| Curly Armstrong | |
| Position: | Forward / guard |
| Height Ft: | 5 |
| Height In: | 11 |
| Weight Lb: | 170 |
| Number: | 31, 3 |
| Birth Date: | 1 November 1918 |
| Birth Place: | Fort Wayne, Indiana, U.S. |
| Death Place: | Fort Wayne, Indiana, U.S. |
| High School: | Central (Fort Wayne, Indiana) |
| College: | Indiana (1938–1941) |
| Career Start: | 1941 |
| Career End: | 1951 |
| Years1: | 1941–1943, 1945– |
| Team1: | Fort Wayne Pistons |
| Cyears1: | 1947 |
| Cteam1: | Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons (interim HC) |
| Cyears2: | 1948–1949 |
| Cteam2: | Fort Wayne Pistons |
| Cyears3: | 1951–1953 |
| Cteam3: | Wabash |
| Highlights: |
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Paul Carlyle "Curly" Armstrong (November 1, 1918 – June 6, 1983) was an American professional basketball player and coach.[1] [2]
A 5'11" guard/forward, Armstrong starred at Central High School in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where he reached two state championship games while leading his team to a 50–6 record. In the late 1930s and early 1940s, Armstrong attended Indiana University, earning All-Big Ten Conference honors during his junior year. He then played, and briefly coached, for the Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons professional basketball team (today's Detroit Pistons). In 1943, he was named the World Professional Basketball Tournament's Most Valuable Player.[3] He was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 1980.
He was head basketball coach at Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana, for two seasons. His record in 1951–52 was 10 wins and 10 losses. His record in 1952–53 was 9 wins and 10 losses.
| Legend | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Games played | FG% | Field-goal percentage | ||
| FT% | Free-throw percentage | RPG | Rebounds per game | ||
| APG | Assists per game | PPG | Points per game | ||
| Bold | Career high | ||||
| Year | Team | GP | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948–49 | Fort Wayne | 52 | .306 | .698 | – | 2.0 | 7.3 |
| Fort Wayne | 63 | .279 | .705 | – | 2.8 | 7.3 | |
| Fort Wayne | 38 | .310 | .644 | 2.3 | 2.0 | 5.3 | |
| Career | 153 | .295 | .692 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 6.8 | |
| Year | Team | GP | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | Fort Wayne | 3 | .182 | .250 | – | 2.0 | 3.0 |
| 1951 | Fort Wayne | 3 | .368 | 1.000 | 2.3 | 1.7 | 5.0 |
| Career | 6 | .268 | .400 | 2.3 | 1.8 | 4.0 | |