facts

  • Harold Litwack
  • Born September 20, 1907
  • Died August 7, 1999
  • Hometown: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • Alma Mater: Temple University (BA, 1930)
  • Born in Poland, Litwack’s family moved to the USA when he was five; raised in Philadelphia
  • Attended Southern HS and then played at Temple under head coach James Usilton
  • Spent one year as the head coach at Simon Gratz HS in Philadelphia before returning to Temple in 1931 to be the head coach of the freshmen team
    • Coached the freshmen team at Temple for twenty years, also working as an assistant with the varsity team
      • While Litwack coached the freshmen, the Temple varsity team was coached by Usilton, Ernest Messikomer and Josh Cody
    • Also played for the Philadelphia Sphas, Eddie Gottlieb’s all-Jewish professional team, from 1929-1936
    • Spent three seasons as an assistant coach with the Philadelphia Warriors of the NBA (now the Golden State Warriors), with Gottlieb as the head coach
  • Took over as the Temple varsity head coach in 1952, coaching the Owls for the next 21 seasons
    • Won 373 games during that tenure, reaching the NCAA Tournament six times (with two Final Fours) and the NIT six times (winning the 1969 NIT title)
    • Finished his coaching career with a 7-6 NCAA record and 9-6 NIT record, 16-12 (.571) overall
  • Operated a summer basketball camp in the Poconos with Bill E. Foster for 25 years
    • Met Foster early in his coaching career, as his daughter was in Foster’s class at Abington Senior HS (PA)
  • Along with his wife, Estelle, had two daughters

Harry Litwack Coaching Tree

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