Walter Hirsch
Walter Hirsch is a former American college basketball player. He is known for winning three NCAA championships at the University of Kentucky, and for being a central figure in the point shaving scandal that impacted American college basketball in the 1950s.
Hirsch, a 6'4" forward from Northridge High School in Dayton, Ohio, played for future Hall of Fame coach Adolph Rupp at Kentucky. During his time at UK, Hirsch was a part of three championship teams, in 1948, 1949 and 1951. As a freshman in 1947–48, Hirsch appeared in 13 regular-season games for the Wildcats. As a sophomore and junior, Hirsch moved into the Wildcats regular rotation, and as a senior was the captain of UK's 1950–51 championship team. While he made the SEC All-tournament team in 1951, he was declared ineligible for the 1951 NCAA Tournament as he was a fourth year varsity player.
After his career was over, Hirsch became embroiled in a point shaving scandal that implicated player from seven different schools across the nation. Hirsch, along with teammate Bill Spivey and assistant Jim Line, was accused of taking money to affect the outcome of several games during the 1950–51. Hirsch and Line admitted to shaving points and implicated Spivey as well. However, Hirsch was never formally charged.
Hirsch's involvement with gamblers led to a ban from minor league baseball for the promising first baseman prospect. He was coming off a strong 1952 season for the Danville Dans of the Mississippi–Ohio Valley League, but Minor League president George Trautman declared him permanently banned from minor league baseball.
