TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- Indiana State Basketball, under the direction of eighth-year head coach
Greg Lansing, is proud to welcome Duane Klueh to Hulman Center on Saturday, December 9 when the Sycamores host Indianapolis beginning at 4 pm (ET). Coach Klueh will serve as an honorary coach for the Sycamores during the game and will be honored in pregame ceremonies.
Duane Klueh is one of the most famous athletes and coaches in the annuls of Indiana State athletic history. A noted basketball and tennis star while attending ISU, Klueh returned to his alma mater in 1955 to coach those two sports to numerous championships as well as devoting much of his time to teaching duties as an associate professor of Physical Education.
At 92 years young, Klueh is a living legend, racking up records as a player on the 1947 and '48 ISU basketball teams for coach John Wooden, who went on to greatness himself at UCLA. The 1947 and 1948 teams won the Indiana Intercollegiate Conference title both years. The 1948 team marched into the history books during those years of segregation as the first team to play in a national college basketball tournament with an African-American player. Coach Wooden's team both years included Clarence Walker, a young African-American from East Chicago, Indiana. The 1947 team was invited to the N.A.I.A.A. national tournament but would not allow Wooden to bring Walker, an African-American, due to the organization's segregationist rules, so Wooden and his team all refused to go to the tournament.
In 1948 when the team again won the Indiana conference championship, they were invited once more to the NAIB national tournament. Wooden and his team sent them a message: "We all won the championship together. We all play together – or no one plays." This time, national tournament officials relented and allowed the entire Indiana State team to attend -- and the Sycamores made history by becoming the first team in America to break the collegiate national basketball tournament racial barrier. Clarence Walker, the lone African-American, stood proudly beside his Sycamore teammate as Duane Klueh was awarded the
Chuck Taylor Most Valuable Player Award in that national tournament.
One of Indiana State's all-time great basketball players, Klueh is a member of the NAIB All-Time Basketball Team as well as being a member of the NAIA Hall of Fame. He was the MVP of the NAIB National Tournament in which ISU was runner-up to Louisville.
Equally as talented in tennis, Duane won the Little State singles championship in Indiana while at ISU.
Klueh was four times selected as the Indiana Collegiate Conference "Coach of the Year" in basketball and served as president of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Basketball Coaches. He coached against the University of Indianapolis a total of eight times during his career -- owning a 7-1 record as head coach of the Sycamores. In 12 seasons at the helm, Klueh posted 182 career victories -- the most by a coach in the history of the program. He coach 10 All-Indiana Central Conference student-athletes including Butch Wade who was named the ICC MVP in 1966 while Jerry Newsom took the same honor in 1967.
Never one to shy away from tough competition, coach Klueh traveled to Cincinnati to take on the likes of Oscar Robertson a total of four times and welcomed coach Wooden and his UCLA Bruins to ISU Arena on December 5, 1964.
He excelled at basketball and in his junior year was No. 2 in the nation in points scored – 597 – and ranked tenth in points per game – 17.6. He was named the Helms Foundation College Player of the Year. His number – #54 -- was retired with honor and hangs in the Hulman Center beside that of #33 – Larry Bird. Klueh finished his career with 1,432 points and is currently tied with Carl Nicks for the eighth-most in the history of the program.
Klueh was drafted by the NBA's Boston Celtics and was a member of the Denver Nuggets and the Fort Wayne Pistons. His NBA career was brief at two years. Now retired from the teaching faculty at Indiana State, Klueh spent much of retirement participating in many tennis tournaments across the nation. He is a member of the Indiana State Athletics Hall of Fame, the Missouri Valley Conference Hall of Fame, the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame and the NAIA Hall of Fame.
Fairness and dignity are hallmarks of what Duane Klueh is all about -- both on and off the playing floor -- and his life time of teaching these ideals to his students, his community, and his family translates into much love and respect in return for this great member of our community.
This is a special opportunity for Sycamore fans to come out on Saturday for the game against Indianapolis and pay tribute to our very own special legend, Duane Klueh. He will be on hand and will be available to meet with the fans after the game.
Coach Klueh will also be the special guest at The
Greg Lansing Radio Show broadcast from 7
th & Elm this coming Monday, December 11, at 6:00 p.m. (ET). Sycamore fans will also have the opportunity to meet coach Klueh during this broadcast which will air live on WIBQ 97.9 FM.
