Ernest A. Blood

Regardless of the time, league, or circumstances, few coaches in basketball history compare to the legendary Ernest Blood. His longstanding motto, “the best defense is a powerful offense,” and his emphasis on team play – the pass, the fast break, and the full court press – allowed his players to perform freely, and score wildly. Blood paced YMCA, high school, prep, and college sidelines for 51 years and won more than 1,200 games. From 1915 to 1924, Blood coached the Passaic High School “Wonder Teams” to a 200-1 mark that included a high school record 159-game winning streak over five seasons. The streak, believed to be the longest in basketball history, began on December 17, 1919, and ended February 6, 1925, when Hackensack Hill High School defeated Passaic 39-35. Blood’s Passaic teams won seven state championships and his 1921-22 club that won 33 straight games outscored its opposition 2,293 to 612.