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Albert Barthelme

Albert Barthelme
Personal information
BornOctober 10, 1919
Blue Point, New York, U.S.
DiedMarch 4, 2004(2004-03-04) (aged 84)
Chaptico, Maryland, U.S.
Career information
CollegeLoyola (Maryland) (1945–1946)
Career history
As a coach:
1944–1945Loyola (Maryland)
1946–1950Towson Catholic HS
1950–1954University of Baltimore
1954Baltimore Bullets
1961–?St. Mary's (Maryland)

Albert Lewis Barthelme Sr. (October 10, 1919 – March 4, 2004[1]) was an American basketball coach at the high school, college and professional levels.[2]

Barthelme coached the Loyola College Greyhounds basketball team for the 1944–1945 season, playing for the team the following season.[2] From 1946 to 1950 he was athletics director, basketball and football coach at Towson Catholic High School where one of his students was future NBA player and coach Gene Shue.[2]

Barthelme was head basketball coach at the University of Baltimore from 1950 to 1954. Using an offense-dominated approach dubbed "firehouse" basketball, he was the subject of numerous newspaper stories about the high-scoring games.[2] Seven games into the 1953–1954 season, the team was averaging well over 100 points per game.[3]

An assistant coach and publicist for the Baltimore Bullets 1954–1955 season,[4] Barthelme was named head coach on November 20, 1954[5] but would only coach three games before the club went out of business on November 27.[4] However, due to the abrupt nature of the original Bullets team shutting down operations as a franchise, both the final games Bee coached for Baltimore and the only games Barthelme coached for the Bullets weren't officially recognized by the NBA.[6] As such, Barthelme could be considered the only truly official unofficial head coach in NBA history due to his unique status with coaching in the NBA.

In 1961 Barthelme coached basketball for St. Mary's Seminary Junior College and Patuxent Naval Base.[7]

Following his brief NBA stint, Barthelme worked in public relations at Carling Brewing Co., later becoming a beer distributor in 1962.[2] From 1966 to 1985 he served as supervisor of the St. Mary's County, Maryland Youth Commission which later became the Department of Parks and Recreation.[2]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Albert L. Barthelme". Social Security Death Index, Master File. Social Security Administration. Retrieved November 23, 2024 – via Ancestry.com.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Kelly, Jacques (March 7, 2004). "Albert Lewis Barthelme Sr., 84, basketball coach, athletics director". The Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on June 21, 2021. Retrieved August 12, 2014.
  3. ^ Sandler, Gilbert (March 29, 1994). "UB Bees' bombastic basketball". The Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on June 20, 2021. Retrieved September 11, 2014.
  4. ^ a b Marcus, Jeff (July 1, 2003). A Biographical Directory of Professional Basketball Coaches. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0810840072. Retrieved August 12, 2014.
  5. ^ "Al Barthelme Is New Coach of Baltimore". Reading Eagle. United Press International. November 20, 1954. Retrieved September 11, 2014.
  6. ^ "1954-55 NBA Season Summary"
  7. ^ "Coach Barthelme Joins SMS Staff". Point News. St. Mary's City, Maryland: St. Mary's Student Newspaper Archive. December 15, 1961. p. 1. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
    "Coach". Point News. St. Mary's City, Maryland: St. Mary's Student Newspaper Archive. December 15, 1961. p. 4. Retrieved June 28, 2023.