View source for Arnie Ferrin

{{Short description|American basketball player (1925–2022)}}
{{Use American English|date=December 2022}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Infobox NBA biography
| name         = Arnie Ferrin
| image        = Arnie_Ferrin.jpg
| width        =
| caption      = Ferrin from the 1948 ''Utonian''
| birth_date   = {{birth date|1925|07|29}}
| birth_place  = [[Salt Lake City]], Utah, U.S.
| death_date   = {{death date and age|2022|12|27|1925|07|29}}
| death_place  =
| height_ft    = 6
| height_in    = 2
| weight_lb    = 180
| high_school  = [[Ogden High School (Ogden, Utah)|Ogden]] ([[Ogden, Utah]])
| college      = [[Utah Utes men's basketball|Utah]] (1943–1948)
| draft_year   = 1948
| draft_league = BAA
| draft_round  = 2
| draft_pick   = 59
| draft_team   = [[Minneapolis Lakers]]
| career_start = 1948
| career_end   = 1951
| career_position = [[Small forward]] / [[shooting guard]]
| career_number = 18
| years1       = [[1948–49 BAA season|1948]]–{{nbay|1950|end}}
| team1        = [[Minneapolis Lakers]]
| highlights   =
* 2× [[List of NBA champions|BAA/NBA champion]] ([[1949 BAA Finals|1949]], [[1950 NBA Finals|1950]])
* [[List of NCAA Division I men's basketball champions|NCAA champion]] ([[1944 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|1944]])
* [[NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player|NCAA Final Four MOP]] (1944)
* Consensus first-team [[NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|All-American]] ([[1945 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|1945]])
* 3× Consensus second-team All-American ([[1944 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|1944]], [[1947 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|1947]], [[1948 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|1948]])
* {{Abbr|No.|Nunber}} 22 [[Utah Utes men's basketball#Retired numbers|retired by Utah Utes]]
| CBBASKHOF_year = 2008
| stats_league = BAA and NBA
| stat1label    = [[Point (basketball)|Points]]
| stat1value    = 1,037 (5.8 ppg)
| stat2label    = [[Rebound (basketball)|Rebounds]]
| stat2value    = 271 (4.0 rpg)
| stat3label    = [[Assist (basketball)|Assists]]
| stat3value    = 202 (1.6 apg)
}}

'''Chariton Arnold Ferrin Jr.''' (July 29, 1925 − December 27, 2022) was an American professional [[basketball]] player, executive, and college athletics administrator.  He played [[college basketball]] for the [[Utah Utes basketball|Utah Utes]] and earned [[NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|All-American]] honors four times. He won an [[NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|NCAA championship]] in 1944, when he was named the [[NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player|NCAA tournament Most Outstanding Player]] (MOP). They added a [[National Invitation Tournament]] (NIT) title in 1947. Ferrin played professionally with the [[Minneapolis Lakers]] in the [[Basketball Association of America]] (BAA) and [[National Basketball Association]] (NBA). They won league titles in 1949 and 1950.

After his playing career, Ferrin was general manager of the [[Utah Stars]] of the [[American Basketball Association]] (ABA) from 1972 through 1974. He served as the [[athletic director]] at his alma mater, the [[University of Utah]], from 1976 to 1985.

== Early life ==
Ferrin was born in [[Salt Lake City]].<ref name=furlong_12272022/> His mother died when he was three years old. Afterwards, his father, Arn, became busy with work; he owned a service station and a small oil delivery company. As his time away from home for work grew, Arn decided to have his parents assume parental responsibilities for his son. When Ferrin was eleven, his father began dating, and eventually remarried. However, Arn had his son continue to live with his grandparents.<ref>{{cite book|first1=Josh|last1=Ferrin|first2=Tres|last2=Ferrin|title=Blitz Kids: The Cinderella Story of the 1944 University of Utah National Championship Basketball Team|year=2012|publisher=Gibbs Smith|pages=31–34|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Cb7xmQXLnkEC&dq=%22Arnie%20Ferrin%22%20%22hall%20of%20fame%22&pg=PA31|isbn= 9781423624943|access-date=December 28, 2022}}</ref>

