Walt McPherson

Walt McPherson
Biographical details
Born(1916-12-05)December 5, 1916
San Jose, California, U.S.
DiedJanuary 12, 2013(2013-01-12) (aged 96)
Santa Rosa, California, U.S.
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1940–1942San Jose State
1945–1960San Jose State
Head coaching record
Overall264–208 (.559)[1]

Walter James McPherson (December 5, 1916 – January 12, 2013) was an American basketball coach and was regarded as one of the best at San Jose State University, and former West Coast Athletic Conference commissioner. McPherson graduated from San Jose State in 1939 and played as a fullback through 1936 and 1938 trained by Dudley DeGroot. He became a basketball coach and assistant football coach, he also managed to get his basketball team in the NCAA Tournament which was the team's first time in the tournament. He also taught Carroll Williams and Billy Wilson who also started their own sport careers. McPherson retired from coaching in 1960.[2]

Personal life

McPherson was involved in World War II and became a lieutenant in the United States Navy. He became a member of San Jose Sports Hall of Fame in 2006. McPherson died in 2013 in Santa Rosa, California.[2][3][4] He is survived by two children, including poet and University of California, Davis professor Sandra McPherson.[3][5]

Head coaching record

Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
San Jose State Spartans (California Collegiate Athletic Association) (1940–1942)
1940–41 San Jose State 19–8
1941–42 San Jose State 13–20
San Jose State Spartans (California Collegiate Athletic Association) (1945–1950)
1945–46 San Jose State 17–14
1946–47 San Jose State 18–9
1947–48 San Jose State 23–9
1948–49 San Jose State 22–13
1949–50 San Jose State 21–7
San Jose State Spartans (Independent) (1950–1952)
1950–51 San Jose State 18–12 NCAA Sweet Sixteen
1951–52 San Jose State 15–10
San Jose State Spartans (West Coast Conference) (1952–1960)
1952–53 San Jose State 15–8 4–4 T–3rd
1953–54 San Jose State 12–15 6–6 3rd
1954–55 San Jose State 16–9 7–5 2nd
1955–56 San Jose State 15–10 8–6 T–4th
1956–57 San Jose State 13–12 7–7 T–4th
1957–58 San Jose State 13–13 5–7 T–4th
1958–59 San Jose State 5–19 1–11 7th
1959–60 San Jose State 6–19 2–10 T–6th
San Jose State: 261–207 (.558) 40–56 (.417)
Total: 261–207 (.558)

      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. ^ http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/dcac9a78?DB_OEM_ID=5600#/dcac9a78/106 [dead link‍]
  2. ^ a b "San Jose State legend Walt McPherson (1916-2013)". San Jose State Athletics. January 15, 2013. Retrieved December 5, 2016.
  3. ^ a b "Walter McPherson". San Jose Mercury News. January 17, 2013. Retrieved June 14, 2017.
  4. ^ "Walter McPherson Obituary - San Jose, CA".
  5. ^ Jessop, Annet (2002), Cucinella, Catherine (ed.), "Sandra McPherson (1943- )", Contemporary American Women Poets: An A-to-Z Guide, Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, p. 233, ISBN 0313317836