John Oldham, TTU Sports Hall of Famer and OVC legend, passes away at 97
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – John Oldham, a Tennessee Tech Sports Hall of Famer and legend in the Ohio Valley Conference, recently passed away at the age of 97.
By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – John Oldham, a Tennessee Tech Sports Hall of Famer and legend in the Ohio Valley Conference, recently passed away at the age of 97.
Known for his transformational career as a player, coach and administrator at Western Kentucky University, Oldham got his collegiate coaching start at Tennessee Tech, directing the Golden Eagle men's basketball team from 1955-64.
In nine seasons, he amassed a 118-83 record for a 58.7 winning percentage, the second-highest for a Tech head hoops coach with multiple years at the helm of the program. He led the purple and gold to its only two trips to the NCAA Tournament and three OVC regular-season titles, the most in program history.
His Golden Eagle squads posted just two seasons under .500 while five of his teams won at least 60 percent of its contests. The 1957-58 Tech team represented perhaps his best, boasting a 17-9 record and 8-2 mark in OVC play, capturing the program's first trip to the NCAA Tournament.
Tech's senior leader of the team, TTU Hall of Famer Kenny Sidwell took over the reins from his mentor to lead the Golden Eagles himself from 1964-69. Oldham both coached and recruited another Tech Hall of Famer, the program's all-time leader in rebounds, and Tech's first-ever AP All-American in Jimmy Hagan.
Oldham and Golden Eagles returned to the NCAA Tournament in 1962-63, the team's last visit to the "Big Dance," after securing their third OVC title in eight years behind a 16-8 record and 8-4 mark in league play.
In four years as a student-athlete at Western Kentucky (1942-43 before World War II and 1946-47, 1947-48 and 1948-49 after the war) he earned a place in WKU's 1,000-point club, racking up 1,006 career points, and helped the Hilltoppers to three appearances in the NIT, four conference championships and 102 wins. He was named an All-American by both the United Press International and the Associated Press as a senior in 1949, and he was also named to a spot on the first All-Ohio Valley Conference Team that season.
Oldham returned to his alma mater as head coach in 1964, embarking on an incredible seven-year stretch in Bowling Green, Ky. that saw him compile a 142-40 record. From 1964-71, he led the Hilltoppers to five postseason trips, four conference championships, a Sweet 16 berth and a trip to the 1971 Final Four. Following his coaching career, Oldham took over as WKU's athletic director, serving in the role from 1971-86.
Oldham has been inducted into the Lions Club Kentucky High School Hall of Fame (1969), Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame (1986), Ohio Valley Conference Hall of Fame (1989), Kentucky High School Hall of Fame (1990), Tennessee Tech Sports Hall of Fame (1990), WKU Athletic Hall of Fame (1991) and WKU Hall of Distinguished Alumni (2002).
A private funeral service is set for Monday, Nov. 30, at J.C. Kirby & Son Funeral Chapel on Lover's Lane. Burial, with military honors, will be at Fairview Cemetery. The family is planning a memorial service in the spring.