== College career ==
At the [[University of Utah]], Ferrin won the [[NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player|NCAA tournament MOP]] award in [[1943–44 Utah Redskins men's basketball team|1944]], when the [[Utah Utes men's basketball|Utes]] won [[1944 NCAA basketball tournament|the NCAA championship]] over [[Dartmouth Big Green men's basketball|Dartmouth]] with a 42–40 overtime win.<ref name=furlong_12272022/> He scored 22 points in the game and was the first freshman to win the award.<ref name=facer_02092012>{{cite web|first=Dirk|last=Facer|title=Utah's Arnie Ferrin to be inducted into Pac-12 Basketball Hall of Honor|date=February 9, 2012|work=Deseret News|url=https://www.deseret.com/2012/2/8/20250503/utah-s-arnie-ferrin-to-be-inducted-into-pac-12-basketball-hall-of-honor|access-date=December 28, 2022}}</ref> In 1945, Ferrin averaged 17.5 points per game was named a consensus first-team [[NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|All-American]].<ref name=finest>{{cite web|title=NCAA Men's Basketball's Finest|publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association|page=47|url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/m_basketballs_finest/2005/m_basketball_finest.pdf#page=48|access-date=December 28, 2022}}</ref> Following the end of the regular season, he and teammate [[Fred Sheffield]] were [[Conscription in the United States|drafted]] into the armed forces, and were unavailable for [[1945 NCAA basketball tournament|the NCAA tournament]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Seven-Foot Ag Center Tops 400 Points Twice|date=March 21, 1945|work=Salt Lake Telegram|page=15|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115308834/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=December 28, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Carl|last=Welti|title=Utah's NCAA Champions To Defend Title Without Services of Ferrin, Sheffield|date=March 21, 1945|work=The Daily Herald|page=4|agency=United Press|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115314760/|access-date=December 28, 2022|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> After a year in the Army,<ref name=finest/> Ferrin returned to help Utah win the [[1947 NIT]] and was a runner-up for the tournament's [[most valuable player]] award.<ref name=herald_05071972/> At the time, the NIT was as prestigious as the fledgling NCAA tournament, if not more so.<ref>{{cite web|first=Randy|last=Covitz|title=Former Utah player made his mark early|date=November 24, 2008|work=The Kansas City Star|page=Extra2|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115309675/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=December 28, 2022}}</ref>

As a senior, Ferrin averaged 14.1 points per game,<ref name=furlong_12272022/> and became the only four-time [[NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|All-American]] at Utah,<ref name=furlong_12272022/> including consensus second-team honors in 1944, 1947, and 1948.<ref name=finest/> His {{abbr|No.|Number}} 22 was [[retired number|retired]] by the school.<ref name=furlong_12272022/>

== Professional playing career ==
Ferrin played professionally for three years with the [[Minneapolis Lakers]] from 1949 through 1951 under coach [[John Kundla]]. They won the BAA (later known as the NBA) championship in [[1949 BAA Finals|1949]] and won the [[NBA championship]] in [[1950 NBA Finals|1950]].<ref name=facer_02092012/> He was a top-five scorer on both championship teams,<ref>{{cite web|first1=Kurt|last1=Kragthorpe|first2=Josh|last2=Newman|first3=Gordon|last3=Monson|title=Arnie Ferrin, former Utah basketball star and athletic director, has died|date=December 28, 2022|work=The Salt Lake Tribune|url=https://www.sltrib.com/sports/utah-utes/2022/12/27/arnie-ferrin-former-utah/|access-date=December 28, 2022}}</ref> averaging 7.3 points per game in [[1948–49 Minneapolis Lakers season|1948–49]] and 5.4 in [[1949–50 Minneapolis Lakers season|1949–50]].<ref name=br>{{cite basketball-reference|title=Arnie Ferrin|id=f/ferriar01|access-date=December 28, 2022}}</ref> Ferrin established his single-game career high of 22 points in his rookie year on February 19, 1949, in a win over the [[Providence Steamrollers]].<ref name=br/><ref>{{cite web|title=Lakers Stop Providence|date=February 20, 1949|work=Minneapolis Sunday Trubune|page=S1|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115381025/|access-date=December 29, 2022|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> He ended his career with 1,037 total points and an average of 5.8 points per game for the Lakers.<ref name=br/>

Ferrin was inducted into the [[National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame]] in 2008 and the [[Pac-12 Conference Hall of Honor]] in 2012.<ref name=furlong_12272022/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pac-12.org/BasketballM/Tabid/1449/Article/143110/2011-12-Hall-of-Honor-Class-Announced.aspx|title=2011–12 Hall of Honor Class Announced|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120212101811/http://www.pac-12.org/BasketballM/Tabid/1449/Article/143110/2011-12-Hall-of-Honor-Class-Announced.aspx|archive-date=February 12, 2012|publisher=Pac-12 Conference|date=February 7, 2012}}</ref>

