Gordon Ridings

George Ridings

Biographical details
Born	c. 1907
Died	November 16, 1958 (aged 51)
Playing career
Basketball
1967–1929	Oregon
Baseball
1925	Oregon
1927–1929	Oregon
Position(s)	Guard (basketball)
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Basketball
1945–1946	Columbia (JV)
1946–1950	Columbia
Head coaching record
Overall	70–21
Tournaments	0–2 (NCAA)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
2 EIBL (1946, 1947)
Awards
2× All-PCC Northern Division (1928, 1929)

Gordon Ridings (c. 1907 – November 16, 1958) was an American college basketball player and coach. He served as head basketball coach at Columbia University from 1946 until 1950, when he suffered a heart attack and handed over coaching duties to Lou Rossini. Ridings graduated of University of Oregon in 1929, where he was a two-time All-Pacific Coast Conference Northern Division selection (1928, 1929). Ridings was remembered as one of the first great teachers of defensive basketball. Story has it that Red Auerbach of the Boston Celtics often came to Morningside Heights to learn how to coach defense.[1] Ridings died of a heart attack, on November 16, 1958, at the age of 51.[2]

Head coaching record

Statistics overview

Season	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Postseason
Columbia Lions (Eastern Intercollegiate Basketball League) (1946–1950)
1946–47	Columbia	15–5	11–1	1st
1947–48	Columbia	20–3	11–1	1st	NCAA Regional Fourth Place
1948–49	Columbia	14–6	8–4	T–2nd
1949–50	Columbia	21–7	9–3	2nd
Columbia:		70–21 (.769)	39–9 (.813)
Total:		70–21 (.769)
National champion         Postseason invitational champion         Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion       Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion       Conference tournament champion

References

1. Mirer, Michael (2001). "Columbia Dream Team of Old Comes Home to Levien", Columbia Daily Spectator, February 5.
2. "Gordon Ridings Taken By Death". Mail Tribune. Medford, Oregon. United Press International. November 17, 1958. p. 9. Retrieved May 12, 2018 – via Newspapers.com .