Ward Lambert
{{Short description|American basketball and baseball coach}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox college coach
| name = Ward Lambert
| image = Ward Lambert 1942.jpeg
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1888|5|28}}
| birth_place = Deadwood, Dakota Territory, U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1958|1|20|1888|5|28}}
| death_place = Lafayette, Indiana, U.S.
| alma_mater =
| player_sport1 = Football
| player_years2 = 1909
| player_team2 = Wabash
| player_sport3 = Basketball
| player_years4 = 1909–1911
| player_team4 = Wabash
| player_sport5 = Baseball
| player_years6 = {{circa}} 1910
| player_team6 = Wabash
| player_positions = Guard (basketball)
Shortstop (baseball)
| coach_sport1 = Basketball
| coach_years2 = 1912–1916
| coach_team2 = Lebanon HS
| coach_years3 = 1916–1917
| coach_team3 = Purdue
| coach_years4 = 1918–1946
| coach_team4 = Purdue
| coach_sport5 = Baseball
| coach_years6 = 1917
| coach_team6 = Purdue
| coach_years7 = 1919–1935
| coach_team7 = Purdue
| coach_years8 = 1945–1946
| coach_team8 = Purdue
| admin_years1 = 1946–1949
| admin_team1 = NBL (commissioner)
| overall_record = 371–152 (college basketball)
163–158–7 (college baseball)
| bowl_record =
| tournament_record =
| championships = Basketball
Helms Athletic Foundation National (1932)
Premo-Porretta National (1932)
11× Big Ten
| awards =
| coaching_records =
| BASKHOF_year = 1960
| CBBASKHOF_year = 2006
| BASKHOF_id = ward-l-lambert
}}
Ward Louis "Piggy" Lambert (May 28, 1888 – January 20, 1958) was an American basketball and baseball coach. He served as the head basketball coach at Purdue University during the 1916–17 season and from 1918 to 1946. Lambert was also the head baseball coach at Purdue in 1917, from 1919 to 1935, and from 1945 to 1946. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1960.
Early life and playing career
Lambert was born in Deadwood, South Dakota. In 1890, Lambert and his family moved to Crawfordsville, Indiana. He played basketball and baseball at Crawfordsville High School and Wabash College, both under coach Ralph Jones, who himself went on to coach Purdue in 1909.[https://www.hoopshall.com/news/2010/08/09/history-magazine/indiana-basketball-history-magazine-summer-2010/ The Career of Ralph Jones A lesser-known Indiana coaching legend] Football coach Jesse Harper took over as Lambert's basketball coach in 1910 following the departure of Ralph Jones.[http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_iii/ncac/wabash/coaching_records.php Wabash College coaching records] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101121010223/http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_iii/ncac/wabash/coaching_records.php |date=November 21, 2010 }} Despite his height (5'6"), Lambert led Wabash in scoring his sophomore year—leading to his nickname "Piggy" for hogging the ball. Another telling states that, while playing baseball at Wabash, Lambert used his position as shortstop to hog the ball. He graduated from Wabash College in 1911.
Coaching career
Lambert began his coaching career at Lebanon High School from 1912 to 1916, amassing a record of 69–18 (.793) a Sectional title and 3 other post-season appearances; including a berth in the State Semi-Finals in 1913–14.{{cite web|url=http://www.bccn.boone.in.us/LPL/departments/heritage/archive/sports/lebanonbb10-10.pdf|title=Lebanon High School Basketball, 1910–2010|publisher=Lebanon Public Library}} Lambert coached Purdue University (1916–17, 1918–1946) to a 371–152 record in 29 seasons, including 11 Big Ten Conference titles. His teams were noted for their speed and effective use of fast breaks, which he developed. Among his players were Stretch Murphy and John Wooden. Lambert missed the 1917–18 season to serve in the United States Army during World War I. Meanwhile, J. J. Maloney, an attorney from Crawfordsville, Indiana, filled in and guided the Boilermakers to an 11–5 record. Lambert's 1931–32 team finished the season with a 17–1 record{{cite web| title =Purdue Boilermakers season-by-season results| work =sports-reference.com| publisher =Sports Reference LLC| year=2014| url =https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/purdue/| access-date =June 17, 2014}} and was retroactively named the national champion by the Helms Athletic Foundation and the Premo-Porretta Power Poll.{{cite web| title =NCAA Division I Men's Basketball – NCAA Division I Champions| publisher =Rauzulu's Street| year=2004| url =http://www.rauzulusstreet.com/basketball/college/helmscollegechampionship.htm| access-date =June 17, 2014}}{{cite book|title=ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia: The Complete History of the Men's Game|editor-last=ESPN|publisher=ESPN Books|location=New York, NY|year=2009|page=542|isbn=978-0-345-51392-2}} He coached 16 All-Americans and 31 first team All-Big Ten selections. Lambert Fieldhouse (originally known as Purdue Fieldhouse), the facility used for home basketball games prior to the construction of Mackey Arena, was renamed in his honor.
Lambert is now third on Purdue's all-time wins list behind Gene Keady and current head coach Matt Painter.
