Branch mccracken 1982 indiana university athletics hall. He compiled a 450231 record during his time between ball state and indiana university. At indiana, watson helped the iu baseball team to the big ten title in 1948. Upon returning from the war, played for hof coach branch mccracken at. Oct 17, 2018 he came to indiana from southern indiana. Mccracken was a farm boy from monrovia, about 40 miles from the i. Indiana finished last in the big ten in 1966 something that never happened under mccracken. But mccracken took ill and never made the trip to madison. Installed 2017 indiana historical bureau and monroegregg school district. The 196667 indiana hoosiers basketball squad was in many ways unique. Feb 14, 2010 take, for example, lou watson, who was a fine coach at indiana but didnt win national championships like his predecessor branch mccracken or his successor bob knight.
Indiana university ba, 1950 after graduating from jeffersonville hs in, watson served the united states in wwii upon returning from the war, played for hof coach branch mccracken at indiana. Indiana hoosiers index college basketball at sports. It was watson who succeeded the legendary branch mccracken in 1966, and it was watson who was followed in 1971 by bob knight. Before he was a coach, mccracken attended indiana university from 19261930 and played basketball for thencoach everett dean. Branch mccracken retired in 1965 after winning two ncaa championships with the indiana hoosiers and four conference times during that span. Lou watson, who played at indiana for branch mccracken, would take over for his coach following the 6465 season.
Mccracken coached indianas hoosiers from 1938, when he succeeded everett dean, to 1965 when he retired and turned over to his assistant, lou watson. Nov 27, 2006 watson lucky to have coached between two legends at indianacatching up with. Medical certificate of death, e branch mccracken, june 4, 1970, indiana state board of health, accessed. After the war was over, lou watson finally enrolled at indiana university. Dean coached mccracken, a native of monrovia, to allamerica status during his undergraduate years from 1926 to 1930. Branch mccracken june 9, 1908 june 4, 1970 was the coach of the iu. Unfortunately, indiana never made the ncaa tournament and good couldnt sustain what branch mccracken started, eventually giving the job back to mccracken in 1946. New iu head coach and former star player lou watson struggled to replace mccracken and the van arsdales in his first season. Mccracken had decided to retire following the 196465 season after 24 seasons in bloomington. He did everything an iu player needs to do to be remembered as a legend in bloomington. Watson, a star basketball and baseball player at iu, graduated in 1950 and became an assistant to his mentor, legendary iu coach branch mccracken, in 1958. His experience and age helped kick start his collegiate basketball. Lou watson s career as an indiana university player.
May 24, 2012 lou watsons career as an indiana university player. Join facebook to connect with louann mccracken and others you may know. Watson is best known as the guy who came in between mccracken and. With attendance in decline, watson engineered the turnaround along with butch joyner and vernon payne.
And also on that team was lou watson, and lou later became branch mccrackens assistant coach. Indiana has won five ncaa championships in mens basketball 1940, 1953, 1976, 1981. To be sure, there were a couple interim coaches during that 48 year span. His teams won the ncaa national tournament in 1940 and 1953, the big 10 in 53 and 54 and 58 and were cochampions in 57. Apr 27, 2012 unfortunately, indiana never made the ncaa tournament and good couldnt sustain what branch mccracken started, eventually giving the job back to mccracken in 1946. Assistant coach lou watson, leroy johnson, herb lee, gene flowers, stan hill 3rd row. Cage coach 364174 in 24 seasons, indianapolis star, june 5, 1970, 43. Lou watson, the man who followed branch mccracken and preceded bob knight as head coach at indiana, has died at the age of 88. Dick van arsdale, the twin brother of tom van arsdale, was a threeyear starter from 196265 at indiana under branch mccracken. Lou watson played under head coach branch mccracken for all four years of his college career. Lou watson was the head mens basketball coach for the indiana hoosiers, winning. The greatest iu basketball player of alltime bracket. Watson compiled a 6260 record on the position before stepping down in 1971.
Charley mcdaniel 1982 indiana university athletics. File photo the 197172 season was always going to mark a new chapter in indiana basketball. Watson, everett dean, branch mccracken, bob knight and mike davis are the only iu coaches to win a regular season big ten championship. May 29, 2012 at iu, watson helped the iu baseball team to the big ten title in 1948. According to the associated press, he passed away thursday in fairfax. Mar 30, 2020 schlundt defeated lou watson in the round of 64. Branch mccracken june 9, 1908 june 4, 1970 was an american basketball player and coach. Watson august 31, 1924 may 24, 2012 was an american basketball player and. He was also a starter all four years with the basketball team under coach branch mccracken, earning first team allbig ten and allamerican honors as a senior in 1950. Mccrackens indiana hoosiers teams twice won the ncaa championship, in 1940 and 1953. Jun 26, 2018 new iu head coach and former star player lou watson struggled to replace mccracken and the van arsdales in his first season. This is especially the case with coaches branch mccracken, lou watson, and bob knight.
