Harry Litwack

Harry Litwak
Sport(s) Basketball
Biographical details
Born September 20, 1907
Poland
Died August 7, 1999 (aged 91)
Playing career
1927-1930 Temple
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1952–1973 Temple
Head coaching record
Overall 373–193 (.659)
Tournaments NCAA: 7-6 (.538)
NIT: 9-6 (.600)
Accomplishments and honors

Championships

2x NCAA Final Four (1956, 1958)
NIT Champion (1969)
2x MAC Champion (1964, 1972)

Awards

1921 Helms Foundation All-American
Basketball Hall of Fame
Inducted in 1976 (profile)

Harold "Chief" Litwack (September 20, 1907 – August 7, 1999) was a college men's basketball coach. He served as head coach of Temple University from 1947 to 1973, compiling a 373-193 record.

Litwack was born in Poland, but raised in Philadelphia, USA. He graduated from Temple in 1930. He began his coaching career at Simon Gratz High School (1930–31), then he became head coach of the freshman team at Temple. Meanwhile he was playing pro basketball with Eddie Gottlieb's all-Jewish Philadelphia Sphas, from 1930 to 1936. After he became head coach at Temple in 1947, he also served briefly as assistant coach for the Philadelphia Warriors (1948–51).

Head coaching record

Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Temple Owls (Independent) (1952–1958)
1952-1953 Temple 16-10
1953-1954 Temple 15-12
1954-1955 Temple 11-10
1955-1956 Temple 27-4 NCAA Third Place
1956-1957 Temple 20-9
1957-1958 Temple 27-3 NCAA Third Place
Temple Owls (Middle Atlantic Conference) (1958–1964)
1958-1959 Temple 6-19 4-7 9th
1959-1960 Temple 17-9 9-2 3rd NIT First Round
1960-1961 Temple 20-8 9-1 2nd NIT Quarterfinals
1961-1962 Temple 18-9 8-2 2nd NIT Quarterfinals
1962-1963 Temple 15-7 6-3 4th
1963-1964 Temple 17-8 6-1 1st NCAA First Round
Temple Owls (Independent) (1964–1969)
1964-1965 Temple 14-10
1965-1966 Temple 21-7 NIT Quarterfinals
1966-1967 Temple 20-8 NCAA First Round
1967-1968 Temple 19-9 NIT First Round
1968-1969 Temple 22-8 NIT Champions
Temple Owls (Middle Atlantic Conference) (1969–1973)
1969-1970 Temple 15-13 2-3 T-3rd (Eastern) NCAA First Round
1970-1971 Temple 13-12 3-3 4th (Eastern)
1971-1972 Temple 23-8 6-0 1st (Eastern) NCAA First Round
1972-1973 Temple 17-10 5-1 2nd (Eastern)
Temple: 373-193 58-23
Total: 373-193

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

See also