Bill Toothman (1985) - Marshall Athletics Hall of Fame

Bill Toothman

Induction:
1985
Class:
1949

But for one amazing shot from Bill Toothman, Marshall never would have won the 1947 NAIB national basketball championship. Along with Andy Tonkovich and Goose James, Toothman provided the Thundering Herd and Coach Cam Henderson with a triple-threat scoring attack that led to a 32-5 record in the 1946-47 campaign, but the season would have ended in disappointment in the semifinals without Toothman’s heroics.

A star from Huntington East High School, Toothman was a team captain for Henderson as a sophomore in the 1944-45 season, then missed a season for service in the U.S. Army at the conclusion of World War II. Returning to Marshall for the 1946-47 campaign, Toothman helped the team to a 27-5 regular-season record and berth in the NAIB (now NAIA) National Tournament in Kansas City, Mo., where Marshall won its first three games to make it to the semifinals. There, the Thundering Herd ran into the Emporia State (Kan.) Hornets, who had been tabbed by many as the tournament favorite.

Before a record crowd of more than 8,000 fans, Marshall rallied from a 10-point deficit late in the game to send the contest to overtime. With a 55-54 lead and 2:30 left in overtime, Emporia State went into a stall to try to end the game. With 20 seconds left, Marshall gambled for a steal and Emporia State took, and missed, a close shot. Toothman grabbed the rebound, dribbled to near midcourt and – not knowing how much time was left – launched a 50-foot heave that swished through the basket to give Marshall the lead. The Big Green then stole Emporia’s inbounds pass and won the game, then beat Mankato State (Minn.) in the championship game, 73-59.

Toothman was named to the All-Tournament Team and was a second team NAIB All-American, and helped Marshall return to the NAIB Tournament again as a senior. He scored 1,326 points in his Marshall career, at the time the third-most in school history. He was inducted into the Marshall Athletic Hall of Fame in 1985.