Ward Lambert
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| Sport(s) | Football, basketball, baseball |
|---|---|
| Biographical details | |
| Born |
May 28, 1888 Deadwood, South Dakota |
| Died | January 20, 1958 (aged 69) Lafayette, Indiana |
| Playing career | |
| Football | |
| 1909 | Wabash |
| Basketball | |
| 1909–1911 | Wabash |
| Baseball | |
| c. 1910 | Wabash |
| Position(s) |
Guard (basketball) Shortstop (baseball) |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| Basketball | |
| 1912–1916 | Lebanon HS |
| 1916–1917 | Purdue |
| 1918–1946 | Purdue |
| Baseball | |
| 1917 | Purdue |
| 1919–1935 | Purdue |
| 1945–1946 | Purdue |
| Administrative career (AD unless noted) | |
| 1946–1949 | NBL (commissioner) |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 371–152 (college basketball) 163–158–7 (college baseball) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| Basketball 1 Helms Athletic Foundation National (1932) 1 Premo-Porretta National (1932) 11 Big Ten |
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Basketball Hall of Fame Inducted in 1960 (profile) |
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College Basketball Hall of Fame Inducted in 2006 |
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Ward Louis "Piggy" Lambert (May 28, 1888 – January 20, 1958) was an American basketball and baseball coach. He served as the head basketball coach at Purdue University during the 1916–17 season and from 1918 to 1946. Lambert was also the head baseball coach at Purdue in 1917, from 1919 to 1935, and from 1945 to 1946. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1960.
Lambert was born in Deadwood, South Dakota. In 1890, Lambert and his family moved to Crawfordsville, Indiana. He played basketball and baseball at Crawfordsville High School and Wabash College, both under coach Ralph Jones, who himself went on to coach Purdue. Despite his height (5'6"), Lambert led Wabash in scoring his sophomore year—leading to his nickname "Piggy" for hogging the ball. Another telling states that, while playing baseball at Wabash, Lambert used his position as shortstop to hog the ball. He graduated from Wabash College in 1911.
Lambert began his coaching career at Lebanon High School from 1912 to 1916, amassing a record of 69-18 (.793) a Sectional titles and 3 other post-season appearances. Lambert coached Purdue University (1916–17, 1918–1946) to a 371–152 record in 29 seasons, including 11 Big Ten Conference titles. His teams were noted for their speed and effective use of fast breaks, which he developed. Among his players were Stretch Murphy and John Wooden. Lambert missed the 1917–18 season to serve in the United States Army during World War I. Meanwhile J. J. Maloney, an attorney from Crawfordsville, Indiana, filled in and guided the Boilermakers to an 11–5 record. Lambert's 1931–32 team finished the season with a 17–1 record and was retroactively named the national champion by the Helms Athletic Foundation and the Premo-Porretta Power Poll. He coached 16 All-Americans and 31 first team All-Big Ten selections. Lambert Fieldhouse (originally known as Purdue Fieldhouse), the facility used for home basketball games prior to the construction of Mackey Arena, was renamed in his honor.
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