Ken Loeffler
From Hoopedia
Kenneth D. Loeffler (April 14, 1902 – January 1, 1975) was an American collegiate and professional basketball coach. He is best known for guiding the La Salle University men's basketball team to the 1954 NCAA Division I Men's Tournament Championship and the 1952 National Invitation Tournament (NIT) Championship.
After earning a Bachelor's degree at Pennsylvania State University (1920-24), Loeffler played for the Second Story Morrys, one of the best pro teams in the Pittsburgh area. The Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania native then began his collegiate coaching career at Geneva College (1928-34). In 1934 he became basketball head coach at Yale University, and also assistant coach to the football and baseball varsity. While at Yale, Loeffler found the time to attend Yale Law School; Gerald Ford was one of his law school classmates and also a roommate.
During World War II he served in the U.S. Air Force. After the war Loeffler began coaching pro teams in the Basketball Association of America, the forerunner of the NBA. First with the St. Louis Bombers (1946-48), then the Providence Steamrollers (1948-49).
In 1949 he returned to the college ranks when he became head coach at La Salle. With players like future Hall of Famer Tom Gola, Loeffler's La Salle teams went on to dominate college basketball over half a decade in the early 1950s. In six seasons at La Salle, Loeffler led the Explorers to a post-season appearance in every single season. Under Loeffler, La Salle made four trips to the NIT (before it was considered "second-rate") and two visits to the NCAA Tournament. In 1955 Loeffler moved on to become the head coach at Texas A&M College. Accused of recruiting violations, Loeffler resigned in 1958 and became a college law teacher.
In 1955 he wrote (with Ralph Bernstein) Ken Loeffler on Basketball.
In 1964, Loeffler was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach. He is also a member of the Beaver County Sports Hall of Fame.
