Bill Putnam (basketball) explained

Bill Putnam
Height Ft:6
Height In:0
Weight Lb:210
Birth Date:12 August 1922
Birth Place:San Francisco, California, U.S.
College:UCLA (1943–1945)
Career Position:Guard
Coach Start:1946
Coach End:1962
Career Number:20
Cyears1:1946–1962
Cteam1:UCLA (assistant)
Highlights:As player:

William Charles Putnam[1] (August 12, 1922 – December 12, 1992) was an American college basketball player for the UCLA Bruins. He earned second-team All-American honors in 1945, when he helped lead the Bruins to their first basketball championship, winning the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC) Southern Division title. Putnam was later an assistant coach and assistant athletic director at UCLA. He was inducted into the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame.

Early life

Putnam was born on August 12, 1922,[2] in San Francisco. His father, George, was part owner of the San Francisco Seals baseball team.[3] [4] Putnam's family moved to Sacramento, California, in the early 1930s. Growing up there, he began playing basketball in the 10th grade at McClatchy High School.[5] He was the school's first four-sport athlete, competing also in football, baseball and track and field.[6]

College playing career

Putnam played basketball at Sacramento City College (SCC) from 1940 to 1942, leading the Panthers to two second-place finishes in a then-15-team conference.[7] The 6feet, 210lb guard transferred to the University of California, Los Angeles, to play for the Bruins under coach Wilbur Johns.[6] Putnam and fellow junior college transfer Don Barksdale joined UCLA midseason in 1942–43,[8] following the Bruins' loss of Johnny Fryer, an Army reserve who was called to serve in World War II.[9] While Barksdale played, Johns chose to keep Putnam inactive and preserve a year of his eligibility.[5]

Putnam started at guard for UCLA in 1943–44. As co-captain of the Bruins with Bill Rankin in 1944–45, he helped lead the team to its first basketball championship,[10] winning the PCC Southern Division title with a 34–28 victory over their crosstown rivals, USC.[11] [12] The Bruins were not able to face the Northern Division champion in a playoff due to scheduling conflicts arising from UCLA's roster being all Navy trainees.[13] Putnam was named a second-team All-American by the Helms Athletic Foundation,[14] becoming the UCLA basketball program's second All-American,[15] and he was a unanimous selection to the All-PCC Southern Division team.[16]

Putnam also earned a letter in football in 1944.[6] He was posthumously named to the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame in 1993,[15] and the SCC Men's Basketball Court of Honor in 2001.[7] [17]

Later years

In 1945, Putnam played on the 20th Century-Fox team that advanced to the consolation round of the Amateur Athletic Union's national basketball tournament, finishing in fourth place.[18] [19]

After graduating from college in 1945, Putnam was an assistant coach under Johns for one season in 1946–47, and later under John Wooden from 1948 to 1963.[18] Wooden called him "one of the most loyal, hard-working coaches who ever worked with me".[20] Additionally in 1948, Putnam became an assistant director of athletics under Johns;[21] Putnam was responsible for UCLA athletic teams' travel arrangements.[22] He was also the Bruins' junior varsity head coach for two seasons.[15] He left UCLA in 1963,[21] and started a career in real estate in Southern California.[6] [23]

Putnam died of a heart attack on December 12, 1992,[18] while returning home from a UCLA basketball game at Pauley Pavilion against San Diego. He was 70.[6] [18]

