| Glenn M. Curtiss | |
|---|---|
| Sport(s) | Basketball |
| Current position | |
| Title | Head coach |
| Team | Indiana State |
| Biographical details | |
| Born | May 19, 1890 |
| Place of birth | Eminence, Indiana, U.S. |
| Died | December 10, 1958 (aged 68) |
| Place of death | Martinsville, Indiana, USA |
| Playing career | |
| 1908-1912 | Indiana State |
| Position(s) | Reserve |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1917-18 1918 1919-1938 1938–1946 1946-1947 1947-1948 |
Lebanon Tigers Mooresville Pioneers Martinsville Artesians Indiana State Detroit Falcons (basketball) Indianapolis Jets |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| 1946 Midwest Invitational | |
| Awards | |
| 1964 Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame 1998 Indiana State University Athletics Hall of Fame |
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Glenn M. Curtis is a former Head Basketball Coach. He was the Head Coach at Indiana State University from 1938-1946. He won 120+ games and led the Sycamores to three NAIA Tournaments, reaching the National Finals in 1946. The Sycamores also won the Midwest Invitational Tourney in 1946. His career collegiate record is: 122-45 (.724).
Contents |
| Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana State (Indiana Intercollegiate Conference) (1938–1946) | |||||||||
| 1938–1939 | Indiana State | 10-9 | unk | unk | None | ||||
| 1939–1940 | Indiana State | 15-3 | 8-2 | unk | None | ||||
| 1940–1941 | Indiana State | 11-8 | unk | unk | None | ||||
| 1941-1942 | Indiana State | 17-4 | unk | unk | 1942 NAIA Third Round | ||||
| 1942-1943 | Indiana State | 13-4 | 6-2 | unk | 1943 NAIA First Round | ||||
| 1943–1944 | Indiana State | 17-4 | 6-4 | unk | None | ||||
| 1944-1945 | Indiana State | 18-6 | 4-2 | unk | None | ||||
| 1945-1946 | Indiana State | 21-7 | 4-2 | unk | 1946 NAIA National Finalist | ||||
| Total: | 122-45 (.724) | ||||||||
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National champion Conference regular season champion Conference tournament champion |
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He finished his career as the leader in wins (he currently stands at # 3) and recommended his old high school player and protégé John Wooden as his successor. He also was the Athletic Director during his tenure.
Prior to becoming a collegiate coach; Curtis, known as the 'Ole Fox' by his peers; spent 21 years as a Indiana High School coach; his first year as head coach came at Lebanon High School in Lebanon, Indiana. During his this one-year stint, he went 28-2 (.933) and won the 1918 State Championship. He then moved to Mooresville, Indiana, where he spent one semester, coaching approximately 10 games. At the Christmas break, he moved to nearby Martinsville, Indiana and became simply, a legend.
His Martinsville Artesians won 396 games and lost 139 (.740). During his tenure (1919–1938), they won 16 sectionals and 14 regionals and three State Championship. Coaching such players, as John Wooden and fellow Indiana Basketball Hall of Famers; Lester Reynolds and Arnold Suddith, he won State titles in 1924, 1927, and 1933, with Wooden the star in 1927. The Artesians lost the State Championship in 1926 and 1928. In the five years from 1924–1928, they were in the State Championship game every year but 1925.
He was the first Indiana High School Coach (and one of four) to win four State Championship. He was the co-Head Coach with Tony Hinkle of the first Indiana all-star team to play Kentucky; he coached six Indianapolis Star All-star teams. He never had a losing season as a coach; in 19 years at Martinsville, his teams won 16 Sectionals (Opening Round of the State Playoffs) and 14 Regionals (equivalent to making the NCAA Sweet Sixteen.)
He returned to the high school ranks as the Martinsville Superintendent of Schools from 1948-1955. He died in 1958.[1]
He moved on to the professional ranks; briefly coaching the Detroit Falcons of the Basketball Association of America; this season with the Falcons was his first losing season as a Head Coach, the Falcons finished fourth in the Western Division standings with a record of 12-22.[2] He later coached the Indianapolis Jets of the National Basketball League for one season, finishing with a record of 24-35 but making the playoffs, where they lost the opening round series 1 game to 3. The Jets then joined the Basketball Association of America but Curtis' retired from coaching to return to Martinsville as the Superintendent of Schools.[3]
| Years | School | Wins | Losses | Pct. | Highlight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1917-1918 | Lebanon Tigers | 28 | 2 | .933 | STATE CHAMPION - 1918 |
| 1918 | Mooresville Pioneers | unk. | unk. | unk. | Coached ~ 10 games |
| 1919-1938 | Martinsville Artesians | 396 | 139 | .740 | STATE CHAMPION - 1924, 1927, 1933 |
21 seasons 3 schools 424 - 141 ; 4 State Titles (1918, 1924, 1927, 1933)
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