Edgar Allen Diddle
(Inducted in 1992)

Ed Diddle stood unique among the college basketball coaches of the world. His 759-302 won-lost record at Western (through the 1963-64 season) made him the first coach ever to guide his team through more than 1,000 games at one college. At the time of his retirement in 1964, only Kansas University's Phog Allen, with 771, could boast of more total wins than Diddle. Diddle, who died in 1970, served as head coach at WKU for 42 seasons. Over that span, the Hilltoppers monopolized the championships of all three conferences to which they belonged.

The row of titles included 13 in the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and eight in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association. In addition, the 'Toppers won or shared the Ohio Valley Conference championship 10 times in 16 years. Under Diddle's guidance, Western collided with some of the best competition collegiate basketball had to offer, playing in such prestigious events as the NCAA, NIT, Sugar Bowl, Orange Bowl, Bluegrass, All-College, Kentucky Invitational and National Campus tournaments as well as the Olympic Playoffs. He was a member of the famous Centre College Praying Colonels football squad which included the colorful Bo McMillin. Diddle was a blocking back during the 1917, 1919, and 1920 seasons and was credited with shaking loose the All-American McMillin for many sensational runs.

He was also a star on Centre's unbeaten basketball team of 1919. Diddle served in the Naval Aviation program during World War I, returning to Centre as a student in 1918. He began his coaching career at Monticello High School that spring. In 1921 he coached at Greenville High School. On Sept. 7, 1922, he joined the staff at Western Kentucky State College as athletic director and coach of all sports. He gave up his duties as head football coach in the fall of 1929. In 1934, Diddle relinquished the job of athletic director, but assumed it again in the summer of 1942 and held it, in addition to his coaching duties, until his retirement. Aside from his achievements in the win column, E.A. Diddle will go down in basketball history as one of the most colorful figures the game has ever known.

Over the years he became famous throughout the nation for his antics with a red towel that was his constant companion on the bench. Never done as a "show," the towel tossing started as a nervous habit. It soon became a revered Western tradition. The towel soared to the rafters of many a gymnasium or was beaten heartily on the floor when his Hilltoppers scored at a crucial point in a game. It was also known to cover the veteran coach's face when things were not going well. Ed Diddle died on January 2, 1970.