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Portrait of Jim Snyder

Jim Snyder

1919 – 1994

American basketball coach

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About Jim Snyder

Lived 1919 – 1994 (aged 74). Jim Snyder was an American basketball player and basketball coach.

James E. Snyder (June 29, 1919 – April 27, 1994) was a college basketball head coach and former player. He attended Ohio University where he played basketball under head coach Dutch Trautwein. He was an assistant coach under Trautwein for three seasons beginning in 1946. After Trautwein's retirement he became the head coach of the Ohio Bobcats men's basketball team where he remained for 26 years (1949–1974). He amassed 20 winning seasons and led his teams to 7 NCAA tournament appearances (1960, 1961, 1964, 1965, 1970, 1972, and 1974) and one National Invitation Tournament appearance. Snyder's teams compiled a 355-255 record, good for a .581 winning percentage. He is the all time leader in coaching wins at Ohio. He was also an Ohio graduate (Class of 1941), and was a football and basketball star as an undergraduate in the late 1930s and early 1940s. He played for and was an assistant under Dutch Trautwein. He was inducted the Ohio Athletics Hall of Fame in 1967 and the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007. One of his most memorable wins came against the University of Kentucky in the 1964 NCAA tournament, advancing the Ohio Bobcats to the Elite 8. One interesting aspect of this game was that Ohio had an integrated team while Kentucky had one of its last all white teams. Snyder was widely admired throughout the college basketball coaching fraternity as being a coach with great integrity and an engaging personality; he was often referred to as "Gentleman Jim." When he retired he was replaced by his long time assistant Dale Bandy.

Head coaching record

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Education
Ohio University, Clay High School
Also known as
James Snyder

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Jim Snyder's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Jim Snyder?

American basketball coach (1919–1994)

When was Jim Snyder born?

Jim Snyder was born on 29 June 1919 in Canton.

When did Jim Snyder die?

Jim Snyder died on 27 April 1994 in Palatine.

What was Jim Snyder's occupation?

Jim Snyder was a basketball player and basketball coach.

What nationality was Jim Snyder?

Jim Snyder was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Jim Snyder

· Wikidata: Q6198207

· DBpedia: Jim Snyder (coach)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Jim Snyder. https://biography.guide/jim-snyder-basketball-player/

MLA: "Jim Snyder." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/jim-snyder-basketball-player/.

Chicago: "Jim Snyder." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/jim-snyder-basketball-player/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-23 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence

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