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Clare. Guthrie. W. C. (Bill) Putnam Will Marry Los Angeles Girl On Thursday. June 24, 1946. The Sacramento Bee. 11. July 10, 2023. Newspapers.com. July 10, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230710120807/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sacramento-bee/127776541/. live.
  2. News: Daughter Born on UCLA Coach's Birthday. August 14, 1948. Los Angeles Times. Part III, p.4. July 10, 2023. Newspapers.com. July 10, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230710084743/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/127776733/. live.
  3. News: Braven. Dyer. The Sports Parade. February 15, 1945. Los Angeles Times. Part I, p. 8. July 19, 2023. Newspapers.com. July 19, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230719094856/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/128324306/. live.
  4. News: Death Claims Alfred Putnam, Baseball Mogul. September 8, 1937. The Sacramento Bee. 1, 5. July 19, 2023. Newspapers.com. July 19, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230719094855/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sacramento-bee/128435245/. live.
  5. News: Al. Wolf. Sportstraits. February 16, 1945. Los Angeles Times. Part I, p. 6. July 18, 2023. Newspapers.com. July 18, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230718180749/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/128323913/. live.
  6. News: Obituaries. December 15, 1992. The Sacramento Bee. B5. July 10, 2023. Newspapers.com. July 10, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230710084742/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sacramento-bee/127776327/. live.
  7. News: Sam. Amick. SCC to honor 8 former players. February 6, 2001. The Sacramento Bee. C5. July 10, 2023. Newspapers.com. July 10, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230710100855/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sacramento-bee/127777094/. live.
  8. News: Jaysee Transfers Bolster Bruin Five. February 14, 1943. Los Angeles Times. Part II, p. 10. July 16, 2023. Newspapers.com. July 16, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230716115955/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/128310020/. live.
  9. News: Al. Wolf. Bruin, Trojan Quintets Hit. January 26, 1943. Los Angeles Times. Part I, p. 17. July 16, 2023. Newspapers.com. July 16, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230716115957/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/128309955/. live.
  10. News: Wilbur. Adams. Between The Sport Lines. February 19, 1945. The Sacramento Bee. 12. July 18, 2023. Newspapers.com. July 18, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230718123927/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sacramento-bee/128324148/. live.
  11. Hank. Hersch. IN THE BEGINNING FOR THE FIRST 44 SEASONS, THE STORY OF BASKETBALL AT UCLA WAS ONE OF CHANGE, NOT CHAMPIONSHIPS. April 15, 1995. Sports Illustrated. June 20, 2023. June 20, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230620121841/https://vault.si.com/vault/1995/04/15/in-the-beginning-for-the-first-44-seasons-the-story-of-basketball-at-ucla-was-one-of-change-not-championships. live.
  12. News: Al. Wolf. Bruins Nab Cage Title by Lacing Troy, 34–28. February 18, 1945. Los Angeles Times. Part II, p. 6. July 18, 2023. Newspapers.com. July 18, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230718123929/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/128323194/. live.
  13. News: Bruins Skip Play-offs of Coast Cagers. March 5, 1945. Los Angeles Times. Part II, p. 8. July 18, 2023. Newspapers.com. July 18, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230718125430/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/128323604/. live.
  14. News: Four Cage Aces Again On All-America Five. April 6, 1945. Los Angeles Times. Part II, p.8. July 10, 2023. Newspapers.com. July 10, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230710120808/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/127776462/. live.
  15. Web site: Bill Putnam. UCLA Athletics. July 10, 2023. July 10, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230710095349/https://uclabruins.com/honors/hall-of-fame/bill-putnam/272. live.
  16. News: Three Bruins on All-League Cage Squad. February 22, 1945. Los Angeles Times. 8. July 18, 2023. Newspapers.com. July 18, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230718130933/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/128322720/. live.
  17. Web site: History. Sacramento City College Panthers. July 19, 2023. August 4, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230804015141/https://www.sccpanthers.com/sports/mbkb/history. live.
  18. News: UCLA great dies at age 70. December 14, 1992. The Manhattan Mercury. B3. July 10, 2023. Newspapers.com. July 10, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230710095347/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-manhattan-mercury/127961044/. live.
  19. News: Frank. Crawford. Cessna Bobcats Cop Third Place In Denver Meet. March 25, 1945. The Wichita Eagle. 12. July 10, 2023. Newspapers.com. July 10, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230710103902/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-wichita-eagle/127960942/. live.
  20. Book: John. Wooden. Jack. Tobin. They Cal Me Coach. 1988. Contemporary Books. 117. registration. 0809245914. July 21, 2023. Internet Archive.
  21. News: Putnam Quits UCLA Post. June 6, 1963. Los Angeles Times. Part III, p. 2. July 10, 2023. Newspapers.com. July 10, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230710084741/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/127777009/. live.
  22. News: Wilbur. Adams. Between The Sports Lines. January 28, 1959. The Sacramento Bee. F-1. July 10, 2023. Newspapers.com. July 10, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230710102358/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sacramento-bee/127777063/. live.
  23. News: Wilbur. Adams. Between The Sports Lines. September 9, 1965. The Sacramento Bee. E1. July 10, 2023. Newspapers.com. July 10, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230710102359/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sacramento-bee/127777124/. live.

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