Wednesday, July 14, 1999
Coach brought glory to city
Former Middies describe impact of Paul Walker
BY KEVIN ALDRIDGE and JANET C. WETZEL
The Cincinnati Enquirer
MIDDLETOWN — In his 30 years as coach of the Middies, Paul C. Walker turned a little steel-mill town into a high school basketball mecca. His death, at age 88, left those who knew him, including famous Middletown High products such as Jerry Lucas, to remember the glory of the Walker era while paying tribute to his legacy.
Mr. Walker's state record five basketball championships and 695 wins, including 562 wins with the Middies, earned him recognition as one of the winningest high school coaches. His 76-game winning streak from 1956-58 remains a record for Ohio boys basketball.
Mr. Walker died Monday at Middletown Regional Hospital.
“Paul Walker made Middletown and basketball on the high school level synonymous,” said Bob Grimes, who played for Mr. Walker from 1947 to 1949. ""The things he did for basketball and this city are unmatched.”
Mr. Walker coached the AP's No. 1 team five times, was named the coach of the year three times and was named coach of the year in the country in 1973-74 by the National Athletic Coaches Association.
He compiled a record of 562-136 (80.5 percent) in 30 seasons with the Purple and White. He won state championships in 1947, 1952, 1953, 1956 and 1957.
During the 1957-58 season, the Middies were undefeated until they lost in the state semifinals. They were 76-1 during the three seasons that NBA Hall of Famer Mr. Lucas played.
“He was a tremendous influence in my life,” said Mr. Lucas, who played for Mr. Walker from 1955 to 1958. “He was kind of a father figure for me. He was obviously a fantastic basketball coach and a great teacher on life.”
Mr. Walker is credited with molding such star players as Archie Aldridge, John Fraley, Shelby Linville, Mr. Lucas, a three-time All-American at Ohio State University, and Butch Carter, a University of Indiana standout and coach of the Toronto Raptors.
“He was a tremendous man, as well as a coach,” said Jerry Nardiello, who covered sports for the Middletown Journal during 29 of Mr. Walker's 30 seasons. “It makes your job easier and a lot more enjoyable when you're writing about state championship teams all the time.”
Mr. Nardiello ranked him alongside Middletown football coaching great Glenn “Tiger” Ellison among the best coaches in the city's history.
“His winning and his success changed the social styles of Middletown during the '40s and '50s,” Mr. Nardiello said. “Middletown Basketball was THE thing. I mean (city) officials wouldn't dare schedule a meeting on a night that the Middies had a game.”
Born April 17, 1911, in Summerton, Tenn., Mr. Walker was a 1930 graduate of Madisonville (Ky.) High School. He received a bachelor's degree in 1935 from Western Kentucky University and a master's in education from Xavier University.
He began his basketball coaching career at Hardinsburg (Ky.) High School and achieved a 54-12 record in three seasons (1935-37). In five seasons (1939-44) at Anchorage (Ky.), his teams went 67-10, followed by one season of 12-11 at Portsmouth (Ohio),
But his greatest fame came as the coach of the Middies.
When Mr. Walker closed his career in 1976, he was regarded by many as a brilliant coach and teacher of basketball.
But his former players say Mr. Walker's teaching abilities extended beyond the hardwood.
“To me, when you mention Paul Walker, you immediately think of excellence, character, integrity, someone who, as an educator, really influenced young people,” said Bud Bierly, one of Mr. Walker's all-state players (1968-70).
Mr. Bierly, the incoming superintendent of New Miami Schools, said he remembers the coach as a caretaker and motivator who expected hard work in practice and in play — but made it fun.
“He was a caring coach and a caring person,” he said. “He was someone who had the ability to motivate and to have you realize your potential.”
Ed “Skeeter” Payne said he considered Mr. Walker a father figure. Mr. Payne played on Mr. Walker's championship teams in 1952 and 1953.
“Paul was definitely the best basketball coach that a lot of players have seen, whether they played for him or against him,” Mr. Payne said. “He probably had more all-state players during his era that anybody in the state of Ohio.
“He had a great capacity to take a group of kids and mold them into a solid unit. He was just able to create that chemistry.”
Flo Randall, or “Flozie” as he liked to call her, remembered her six years working with the coaching legend.
“When I first started working there, I was kind of awed by him — he got phone calls from all over the country,” said Mrs. Randall, who was a secretary in the athletic director's office for 25 years. “He was like a celebrity, but he was the same old Paul all the time. His fame didn't change him.”
Earl Smith, city commission chairman and former police chief, recalled the good times in Middletown that accompanied Mr. Walker's success.
“I remember tremendous parades when the Middies came back from the state championships,” Mr. Smith said, noting the boosters club rewarded Mr. Walker with a new 1958 Chevy convertible. ""Paul Walker was an institution in Middletown. He certainly put Middletown on the map.”
In honor of Mr. Walker, the Middletown/Monroe Board of Education began their meeting Monday in the same fashion in which the coach started every game — by observing a moment of silence.
“When you speak of Paul Walker, his name stands out above the rest,” said A.C. Mitchell, a school board member, who played on a 1959 Walker team that competed in the state tournament. “It was a great loss.”
Mr. Walker is survived by his wife of 64 years, Mary L. (Mahoney) Walker of Middletown; two sons, Paul Walker Jr., of Gibsonia, Pa., and Tim Walker of Indianapolis; a brother, William C. of Lexington, Ky; and four grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, William C. and Rosalie Walker, and a sister, Margaret.
Visitation will be 4-8 p.m. today at Wilson-Schramm-Spaulding Funeral Home. The service will be 2 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Woodside Cemetery.
Memorials can be made to the Middletown Community Foundation, 29 City Centre Plaza, Middletown 45042.
Enquirer contributor Sue Kiesewetter and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
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