| Dale E. Hamilton | |
| Birth Date: | 4 March 1909 |
| Birth Place: | Mena, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Player Sport1: | Basketball |
| Player Years2: | 1930–1933 |
| Player Team2: | Central State (OK) |
| Player Sport3: | Football |
| Player Years4: | 1928–1932 |
| Player Team4: | Central State (OK) |
| Player Positions: | Center, linebacker (football) |
| Coach Sport1: | Football |
| Coach Years2: | 1933 |
| Coach Team2: | Cushing HS (OK) |
| Coach Years3: | 1934 |
| Coach Team3: | Bristow HS (OK) (assistant) |
| Coach Years4: | 1936–1940 |
| Coach Team4: | Central State (OK) (assistant) |
| Coach Years5: | 1941–1942 |
| Coach Team5: | Central State (OK) |
| Coach Years6: | 1946–1949 |
| Coach Team6: | Central State (OK) |
| Coach Years7: | 1952–1957 |
| Coach Team7: | Central State (OK) |
| Coach Sport8: | Basketball |
| Coach Years9: | 1934 |
| Coach Team9: | Cushing HS (OK) |
| Coach Years10: | 1935 |
| Coach Team10: | Bristow HS (OK) (assistant) |
| Coach Years11: | 1936 |
| Coach Team11: | Ponca City HS (OK) |
| Coach Years12: | 1937–1941 |
| Coach Team12: | Central State (OK) |
| Admin Years1: | 1941–1976 |
| Admin Team1: | Central State (OK) |
| Overall Record: | 73–25–3 (college football) 57–30 (college basketball) |
| Tournament Record: | Basketball 0–1 (NAIA) |
| Championships: | Football 7 OCAC (1941–1942, 1948–1949, 1954–1956) Basketball 2 OCAC (1938, 1939) |
Dale Hamilton (March 4, 1909 – September 1, 2002)[1] was an American athlete and coach. Hamilton served as a sports coach and athletic director, at Central State University in Edmond, Oklahoma.
Hamilton was born in Mena, Arkansas. He was raised in Bristow, Oklahoma. He attended Bristow High School and graduated in 1928.[2] He attended the Central State Teachers College (later, Central State University, now the University of Central Oklahoma, where Hamilton participated on the football, track, and basketball teams. In football, he played linebacker and center. While at Central State he earned twelve varsity letters.
After graduation from CSTC in 1933, Hamilton coached at Cushing High School in 1933, he later coached at Bristow, and Ponca City before returning to Central State in 1936 under Claude Reeds.[3] He then became head coach of the Broncho men's basketball team. He led the team to the 1939 NAIA Division I men's basketball tournament. In 1940 Reeds stepped down as both football coach and athletic director, Hamilton took his place in both roles.
Beginning in 1941, Hamilton, led the Bronchos to seven conference championships. In 1941 the Bronchos had a 6–2 record. The 1942 campaign saw many small schools suspend their football programs and the Bronchos won the OCAC with an undefeated 7–0 (2–0 conference) record. Hamilton then served during World War II. After the war, Hamilton did not resume his basketball coaching duties, but remained at the helm of the football program. He led the Bronchos to two more conference championships and a 24–9–2 four seasons before he took a leave of absence to serve again during the Korean War. After finishing his tour of duty, he resumed coaching duties and led the Bronchos to three more conference championships and a 36–16–1 record. In 1957, he decided to retire from football coaching with an overall record of 73–25–3.[3] [4]
Hamilton remained athletic director until 1976, meanwhile he coached the men's golf and tennis teams. He also served as a referee for Missouri Valley Conference basketball games. In 1993 the University of Central Oklahoma decided to rename Hamilton Field House in his honor. He died on September 1, 2002, at the age of 93.[3]