Harold Anderson
American basketball player and coach, college athletics administrator
About Harold Anderson
Lived 1902 – 1967 (aged 64). Harold Anderson was an American basketball coach, basketball player and head coach.
W. Harold Anderson (September 11, 1902 – June 13, 1967) was an American college men's basketball coach at Bowling Green State University and the University of Toledo. As a player, he played at Otterbein College, a small liberal arts college outside Columbus, Ohio. As a coach he was one of the first to win more than 500 games on the collegiate level. Anderson was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1985 and the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.
Early life Anderson was born September 11, 1902, in Akron, Ohio. He attended Akron Central High School, where he played football, baseball, basketball and ran track.
Anderson then coached at Bowling Green State University from 1943 to 1963, with a record of 362–185.
His career collegiate coaching record was 504–226.
While pioneering the run and gun, up-tempo style of play, he developed eleven (all of whom played in the NBA) All-America athletes, including Don Otten, Hall of Fame inductee Nate Thurmond and 1950 NBA draft No. 1 overall pick Chuck Share. the Bowling Green Falcons played basketball in Anderson Arena, named in honor of their coach. The facility is still in use by other university sports. Bowling Green State University Athletics Hall of Fame (1966) Anderson was enshrined in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1985. In 2006, Anderson was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame. Anderson is one of the charter inductees of the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame (2006).
Head coaching record
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Important facts
People in Harold Anderson's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Harold Anderson's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Harold Anderson?
American basketball player and coach, college athletics administrator (1902-1967)
When was Harold Anderson born?
Harold Anderson was born on 11 September 1902 in Akron.
When did Harold Anderson die?
Harold Anderson died on 13 June 1967 in Fort Lauderdale.
What was Harold Anderson's occupation?
Harold Anderson was a basketball coach, basketball player and head coach.
What nationality was Harold Anderson?
Harold Anderson was American.
Sources & further reading
· DBpedia: Harold Anderson (basketball)
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Harold Anderson. https://biography.guide/harold-anderson/
MLA: "Harold Anderson." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/harold-anderson/.
Chicago: "Harold Anderson." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/harold-anderson/.
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