All former iu players, and mccracken and watson each took over for their former coach. Apr 20, 2020 obremskey was a standout under branch mccracken at indiana, ranking second on the team in scoring 12. Indiana university ba, 1950 after graduating from jeffersonville hs in, watson served the united states in wwii upon returning from the. Obremskey was a standout under branch mccracken at indiana, ranking second on the team in scoring 12. His indiana university hoosiers won 3 big 10 titles, 1 cochampionship and 8 runnerup spots. And also on that team was lou watson, and lou later became branch mccracken s assistant coach. He led the hoosiers to a big ten cochampionship in 1967, finishing with a 6260 record. He graduated from jeffersonville high school in jeffersonville, indiana in 1943.
And then after mccracken retired in 1965, lou watson was the head coach until bobby knight. Branch mccracken hall of fame coach coaches database. The gap in tenure is because he took a leave of absence in spring of 1943 to serve in world war ii. Mccracken s indiana hoosiers teams twice won the ncaa championship, in 1940 and 1953. Former indiana leading scorer, hoosier head coach lou. Before he was a coach, mccracken attended indiana university from. He was also a starter all four years with the basketball team under coach branch mccracken. Charles, missouri, passed away on monday, march 12, 2018 at the age of 87. A former player and assistant under branch mccracken, lou watson was ius coach for five seasons.
Lou watsons career as an indiana university player. Lou watson archives collegebasketballtalk nbc sports. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and connected. Chestnut st, monrovia, outside the monrovia branch of the morgan county public library morgan county, indiana. The indiana hoosiers mens basketball team is the intercollegiate mens basketball program representing indiana university iu. At 65, he was one of the college games first big guards. Watson lucky to have coached between two legends at indiana.
May 27, 2012 lou watson, the man who followed branch mccracken and preceded bob knight as head coach at indiana, has died at the age of 88. Take, for example, lou watson, who was a fine coach at indiana but didnt win national championships like his predecessor branch mccracken or his successor bob knight. Watson lucky to have coached between two legends at. Frank radovich, bill balch, ron horn, glen butte 4th row. Branch mccracken would be replaced by a coach named lou watson. Indianas ernie andres, walt bellamy, archie dees 1957 and 1958, bill garrett, ralph hamilton, marv huffman, slick leonard 1953 and 1954, bill menke, jimmy rayl 1962 and 1963, don schlundt 1953 through 1955, dick van arsdale, tom van arsdale. Lou watson indiana university iu hoosiers basketball history.
Branch mccracken june 9, 1908 june 4, 1970 was the coach of the iu mens basketball team from 19381943, and again from 19461965. Branch mccracken 1982 indiana university athletics. Manager paul pack, leroy gamble, al schlegelmilch, gary long, bob wilkinson, coach branch mccracken 2nd row. Watson, a former player under iu coaching legend branch mccracken, went on to succeed his college coach in the fall of 1965. Guess away, but the river rat was none other then lou watson from jeffersonville, indiana. After college, watson became indianas head coach in 1966. An archived shot of watson appears followed by a shot of a framed picture of knight. Legendary indiana coach branch mccracken, who announced his retirement earlier in the season, was supposed to be coaching his last game. During his first season at the helm 196566, watsons players would use the macgregor uniforms from the previous season. Branch mccracken indiana university basketball history. Watson, a former player under iu coaching legend branch. He graduated from jeffersonville high school in jeffersonville, indiana in 1943 he had a team called the cardiac kids in 19661967 because they had. He would be connected to his hall of fame basketball coach branch mccracken.
Emmett branch mccracken 19081970 find a grave memorial. Watson filled the space in between, and younger fans might even look back at him as a temporary coach who simply took care of the program until the next legend arrived. Former indiana leading scorer, hoosier head coach lou watson. Mccracken had a winning record against every other team in the big 10. At iu, watson helped the iu baseball team to the big ten title in 1948. He served as the head basketball coach at ball state university from 1930 to 1938 and at indiana university bloomington from 1938 to 1943 and again from 1946 to 1965. Mar 08, 2011 legendary indiana coach branch mccracken, who announced his retirement earlier in the season, was supposed to be coaching his last game. Branch mccracken indiana university basketball history iu. Curly armstrong fort wayne pistons bobby slick leonard indiana pacers, baltimore bullets jay mccreary lsu, depauw frank radovich georgia southern herm schaefer indianapolis olympians lou watson indiana. Lou watsonby lynn houser, heraldtimes sports writernovember 27, 2006indianas cardiac kids were hard on. The hoosiers play on branch mccracken court at the assembly hall in bloomington, indiana on the iu campus.
Watson was also the team mvp as a junior and senior. Instead, his successor, assistant coach lou watson, got an early start on the job. His experience and age helped kick start his collegiate basketball career. Jan 25, 2016 a former player and assistant under branch mccracken, lou watson was ius coach for five seasons. He competed for the hoosiers from 1947 to 1950, and was their leading scorer and a firstteam allbig ten honoree in 1950. The school competes in the big ten conference in division i of the ncaa. During his first season at the helm 196566, watson s players would use the macgregor uniforms from the previous season.