Branch McCracken
American basketball player and coach
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Emmett B. "Branch" McCracken (June 9, 1908 – June 4, 1970) was an American basketball player and coach. He served as the head basketball coach at Ball State University from 1930 to 1938 and at Indiana University Bloomington from 1938 to 1943 and again from 1946 to 1965. At Indiana, McCracken's Hoosiers won the NCAA Championship in 1940 and 1953. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a player in 1960.
Monrovia, Indiana, U.S.
Bloomington, Indiana, U.S.
 | |
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 9, 1908 Monrovia, Indiana, U.S. |
| Died | June 4, 1970 (aged 61) Bloomington, Indiana, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1928–1930 | Indiana |
| Positions | Center, forward, guard |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1930–1938 | Ball State |
| 1938–1943 | Indiana |
| 1946–1965 | Indiana |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 450–231 |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| 2 NCAA tournament (1940, 1953) 4 Big Ten regular season (1953, 1954, 1957, 1958) | |
| Awards | |
| UPI Coach of the Year (1953) Consensus All-American (1930) | |
| Basketball Hall of Fame Inducted in 1960 (profile) | |
| College Basketball Hall of Fame Inducted in 2006 | |
Playing career
After his college career, McCracken played professional basketball for local teams, most notably the Indianapolis Kautskys with John Wooden and Frank Beard. This was often done while he was also coaching or working at another job and involved long car trips.
Indiana coaching career
McCracken's first Indiana team was led by All-American Ernie Andres. In his first year, the team finished 17–3.[1]
In 1960, the Indiana Hoosiers football program and all Indiana varsity sports, including basketball were sanctioned by the NCAA.[2]
McCracken coached at Indiana for 23 years, ending with 364 wins and 210 Big Ten wins.[1] He won four regular season Big Ten titles and went to the NCAA tournament four times, winning two national titles.[1]
Death
McCracken died on June 4, 1970, from heart failure. He was buried at Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Hall, Indiana.[3]
Legacy
McCracken was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a player in 1960. The gymnasium at Monrovia Jr.-Sr. High School is named after him; so is Indiana's court at Assembly Hall.
Head coaching record
| Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ball State Cardinals (Independent) (1930–1938) | |||||||||
| 1930–31 | Ball State | 9–5 | |||||||
| 1931–32 | Ball State | 9–7 | |||||||
| 1932–33 | Ball State | 7–9 | |||||||
| 1933–34 | Ball State | 9–10 | |||||||
| 1934–35 | Ball State | 9–9 | |||||||
| 1935–36 | Ball State | 13–7 | |||||||
| 1936–37 | Ball State | 13–6 | |||||||
| 1937–38 | Ball State | 17–4 | |||||||
| Ball State: | 86–57 (.601) | ||||||||
| Indiana Hoosiers (Big Ten Conference) (1938–1943) | |||||||||
| 1938–39 | Indiana | 17–3 | 9–3 | 2nd | |||||
| 1939–40 | Indiana | 20–3 | 9–3 | 2nd | NCAA Champion | ||||
| 1940–41 | Indiana | 17–3 | 10–2 | 2nd | |||||
| 1941–42 | Indiana | 15–6 | 10–5 | T–2nd | |||||
| 1942–43 | Indiana | 18–2 | 11–2 | 2nd | |||||
| Indiana Hoosiers (Big Ten Conference) (1946–1965) | |||||||||
| 1946–47 | Indiana | 12–8 | 8–4 | T–2nd | |||||
| 1947–48 | Indiana | 8–12 | 3–9 | T–8th | |||||
| 1948–49 | Indiana | 14–8 | 6–6 | T–4th | |||||
| 1949–50 | Indiana | 17–5 | 7–5 | T–3rd | |||||
| 1950–51 | Indiana | 19–3 | 12–2 | 2nd | |||||
| 1951–52 | Indiana | 16–6 | 9–5 | 4th | |||||
| 1952–53 | Indiana | 23–3 | 17–1 | 1st | NCAA Champion | ||||
| 1953–54 | Indiana | 20–4 | 12–2 | 1st | NCAA Sweet 16 | ||||
| 1954–55 | Indiana | 8–14 | 5–9 | T–6th | |||||
| 1955–56 | Indiana | 13–9 | 6–8 | T–6th | |||||
| 1956–57 | Indiana | 14–8 | 10–4 | T–1st | |||||
| 1957–58 | Indiana | 13–11 | 10–4 | 1st | NCAA University Division Sweet 16 | ||||
| 1958–59 | Indiana | 11–11 | 7–7 | T–5th | |||||
| 1959–60 | Indiana | 20–4 | 11–3 | 2nd | |||||
| 1960–61 | Indiana | 15–9 | 8–6 | T–4th | |||||
| 1961–62 | Indiana | 14–9 | 7–7 | T–4th | |||||
| 1962–63 | Indiana | 13–11 | 9–5 | 3rd | |||||
| 1963–64 | Indiana | 9–15 | 5–9 | 8th | |||||
| 1964–65 | Indiana | 19–5 | 9–5 | 4th | |||||
| Indiana: | 364–174 (.677) | 210–116 (.644) | |||||||
| Total: | 450–231 (.661) | ||||||||
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National champion
Postseason invitational champion
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