W.O. Hamilton
W.O. Hamilton (1876-1951)
Teams coached: William Jewell Cardinals, Kansas Jayhawks
William Jewell record: 17-13 (.567)
Kansas record: 125-59 (.679)
Overall record: 142-72 (.664)
Career Accomplishments:
- NCAA National Championships: 0
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: 0
- NIT Championships: 0
- NIT Appearances: 0
- Missouri Valley Regular Season Champion: 5 (1910, 1911, 1912, 1914, 1915)
Coaching Career (head coach, unless noted):
| 1909-1919 | Kansas |
| 1906-1908 | William Jewell |
| 1898-1899 | William Jewell |
W.O. Hamilton Facts
- William Oliver Hamilton
- Born March 29, 1876
- Died December 29, 1951
- Hometown: Huntsville, Missouri
- Alma Mater: William Jewell College (BA)
- Hamilton was born and raised in Missouri and attended William Jewell College in Liberty, MO
- Early basketball coaching roles include two stints (three total seasons) at his alma mater, as well as some time at Central HS in Kansas City
- While at Central, Hamilton coached (in basketball) future Baseball Hall of Famer Casey Stengel; won a city championship
- Spent ten years as the head basketball coach at Kansas, holding a dual role of athletic director for eight of those years
- He took over in 1909 for Phog Allen, who would later replace him in 1919 for a second, much longer stint with the Jayhawks
- During Hamilton’s time at the helm, KU went 125-59 and won five Missouri Valley (MVIAA) league titles
- Hamilton later worked in the private sector, owning and operating a car dealership in Lawrence for many years
W.O. Hamilton Coaching Tree
- Dutch Lonborg (Northwestern, Washburn, McPherson)
