Forest Edward Able (born July 27, 1932) is an American former professional

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...

player. He is nicknamed "Frosty". A 6'3" (1.90 m)

guard Guard or guards may refer to: Professional occupations * Bodyguard, who protects an individual from personal assault * Crossing guard, who stops traffic so pedestrians can cross the street * Lifeguard, who rescues people from drowning * Prison ...

, Able attended Fairdale High School in

Louisville, Kentucky Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border ...

. He enrolled at the

University of Louisville The University of Louisville (UofL) is a public research university in Louisville, Kentucky. It is part of the Kentucky state university system. When founded in 1798, it was the first city-owned public university in the United States and one o ...

and played a season on their freshman team during the 1951–52 season. Able was the subject of controversy when he announced his intention to enrol at Western Kentucky State College (now

Western Kentucky University Western Kentucky University is a public university in Bowling Green, Kentucky. It was founded by the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1906, though its roots reach back a quarter-century earlier. It operates regional campuses in Glasgow, Elizabethtow ...

) to be closer to his girlfriend who also attended the college. Able starred with the

Western Kentucky Hilltoppers The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers and Lady Toppers are the athletic teams that represent Western Kentucky University (WKU), located in Bowling Green, Kentucky, in intercollegiate sports as a member of the NCAA Division I ranks, competing in the Co ...

, where he tallied 1,221 career points. As a senior, Able was named the Hilltoppers’ most valuable player and named to the

Newspaper Enterprise Association The Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA) is an editorial column and comic strip newspaper syndication service based in the United States and established in 1902. The oldest syndicate still in operation, the NEA was originally a secondary news ...

26-man All-America squad. After his college career, Able had a brief stint with the

Syracuse Nationals The Philadelphia 76ers are an American basketball team currently playing in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The 76ers are third in NBA history in wins and playoff appearances. 1946– ...

who selected him in the

1956 NBA draft The 1956 NBA draft was the tenth annual draft of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The draft was held on April 30, 1956, before the 1956–57 season. In this draft, eight NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball pla ...

. He appeared in one game against the

Rochester Royals The Sacramento Kings are an American professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California. The Kings compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Conference Pacific Division. The Kings are the oldest ...

where he recorded two field goal attempts, an assist and a rebound. Able considered himself "a nervous wreck" during his appearance and was released shortly after his debut. Following the close of his playing career, Able became head coach at his alma mater Fairdale High School in 1959 and coached for more than 10 years. He taught physical education and health for 30 years. Able was inducted into the WKU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2011. Able's grandson, Kameron, played on the Morehead State Eagles football team.

NBA career statistics

Regular season

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References

External links

College statisticsWKU HOF ListDraft Review- College Stats
1932 births Living people American men's basketball coaches American men's basketball players Basketball coaches from Kentucky Basketball players from Louisville, Kentucky Fairdale High School alumni High school basketball coaches in Kentucky Point guards Shooting guards Syracuse Nationals draft picks Syracuse Nationals players Western Kentucky Hilltoppers basketball players {{Louisville-stub