== Later years ==
After his playing career, Ferrin was a member of the Athletic Council at the University of Utah and was a radio [[color commentator]] for the school's basketball and [[Utah Utes football|football programs]].<ref name=herald_05071972>{{cite web|title=Arnie Ferrin Named General Manager of the Utah Stars|date=May 7, 1972|newspaper=The Daily Herald|page=13|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115308252/|access-date=December 28, 2022|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> He was the general manager of the [[American Basketball Association|ABA]]'s [[Utah Stars]] from 1972 to 1974.<ref name=herald_05071972/><ref>{{cite web|title=Arnie Ferrin Leaves Utah Stars, Accepts Post with University|date=September 18, 1974|newspaper=Ogden Standard Examiner|agency=Associated Press|page=6B|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115308372/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=December 28, 2022}}</ref> He was [[athletic director]] at the University of Utah from 1976 to 1985.<ref name=furlong_12272022/> Under Ferrin, Utah won 10 national championships and 15 conference championships.<ref>{{cite web|first=Laura|last=Polacheck|title=Utah basketball great Arnie Ferrin passes away at age 97|date=December 27, 2022|work=Fox 13|url=https://www.fox13now.com/news/local-news/utah-basketball-great-arnie-ferrin-passes-away-at-age-97|access-date=December 28, 2022}}</ref> The Utes' gymnastics program won four national championships under coach [[Greg Marsden]] and their men's basketball team, led by coach [[Jerry Pimm]], advanced four times to the Sweet Sixteen of the [[NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|NCAA tournament]].<ref>{{cite web|first=Joe|last=Coles|title=University of Utah basketball legend, athletic director Arnie Ferrin dies at 97|date=December 28, 2022|work=Deseret News|url=https://www.deseret.com/2022/12/27/23528301/university-of-utah-basketball-legend-athletic-director-arnie-ferrin-dies-at-97|access-date=December 28, 2022}}</ref>

Ferrin died of natural causes on December 27, 2022, at age 97.<ref name=furlong_12272022>{{cite web|first= Josh|last=Furlong|url=https://www.ksl.com/article/50546801/former-runnin-utes-great-arnie-ferrin-dies-at-97-on-tuesday-morning|title=Former Runnin' Utes great Arnie Ferrin dies at 97 on Tuesday morning|date=December 27, 2022|work=KSL.com|access-date=December 28, 2022}}</ref>

== BAA/NBA career statistics ==
{{NBA player statistics legend|champion=y}}

Source:<ref name=br/>

=== Regular season ===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:right;"
|-
! Year
! Team
! GP
! FG%
! FT%
! RPG
! APG
! PPG
|-
| style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;"| [[1948–49 BAA season|1948–49]]†
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1948–49 Minneapolis Lakers season|Minneapolis]]
| 47 || '''.344''' || .664 || – || '''1.6''' || '''7.3'''
|-
| style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;"| {{nbay|1949}}†
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1949–50 Minneapolis Lakers season|Minneapolis]]
| 63 || .333 || '''.697''' || – || 1.5 || 5.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|1950}}
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1950–51 Minneapolis Lakers season|Minneapolis]]
| '''68''' || .319 || .695 || '''4.0''' || '''1.6''' || 5.2
|-
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career
| 178 || .332 || .686 || 4.0 || 1.6 || 5.8
|-
|}

=== Playoffs ===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:right;"
|-
! Year
! Team
! GP
! FG%
! FT%
! RPG
! APG
! PPG
|-
| style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;"| [[1949 BAA Playoffs|1949]]†
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1948–49 Minneapolis Lakers season|Minneapolis]]
| 10 || .338 || .667 || – || 2.1 || '''8.2'''
|-
| style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;"| [[1950 NBA Playoffs|1950]]†
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1949–50 Minneapolis Lakers season|Minneapolis]]
| '''12''' || '''.340''' || .552 || – || '''2.5''' || 6.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1951 NBA Playoffs|1951]]
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1950–51 Minneapolis Lakers season|Minneapolis]]
| 7 || .333 || '''.944''' || '''4.7''' || 2.3 || 5.9
|-
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career
| 29 || .338 || .685 || 4.7 || 2.3 || 7.1
|-
|}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Basketballstats|bbr=f/ferriar01}}

{{Navboxes
| list1 =
{{Utah Utes athletic director navbox}}
{{1944 Utah Utes men's basketball navbox}}
{{Minneapolis Lakers 1948–49 BAA champions}}
{{Minneapolis Lakers 1949–50 NBA champions}}
{{NCAA basketball tournament MOP men}}
{{1944 NCAA Men's Basketball Consensus All-Americans}}
{{1945 NCAA Men's Basketball Consensus All-Americans}}
{{1947 NCAA Men's Basketball Consensus All-Americans}}
{{1948 NCAA Men's Basketball Consensus All-Americans}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ferrin, Arnie}}
[[Category:1925 births]]
[[Category:2022 deaths]]
[[Category:All-American college men's basketball players]]
[[Category:Amateur Athletic Union men's basketball players]]
[[Category:American Latter Day Saints]]
[[Category:American men's basketball players]]
[[Category:Basketball players from Salt Lake City]]
[[Category:Minneapolis Lakers draft picks]]
[[Category:Minneapolis Lakers players]]
[[Category:National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Shooting guards]]
[[Category:Small forwards]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Ogden, Utah]]
[[Category:Utah Stars executives]]
[[Category:Utah Utes athletic directors]]
[[Category:Utah Utes men's basketball players]]