James Robert Polk (February 28, 1915 – March 18, 1986) was an American
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
coach. Polk coached the
Vanderbilt Commodores
The Vanderbilt Commodores are the college athletics in the United States, intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Vanderbilt University, located in Nashville, Tennessee. Vanderbilt fields 16 varsity teams (6 men's teams and 10 women's team ...
, the
Trinity Tigers
The Trinity Tigers is the nickname for the sports teams of Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. They participate in the NCAA's Division III and the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC). The school mascot is LeeRoy, a Bengal tiger ...
,
the
Saint Louis Billikens
The Saint Louis Billikens are the college athletics in the United States, collegiate athletic teams that represent Saint Louis University, located in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri. The Billikens compete in NCAA Division I, Division I of the Nati ...
and
Rice University
William Marsh Rice University (Rice University) is a Private university, private research university in Houston, Houston, Texas. It is on a 300-acre campus near the Houston Museum District and adjacent to the Texas Medical Center. Rice is ranke ...
.
He began his college coaching career as an assistant coach a
Georgia Tech
The Georgia Institute of Technology, commonly referred to as Georgia Tech or, in the state of Georgia, as Tech or The Institute, is a public research university and institute of technology in Atlanta, Georgia. Established in 1885, it is part of ...
during World War II. His first coaching job was at his high school ''alma mater''
Tell City High, in
Tell City, Indiana
Tell City is a city in Troy Township, Perry County, in the U.S. state of Indiana, along the Ohio River. The population was 7,272 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Perry County.
History
Tell City traces its 150+ year old roots ...
.
Early life
Polk was born in
Tell City, Indiana
Tell City is a city in Troy Township, Perry County, in the U.S. state of Indiana, along the Ohio River. The population was 7,272 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Perry County.
History
Tell City traces its 150+ year old roots ...
and began to play basketball in the 4th grade. After high school, Polk attended the
Evansville College
The University of Evansville (UE) is a private university in Evansville, Indiana. It was founded in 1854 as Moores Hill College. The university operates a satellite center, Harlaxton College, in Grantham, England.
UE offers more than 80 differ ...
from 1936 to 1939. He worked part-time at several jobs, including sweeping out the College President's office, running a movie projector, bank teller and working in a tomato canning factory.
to help pay his college expenses. He was a guard on the basketball team under long-time Purple Aces' coach
Bill Slyker from 1935-36 to 1938–39.
In Polk's sophomore season (1935–36), Evansille finished 11–7. This would mark the best season for the Purple Aces during Polk's college playing career.
High school coaching
Polk began his career in coaching by accepting a teaching and coaching job at his alma mater Tell City High School, Tell City, Indiana. Polk had graduated only 8 years earlier (1931) after leading the Marksmen to their fifth
IHSAA Sectional title. Polk assisted Ivan Hollen, who also began that season, replacing future Purdue Boilermakers' Head Coach
Ray Eddy.
College coaching
After a four-year tenure, Polk joined the U.S. Navy, he was assigned as a physical education instructor at Georgia Tech in the Navy's
V-12 Program, he also assisted Georgia Tech head coach Dwayne Keith during the 1943–44 and 1944-45 seasons. After the war, Georgia Tech hired him as their assistant basketball coach.
In 1943, he enlisted in the US Navy and was assigned as a physical education instructor at
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology, commonly referred to as Georgia Tech or, in the state of Georgia, as Tech or The Institute, is a public research university and institute of technology in Atlanta, Georgia. Established in 1885, it is part of ...
, he spent the 1943–44 and 1944-45 seasons as a Georgia Tech assistant to Dwayne Keith in addition to his US Navy duties, after the war ended he was hired in the same capacity by Georgia Tech.
In February 1947, Vanderbilt was pummeled by the Kentucky Wildcats in the SEC Tournament 98-29, the Commodores Athletic Director (and football coach) Red Sanders decided to upgrade the basketball program by hiring a full-time coach and offering scholarships. His search led him to Bob Polk (another candidate who was interviewed for the job was the future legend,
John Wooden
John Robert Wooden (October 14, 1910 – June 4, 2010) was an American basketball coach and player. Nicknamed the Wizard of Westwood, he won ten National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) national championships in a 12-year period as head ...
, who had led his
Indiana State Sycamores
The Indiana State Sycamores are the NCAA Division I intercollegiate athletic teams of Indiana State University. Since the 1977–78 academic year, Indiana State has been a member of the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC). The Indiana State foot ...
to a conference title and an invitation from the
NAIA.
Vanderbilt
Polk coached the
Vanderbilt Commodores
The Vanderbilt Commodores are the college athletics in the United States, intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Vanderbilt University, located in Nashville, Tennessee. Vanderbilt fields 16 varsity teams (6 men's teams and 10 women's team ...
from 1947 to 1961. There, he won the 1951–52 SEC Tournament. Polk's Vanderbilt teams recorded one losing season in 13 seasons and finished 2nd in the SEC on four occasions. His 1954-55, 1955–56 and 1956–57 squads all finished the season in the Top 20
Associated Press
The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. newspa ...
poll.