Lambert also coached Purdue's baseball team in 1917, from 1919 to 1935, and from 1945 to 1946. Lambert Field, Purdue's former baseball stadium, is also named for Lambert.[http://www.purduesports.com/facilities/lambert-field.html Lambert Field (Baseball)] at purduesports.com, URL accessed October 24, 2009. [https://web.archive.org/web/20110104005801/http://www.purduesports.com/facilities/lambert-field.html Archived] 10/24/09 He was listed as a scout for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball in 1948.[https://archive.org/stream/baseballguiderec1948stlo#page/n7/mode/2up Spink, J.G. Taylor, ed., 1948 Official Baseball Guide and Record Book. St. Louis]: The Sporting News
Administrative career, writing, and honors
Following his retirement from Purdue, he served as Commissioner of the National Basketball League during the final three years (1946–1949) of that league's tenure and was instrumental in its merger with the Basketball Association of America to form the National Basketball Association.
Lambert wrote Practical Basketball in 1932, one of the first "bibles" of the game. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1960 and the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.
Head coaching record
=College basketball=
{{CBB Yearly Record Start
|type=coach
|conference=
|postseason=
|poll=no
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
|name = Purdue Boilermakers
|conference = Western Conference
|startyear=1916
|endyear=1917
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1916–17
| name = Purdue
| overall = 11–3
| conference = 7–2
| confstanding = 3rd
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
|name = Purdue Boilermakers
|conference = Big Ten Conference
|startyear=1918
|endyear=1946
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1918–19
| name = Purdue
| overall = 6–8
| conference = 4–7
| confstanding = T–7th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1919–20
| name = Purdue
| overall = 16–4
| conference = 8–2
| confstanding = 2nd
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| season = 1920–21
| name = Purdue
| overall = 13–7
| conference = 8–4
| confstanding = T–1st
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| season = 1921–22
| name = Purdue
| overall = 15–3
| conference = 8–1
| confstanding = 1st
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1922–23
| name = Purdue
| overall = 9–6
| conference = 7–5
| confstanding = T–4th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1923–24
| name = Purdue
| overall = 12–5
| conference = 7–5
| confstanding = T–4th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1924–25
| name = Purdue
| overall = 9–5
| conference = 7–4
| confstanding = 4th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| season = 1925–26
| name = Purdue
| overall = 13–4
| conference = 8–4
| confstanding = T–1st
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1926–27
| name = Purdue
| overall = 12–5
| conference = 9–3
| confstanding = T–2nd
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| season = 1927–28
| name = Purdue
| overall = 15–2
| conference = 10–2
| confstanding = 1st
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1928–29
| name = Purdue
| overall = 13–4
| conference = 9–3
| confstanding = 3rd
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| season = 1929–30
| name = Purdue
| overall = 13–2
| conference = 10–0
| confstanding = 1st
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1930–31
| name = Purdue
| overall = 12–5
| conference = 8–4
| confstanding = T–2nd
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = national
| season = 1931–32
| name = Purdue
| overall = 17–1
| conference = 11–1
| confstanding = 1st
| postseason = Helms National Champion
Premo-Porretta National Champion
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1932–33
| name = Purdue
| overall = 11–7
| conference = 6–6
| confstanding = T–5th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| season = 1933–34
| name = Purdue
| overall = 17–3
| conference = 10–2
| confstanding = 1st
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| season = 1934–35
| name = Purdue
| overall = 17–3
| conference = 9–3
| confstanding = T–1st
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| season = 1935–36
| name = Purdue
| overall = 16–4
| conference = 11–1
| confstanding = T–1st
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1936–37
| name = Purdue
| overall = 15–5
| conference = 8–4
| confstanding = 4th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| season = 1937–38
| name = Purdue
| overall = 18–2
| conference = 10–2
| confstanding = 1st
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1938–39
| name = Purdue
| overall = 12–7
| conference = 6–6
| confstanding = 5th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| season = 1939–40
| name = Purdue
| overall = 16–4
| conference = 10–2
| confstanding = 1st
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1940–41
| name = Purdue
| overall = 13–7
| conference = 6–6
| confstanding = 6th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1941–42
| name = Purdue
| overall = 14–7
| conference = 9–6
| confstanding = T–5th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1942–43
| name = Purdue
| overall = 9–11
| conference = 6–6
| confstanding = T–4th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1943–44
| name = Purdue
| overall = 11–10
| conference = 8–4
| confstanding = T–4th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1944–45
| name = Purdue
| overall = 9–11
| conference = 6–6
| confstanding = 4th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1945–46
| name = Purdue
| overall = 10–11
| conference = 4–8
| confstanding = 8th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Purdue
| overall = {{Winning percentage|374|156|record=y}}
| confrecord = {{Winning percentage|223|105|record=y}}
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record End
|overall={{Winning percentage|374|156|record=y}}
|poll=no
}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Basketballhof|ward-l-lambert|Ward Lambert}}
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{{Purdue Boilermakers men's basketball coach navbox}}
{{Purdue Boilermakers baseball coach navbox}}
{{Basketball Hall of Fame coaches}}
{{1960 Basketball HOF}}
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lambert, Ward}}
Category:American men's basketball coaches
Category:American men's basketball players
Category:United States Army personnel of World War I
Category:American sports executives and administrators
Category:Baseball players from Indiana
Category:Basketball coaches from Indiana
Category:Basketball executives
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Category:College men's basketball head coaches in the United States
Category:Crawfordsville High School alumni
Category:High school basketball coaches in the United States
Category:Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductees
Category:National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame inductees
Category:New York Yankees scouts
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Category:Players of American football from Indiana
Category:Purdue Boilermakers baseball coaches
Category:Purdue Boilermakers men's basketball coaches
Category:United States Army officers
Category:Wabash Little Giants baseball players
Category:Wabash Little Giants basketball players