View source for Harold Olsen

{{Short description|American basketball player and coach}}
{{For|the American football offensive tackle|Harold Olson}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{no footnotes|date=June 2010}}
{{Infobox college coach
| name = Harold Olsen
| image = Harold_Olsen_OSU.jpg
| alt = 
| caption = Olsen from the 1946 ''Makio''
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1895|5|12}}
| birth_place = [[Rice Lake, Wisconsin]], U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1953|10|29|1895|5|12}}
| death_place = Rice Lake, Wisconsin, U.S.
| alma_mater = 
| player_sport1 = Basketball
| player_years2 = 1914–1917
| player_team2 = [[Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball|Wisconsin]]
| coach_sport1 = Basketball
| coach_years2 = 1918–1919
| coach_team2 = [[Bradley Braves men's basketball|Bradley]]
| coach_years3 = 1919–1922
| coach_team3 = [[Ripon Red Hawks men's basketball|Ripon]]
| coach_years4 = 1922–1946
| coach_team4 = [[Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball|Ohio State]]
| coach_years5 = 1946–1949
| coach_team5 = [[Chicago Stags]]
| coach_years6 = 1950–1952
| coach_team6 = [[Northwestern Wildcats men's basketball|Northwestern]]
| coach_sport7 = Football
| coach_years8 = 1919–1921
| coach_team8 = [[Ripon Red Hawks football|Ripon]]
| coach_sport9 = Baseball
| coach_years10 = 1919
| coach_team10 = [[Bradley Braves baseball|Bradley]]
| overall_record = 311–241 (college basketball)<br />95–63 (BAA)<br />13–6–1 (college football)<br />0–1 (college baseball)
| bowl_record = 
| tournament_record = 6–4 
| championships = Basketball<br />5 [[Big Ten Conference|Big Ten]] (1925, 1933, 1939, 1944, 1946)<br />NCAA Runner-up (1939)<br />4 [[List of NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament Final Four appearances by coach|NCAA Division I Regional – Final Four]] (1939, 1944, 1945, 1946)<br>Helms Foundation All-American (1917)
| coaching_records = 
| BASKHOF_year = 1959
| BASKHOF_id = harold-olsen
| CBBASKHOF_year = 2006
}}
'''Harold G. Olsen''' (May 12, 1895 – October 29, 1953) was a [[college basketball|college men's basketball]] coach. The [[Rice Lake, Wisconsin]] native was the head coach of the [[Ohio State University]] from 1922 to 1946. That year, he became the first head coach of the [[Basketball Association of America|BAA]]'s [[Chicago Stags]], where he coached almost three seasons before being replaced by [[Philip Brownstein]]. Olsen also coached at [[Northwestern University]] (1950–1952).

While playing at [[University of Wisconsin–Madison]] (1914–1917), Olsen was named to the All-Big Ten twice for basketball.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://uwalumni.com/news/march-madness-ignited-by-uw-madison-grad-2/ | title=March Madness ignited by UW–Madison grad &#124; Wisconsin Alumni Association }}</ref> After graduating from Wisconsin, he began his coaching career at [[Bradley University]] and [[Ripon College (Wisconsin)|Ripon College]]. In 1922, Olsen followed [[George Trautman]] as head coach of the Ohio State University. In 24 years he guided the Buckeyes to a 259–197 record, as well as five [[Big Ten Conference|Big Ten]] championships (1925, 1933, 1939, 1944, 1946). He served as a chair on the NCAA Basketball Committee. Olsen helped initiate the [[Rules of basketball|10-second rule]] in 1937, which requires teams to advance the ball over the center line within 10 seconds of gaining possession. In 1939, Olsen spearheaded efforts to create the NCAA postseason national playoffs, now known as the [[NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship|NCAA tournament]], one that could compete with the [[National Invitational Tournament]], which started play in 1938 with games hosted at [[Madison Square Garden]] in New York. The first NCAA tournament in 1939 saw [[Northwestern University]] host eight teams. Oregon beat Ohio State to become the first tournament champion in a format that has expanded several times to go with its popularity as the premier tournament for college basketball.

In 1959, he was inducted to the [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]] as a contributor.

==Head coaching record==

===College football===
{{CFB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | team = | conf = | bowl = | poll = no }}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name      = [[Ripon Red Hawks football|Ripon Crimson]]
 | conf      = Independent
 | startyear = 1919
 | endyear   = 1921
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1919 college football season|1919]]
 | name         = Ripon
 | overall      = 6–1
 | conference   = 
 | confstanding = 
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = no
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1920 college football season|1920]]
 | name         = Ripon
 | overall      = 4–3
 | conference   = 
 | confstanding = 
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = no
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1921 college football season|1921]]
 | name         = Ripon
 | overall      = 3–2–1
 | conference   = 
 | confstanding = 
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = no
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
 | name       = Ripon
 | overall    = 13–6–1
 | confrecord = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record End
 | overall  = 13–6–1
 | bowls    = no
 | poll     = no
 | polltype = 
 | legend   = no
}}