In his 13 seasons as Vanderbilt coach, Polk mined the rich Southwestern Indiana talent fields to build a consistent winner; players such as SEC First Team members Dave Kardokus (1951) and SEC Second team members Billy Joe Adcock (1948–50), Al Weiss (1951), Bob Dudley Smith (1951) and Dave Kardokus. Heart problems forced Polk to resign after the 1960-61 season. When he left, Polk was the leader in wins for the Commodores (197-106 .650) and had won the 1951 SEC Tourney.
Six of his players were drafted by NBA teams;
* Bill Depp – 1961 3rd round Boston
* Jim Henry – 1959 6th round Minneapolis
* Al Rochelle – 1957 5th round St. Louis
* Dan Finch – 1954 Minneapolis
* George Kelley – 1951 Indianapolis
* Billy Joe Adcock – 1950 Fort Wayne
Trinity
Polk recovered quickly from his heart attack and accepted the head coaching and athletic director position at
Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. Polk quickly turned the Tigers into a power, leading them from the depths of the
Southland Conference
The Southland Conference, abbreviated as SLC, is a collegiate athletic conference which operates in the South Central United States (specifically Texas and Louisiana). It participates in the NCAA's Division I for all sports; for football, it pa ...
to the title in four seasons; he was named the Southland Conference Coach-of-the-Year in 1967 following a record of 16-6. His 1967-68 team was even better, the Tigers racked up a record of 23-7 and advanced to the
NCAA College Division tournament, where the Tigers finished 3rd overall. He was also the NCAA National Coach-of-the-Year for the College Division (today's NCAA Div II) in 1968. In his four years at Trinity, Polk compiled a 70-28 record, a Southland title and a National 3rd-place finish. He was chiefly responsible for the Tigers moving to NCAA Division I classification, however, today they are an NCAA Div III school.
Saint Louis
Following his successful tenure at Trinity, Polk accepted the head coaching job at
Saint Louis University
Saint Louis University (SLU) is a private Jesuit research university with campuses in St. Louis, Missouri, United States, and Madrid, Spain. Founded in 1818 by Louis William Valentine DuBourg, it is the oldest university west of the Mississip ...
; he was the 16th head coach in Billikens history and quickly turned around the program. In his 2nd season, he led them to a share of the
Missouri Valley Conference
The Missouri Valley Conference (also called MVC or simply "The Valley") is the third-oldest collegiate athletic conference in the United States. The conference's members are primarily located in the midwest.
History
The MVC was established ...
championship and was named the Conference's Coach of the Year.
While at St Louis, he sent two players to the NBA; Harry “Tree” Rogers and Robin Jones.
Rice
In a return to bigger conference, he accepted the head coaching position at Rice after five seasons at Saint Louis. However, he was unable to duplicate the earlier success he enjoyed at Vanderbilt. Polk served as the President of the National Association of Basketball Coaches during the 1974–75 season.
UAB
In April 1977, Polk resigned from Rice and accepted a position as the assistant athletic director at the
University of Alabama at Birmingham
The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) is a Public university#United States, public List of research universities in the United States, research university in Birmingham, Alabama. Developed from an academic extension center established i ...
(UAB). He retired from that position in 1977. He hired
Gene Bartow
Bobby Gene Bartow (August 18, 1930 January 3, 2012) was an American men's college basketball coach. The Browning, Missouri, native coached 36 years at six universities after coaching two high schools in Missouri for six years. In 1972 Bartow coac ...
to build the men's basketball program.
Death
Polk died of heart disease at age 71 in
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Murfreesboro is a city in and county seat of Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 152,769 according to the 2020 census, up from 108,755 residents certified in 2010. Murfreesboro is located in the Nashville metropol ...
, on March 18, 1986. He is buried in
Tell City, Indiana
Tell City is a city in Troy Township, Perry County, in the U.S. state of Indiana, along the Ohio River. The population was 7,272 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Perry County.
History
Tell City traces its 150+ year old roots ...
. He was memorialized by his induction into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 1990.
Head coaching record
References
External links
University of Evansville Hall of Fame profileTennessee Hall of Fame profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Polk, Bob
1915 births
1988 deaths
American men's basketball players
Basketball coaches from Indiana
Basketball players from Indiana
College men's basketball head coaches in the United States
Evansville Purple Aces men's basketball players
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets men's basketball coaches
High school basketball coaches in Indiana
High school basketball coaches in the United States
People from Tell City, Indiana
Rice Owls men's basketball coaches
Saint Louis Billikens men's basketball coaches
Trinity Tigers men's basketball coaches
Vanderbilt Commodores men's basketball coaches