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Charles Finley (coach)

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Charles L. Finley
Biographical details
Born(1907-10-18)October 18, 1907
DiedMay 1, 1972(1972-05-01) (aged 64)
Socorro, New Mexico, U.S.
Playing career
Basketball
1930–1932Northwest Missouri State
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Basketball
1944–1945Texas Mines
1945–1947New Mexico Mines
1947–1954Idaho
1954–1957Mississippi Southern
Baseball
1948–1953Idaho
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1945–1947New Mexico Mines
Charles Finley
Allegiance United States
Service / branch United States Navy
Years of service1942–1944
Rank Lieutenant
Battles / warsWorld War II

Charles L. Finley (October 18, 1907 – May 1, 1972) was an American basketball and baseball head coach, primarily at the University of Idaho in Moscow.[1]

Hired by Idaho in the summer of 1947,[2][3] Finley led Vandal basketball for seven seasons, then a member of the Pacific Coast Conference. For the first six years, he was concurrently the head coach of the baseball team.[4][5][6] He succeeded Guy Wicks, who also coached both sports and moved out of athletics to an administrative position with the university.[2] With the overlap of the two seasons increasing, Clem Parberry was hired as head baseball coach after the 1953 season.[6][7]

Finley served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, and coached a season at the Texas School of Mines in El Paso (now UTEP) in 1944–45. He was the athletic director and coached two sports at the New Mexico School of Mines in Socorro prior to his stint at Idaho, and was also a baseball scout for the Boston Braves organization.[2][3]

As a collegian in the early 1930s, he played for legendary coach Henry Iba at Northwest Missouri State in Maryville.[2][3]

After seven years at Idaho, Finley left in April 1954 for Mississippi Southern,[8][9][10] then an independent in NAIA. He was the head coach for three seasons in Hattiesburg.

Head coaching record

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Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Texas Mines Miners (Border Conference) (1944–1945)
1944–45 Texas Mines 10–13 4–7 8th
Texas Mines: 10–13 4–11
New Mexico Mines () (1945–1947)
1945–46 New Mexico Mines
1946–47 New Mexico Mines
New Mexico Mines:
Idaho Vandals (Pacific Coast Conference) (1947–1954)
1947–48 Idaho 12–18 3–13 5th (North)
1948–49 Idaho 13–15 7–9 4th (North)
1949–50 Idaho 14–16 7–9 4th (North)
1950–51 Idaho 14–13 6–10 4th (North)
1951–52 Idaho 19–11 9–7 2nd (North)
1952–53 Idaho 14–11 8–8 2nd (North)
1953–54 Idaho 15–8 9–7 2nd (North)
Idaho: 101–92 49–63
Mississippi Southern Southerners (NAIA independent) (1954–1957)
1954–55 Mississippi Southern 11–17
1955–56 Mississippi Southern 16–12
1956–57 Mississippi Southern 12–13
Mississippi Southern: 39–42
Total: 150–147

References

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  1. ^ "Basketball (1947-48 season)". Gem of the Mountains, University of Idaho yearbook. 1948. p. 300.
  2. ^ a b c d "Finley new University of Idaho head basketball, baseball coach". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). July 31, 1947. p. 8.
  3. ^ a b c "Coaching posts to Chuck Finley". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). July 31, 1947. p. 15.
  4. ^ "Baseball (1949 & 1948 seasons)". Gem of the Mountains, University of Idaho yearbook. 1949. p. 254.
  5. ^ "Baseball (1952 season)". Gem of the Mountains, University of Idaho yearbook. 1952. p. 182.
  6. ^ a b "Clem Parberry hired as baseball coach at Idaho". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. August 11, 1953. p. 8.
  7. ^ "Clem Parberry new Vandal coach". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. August 11, 1953. p. 12.
  8. ^ "Chuck Finley resigns as Idaho basketball boss". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). March 29, 1954. p. 15.
  9. ^ "Idaho basketball coach Chuck Finley resigns". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. March 30, 1954. p. 2.
  10. ^ "Basketball (1953-54 season)". Gem of the Mountains, University of Idaho yearbook. 1954. p. 179.
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