===College basketball===
{{CBB Yearly Record Start | type = | conference = | postseason = | poll = }}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name       = [[Bradley Braves men's basketball|Bradley Indians]]
 | conference = Independent
 | startyear  = 1918
 | endyear    = 1919
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | season       = [[1918–19 NCAA men's basketball season|1918–19]]
 | name         = Bradley
 | overall      = 6–9
 | conference   = 
 | confstanding = 
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
 | name       = Bradley
 | overall    = 6–9 ({{Winning percentage|6|9}})
 | confrecord = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name       = [[Ripon Red Hawks men's basketball|Ripon Crimson]]
 | conference = Independent
 | startyear  = 1919
 | endyear    = 1922
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | season       = [[1919–20 NCAA men's basketball season|1919–20]]
 | name         = Ripon
 | overall      = 11–2
 | conference   = 
 | confstanding = 
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | season       = [[1920–21 NCAA men's basketball season|1920–21]]
 | name         = Ripon
 | overall      = 9–3
 | conference   = 
 | confstanding = 
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | season       = [[1921–22 NCAA men's basketball season|1921–22]]
 | name         = Ripon
 | overall      = 7–5
 | conference   = 
 | confstanding = 
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
 | name       = Ripon
 | overall    = 27–10 ({{Winning percentage|27|10}})
 | confrecord = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name       = [[Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball|Ohio State Buckeyes]]
 | conference = [[Big Ten Conference]]
 | startyear  = 1922
 | endyear    = 1946
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | season       = [[1922–23 NCAA men's basketball season|1922–23]]
 | name         = Ohio State
 | overall      = 4–11
 | conference   = 1–11
 | confstanding = T–9th
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | season       = [[1923–24 NCAA men's basketball season|1923–24]]
 | name         = Ohio State
 | overall      = 12–5
 | conference   = 7–5
 | confstanding = 4th
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference
 | season       = [[1924–25 NCAA men's basketball season|1924–25]]
 | name         = Ohio State
 | overall      = 14–2
 | conference   = 11–1
 | confstanding = 1st
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | season       = [[1925–26 NCAA men's basketball season|1925–26]]
 | name         = Ohio State
 | overall      = 10–7
 | conference   = 6–6
 | confstanding = 5th
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | season       = [[1926–27 NCAA men's basketball season|1926–27]]
 | name         = Ohio State
 | overall      = 11–6
 | conference   = 6–6
 | confstanding = 7th
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | season       = [[1927–28 NCAA men's basketball season|1927–28]]
 | name         = Ohio State
 | overall      = 5–12
 | conference   = 3–9
 | confstanding = T–7th
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | season       = [[1928–29 NCAA men's basketball season|1928–29]]
 | name         = Ohio State
 | overall      = 9–8
 | conference   = 6–6
 | confstanding = T–5th
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | season       = [[1929–30 NCAA men's basketball season|1929–30]]
 | name         = Ohio State
 | overall      = 9–15
 | conference   = 1–9
 | confstanding = 9th
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | season       = [[1930–31 NCAA men's basketball season|1930–31]]
 | name         = Ohio State
 | overall      = 4–13
 | conference   = 3–9
 | confstanding = 9th
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | season       = [[1931–32 NCAA men's basketball season|1931–32]]
 | name         = Ohio State
 | overall      = 9–9
 | conference   = 5–7
 | confstanding = 6th
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference
 | season       = [[1932–33 NCAA men's basketball season|1932–33]]
 | name         = Ohio State
 | overall      = 17–3
 | conference   = 10–2
 | confstanding = T–1st
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | season       = [[1933–34 NCAA men's basketball season|1933–34]]
 | name         = Ohio State
 | overall      = 8–12
 | conference   = 4–8
 | confstanding = T–8th
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | season       = [[1934–35 NCAA men's basketball season|1934–35]]
 | name         = Ohio State
 | overall      = 12–7
 | conference   = 8–4
 | confstanding = T–4th
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | season       = [[1935–36 NCAA men's basketball season|1935–36]]
 | name         = Ohio State
 | overall      = 12–8
 | conference   = 5–7
 | confstanding = T–6th
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | season       = [[1936–37 NCAA men's basketball season|1936–37]]
 | name         = Ohio State
 | overall      = 13–7
 | conference   = 7–5
 | confstanding = 5th
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | season       = [[1937–38 NCAA men's basketball season|1937–38]]
 | name         = Ohio State
 | overall      = 12–8
 | conference   = 7–5
 | confstanding = T–3rd
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference
 | season       = [[1938–39 NCAA men's basketball season|1938–39]]
 | name         = [[1938–39 Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball team|Ohio State]]
 | overall      = 16–7
 | conference   = 10–2
 | confstanding = 1st
 | postseason   = [[1939 NCAA basketball tournament|NCAA Runner-up]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | season       = [[1939–40 NCAA men's basketball season|1939–40]]
 | name         = Ohio State
 | overall      = 13–7
 | conference   = 8–4
 | confstanding = 3rd
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | season       = [[1940–41 NCAA men's basketball season|1940–41]]
 | name         = Ohio State
 | overall      = 10–10
 | conference   = 7–5
 | confstanding = T–3rd
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | season       = [[1941–42 NCAA men's basketball season|1941–42]]
 | name         = Ohio State
 | overall      = 6–14
 | conference   = 4–11
 | confstanding = 9th
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | season       = [[1942–43 NCAA men's basketball season|1942–43]]
 | name         = Ohio State
 | overall      = 8–9
 | conference   = 5–7
 | confstanding = T–6th
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference
 | season       = [[1943–44 NCAA men's basketball season|1943–44]]
 | name         = [[1943–44 Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball team|Ohio State]]
 | overall      = 14–7
 | conference   = 10–2
 | confstanding = 1st
 | postseason   = [[1944 NCAA basketball tournament|NCAA Final Four]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | season       = [[1944–45 NCAA men's basketball season|1944–45]]
 | name         = [[1944–45 Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball team|Ohio State]]
 | overall      = 15–5
 | conference   = 10–2
 | confstanding = 2nd
 | postseason   = [[1945 NCAA basketball tournament|NCAA Final Four]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference
 | season       = [[1945–46 NCAA men's basketball season|1945–46]]
 | name         = [[1945–46 Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball team|Ohio State]]
 | overall      = 16–5
 | conference   = 10–2
 | confstanding = 1st
 | postseason   = [[1946 NCAA basketball tournament|NCAA Final Four]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
 | name       = Ohio State
 | overall    = 259–197 ({{Winning percentage|259|197}})
 | confrecord = 154–135 ({{Winning percentage|154|135}})
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name       = [[Northwestern Wildcats men's basketball|Northwestern Wildcats]]
 | conference = [[Big Ten Conference]]
 | startyear  = 1950
 | endyear    = 1952
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | season       = [[1950–51 NCAA men's basketball season|1950–51]]
 | name         = Northwestern
 | overall      = 12–10
 | conference   = 7–7
 | confstanding = T–4th
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | season       = [[1951–52 NCAA men's basketball season|1951–52]]
 | name         = Northwestern
 | overall      = 7–15
 | conference   = 4–10
 | confstanding = T–8th
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
 | name       = Northwestern
 | overall    = 19–25 ({{Winning percentage|19|25}})
 | confrecord = 11–17 ({{Winning percentage|11|17}})
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record End
 | overall = 311–241 ({{Winning percentage|311|241}})
}}

