Burl Friddle
From Hoopedia
Burl Friddle graduated from Franklin High School in 1921. He was a member of Franklin’s “Wonder Five” that won the state basketball title in 1920 and 1921. He went on to lead Franklin College to an undefeated season and a national title in 1923.
After graduating from Franklin in 1925, Washington (Indiana) High School hired Burl to coach the “Old Gold and Black.” He was instrumental in the official name change to the Hatchets at the beginning of the 1925-26 season.
In 1930, he coached the Hatchets to their first state basketball championship. After eleven seasons and 192 wins at Washington High School, Friddle moved on to Fort Wayne South Side in 1935-36. His 192 wins rank at the top of Washington’s coaching victory list. His teams won ten sectionals, five regionals and a state championship at WHS. He coached another state championship team in 1938 with Fort Wayne South Side.
Friddle coached for two seasons (1942-43 and 1943-44) at the University of Toledo. Former Washington Hatchets Charles Harmon and Art Grove paced his 1943 team to a second place finish in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT), at the time the most prominent postseason tourney in the nation.
He later coached professional basketball for the Indianapolis Jets of the National Basketball Association. He was hired after his predecessor, player-coach Bruce Hale was fired, following a 4-13 start. Under Friddle the team improved to a 14-29 record through the remainder of the season. It was not enough to prevent the team's demise at the conclusion of the season.
Burl was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 1969.
