Nationality American Pro career 1947–1952 Weight 78 kg College Illinois (1943–1947) Height 1.91 m | Listed weight 173 lb (78 kg) Role Basketball Player Listed height 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) Name Walt Kirk | |
High school Mount Vernon
(Mount Vernon, Illinois) Died December 12, 2012, Dubuque, Iowa, United States Education University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign | ||
Walton "Walt" Kirk, Jr. (September 3, 1924 – December 12, 2012) was an American professional basketball player.
Kirk grew up in Mount Vernon, Illinois and attended Mount Vernon High School, where he was a second team all-state selection in 1942. He then attended the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign where he played basketball. He earned varsity letters in from 1943–44 through 1946–47. In 1944–45, Kirk led the team in scoring at 10.6 points per game while also serving as team captain. He garnered consensus First Team All-American status at the end of the season as well.
Kirk would go on to play professionally after his senior year of 1947–48. In four NBL/BAA/NBA seasons, Kirk played for five different teams: the Fort Wayne Pistons, Indianapolis Jets, Anderson Packers, Tri-Cities Blackhawks and Milwaukee Hawks. In April 1949, while a member of the Jets, Kirk joined former teammates George Glamack and Leo Mogus to sue the organization for $4,662.51 each. The three of them had been released from the team and they cited poor management and administration on the part of the Jets as the reasons why they were unable to be retained.
He later coached high school basketball in Illinois and Iowa.
Kirk died on December 12, 2012.