===Professional basketball===
{{NBA coach statistics legend}}
{{NBA coach statistics start}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[Chicago Stags|CHS]]
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1946}}
|61||39||22||.639|| style="text-align:center;"|1st in Western||11||5||6||.455
| style="text-align:center;"|Lost in [[1947 BAA Finals|BAA Finals]]
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|CHS
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1947}}
|48||28||20||.583|| style="text-align:center;"|3rd in Western||5||2||3||.400
| style="text-align:center;"|Lost in [[1948 BAA Playoffs|BAA Semifinals]]
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|CHS
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1948}}
|49||28||21||.571|| style="text-align:center;"|3rd in Western||2||0||2||.000
| style="text-align:center;"|Lost in [[1949 BAA Playoffs|BAA Div. Semifinals]]
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:left;"|'''Career'''
| ||158||95||63||.601|| ||18||7||11||.389
{{s-end}}

==See also==
* [[List of NCAA Division I Men's Final Four appearances by coach]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Basketballhof|harold-olsen}}
* {{Find a Grave}}

{{Navboxes
| list1 =
{{Bradley Braves men's basketball coach navbox}}
{{Bradley Braves baseball coach navbox}}
{{Ripon Red Hawks football coach navbox}}
{{Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball coach navbox}}
{{Chicago Stags coach navbox}}
{{Northwestern Wildcats men's basketball coach navbox}}
{{1959 Basketball HOF}}
{{Basketball Hall of Fame contributors}}
{{1917 Helms Foundation NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Olsen, Harold}}
[[Category:1895 births]]
[[Category:1953 deaths]]
[[Category:All-American college men's basketball players]]
[[Category:American men's basketball coaches]]
[[Category:American men's basketball players]]
[[Category:Basketball coaches from Wisconsin]]
[[Category:Basketball players from Wisconsin]]
[[Category:Bradley Braves baseball coaches]]
[[Category:Bradley Braves men's basketball coaches]]
[[Category:Chicago Stags coaches]]
[[Category:College men's basketball head coaches in the United States]]
[[Category:Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Northwestern Wildcats men's basketball coaches]]
[[Category:Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball coaches]]
[[Category:People from Rice Lake, Wisconsin]]
[[Category:Ripon Red Hawks athletic directors]]
[[Category:Ripon Red Hawks football coaches]]
[[Category:Ripon Red Hawks men's basketball coaches]]
[[Category:Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball players]]