Elmer Ripley

Elmer Ripley
Sport(s) Basketball
Biographical details
Born (1892-07-21)July 21, 1892
Staten Island, New York
Died April 29, 1982(1982-04-29) (aged 89)
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
19221925 Wagner
19271929 Georgetown
19291935 Yale
19381943 Georgetown
19431945 Columbia
19451946 Notre Dame
19461949 Georgetown
19491951 John Carroll
19511953 Army
Head coaching record
Overall 301226 (college)
Basketball Hall of Fame
Inducted in 1973 (profile)

Elmer H. Ripley (July 21, 1891 April 29, 1982) was an American college men's and professional basketball coach. In over 30 years, he coached collegiately at seven different schools as well as professionally for several teams.

Early life

Ripley was born in Staten Island, New York on July 21, 1891. After graduating from local Curtis High School, he attended Brown University.

Playing career

Considered to be one of the great basketball coaches of the last century, Ripley began his career as a player before making the switch to coach in 1922. At age 19, Ripley decided to leave Brown to play basketball professionally with the Interstate League Brooklyn Trolly Dodgers, the New York League's Utica Utes and the "Original Celtics" club. Ripley would enjoy numerous achievements including being voted among the ten best pro players from 1909 to 1926.

Coaching career

After playing, he went on to coach basketball at several major American universities and traveled the world teaching the game. Ripley began his first professional coaching tenure with Wagner College in 1922, before moving into a position at Georgetown University in 1927. His skills as a coach were evident as he won 12 of his first 13 games. During his many years with the Georgetown, he achieved a 13382 record and lead the Hoyas to the NCAA tournament twice. Ripley was in high demand and was hired away by several prestigious colleges including Columbia University, University of Notre Dame, and Yale University, which he coached to the 1933 Ivy League championship.

After leaving Georgetown for good in 1949, Ripley coached the Harlem Globetrotters (19531956), the Israeli Olympic team (1956) and the Canadian Olympic team (1960). Held in high regard, the U.S. Committee for Sports sent Ripley to Israel in 1957 to teach basketball. Ripley continued to coach through his 80th birthday and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1973.

Ripley died on April 29, 1982 at the age of 89.

Head coaching record

Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Wagner Seahawks (Independent) (1922–1925)
1922–23 Wagner 6-6
1923–24 Wagner 8-8
1924–25 Wagner 9-8
Wagner: 23–22 (.511)
Georgetown Hoyas (Independent) (1927–1929)
1927–28 Georgetown 12-1
1928–29 Georgetown 12-5
Georgetown: 24–6 (.800)
Yale Bulldogs (Eastern Intercollegiate Basketball League) (1929–1935)
1929–30 Yale 13-8 4-6 T-3rd
1930–31 Yale 15-8 6-4 T-2nd
1931–32 Yale 10-12 1-9 6th
1932–33 Yale 19-3 8-2 1st
1933–34 Yale 14-9 7-5 T-3rd
1934–35 Yale 11-10 5-7 4th
Yale: 82–50 (.621) 31–33 (.484)
Georgetown Hoyas (Eastern Intercollegiate Conference) (1938–1939)
1938–39 Georgetown 13-9 6-4 T-1st
Georgetown Hoyas (Independent) (1939–1943)
1939–40 Georgetown 8-10
1940–41 Georgetown 16-4
1941–42 Georgetown 9-11
1942–43 Georgetown 22-5 NCAA Runner-Up
Georgetown: 68–39 (.381) 6–4 (.600)
Columbia Lions (Eastern Intercollegiate Basketball League) (1943–1945)
1943–44 Columbia 7-9 2-6 T-3rd
1944–45 Columbia 9-10 1-5 4th
Columbia: 16–19 (.457) 3–11 (.214)
Notre Dame Fighting Irish (Independent) (1945–1946)
1945–46 Notre Dame 17-4
Notre Dame: 17–4 (.810)
Georgetown Hoyas (Independent) (1946–1949)
1946–47 Georgetown 17-4
1947–48 Georgetown 13-15
1948–49 Georgetown 9-15
Georgetown: 39–34 (.534)
John Carroll Blue Streaks (Independent) (1949–1951)
1949–50 John Carroll 9-11
1950–51 John Carroll 2-21
John Carroll: 11–32 (.256)
Army Black Knights (Independent) (1951–1953)
1951–52 Army 8-9
1952–53 Army 11-8
Army: 19–17 (.528)
Total: 301–226 (.571)

      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

References

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