Arad McCutchan
Arad A. McCutchan (July 4, 1912 – June 16, 1993) was an American basketball coach, educator and athletic director from Evansville, Indiana, best known for building the University of Evansville men’s basketball program into a national powerhouse. Known throughout Evansville as “Coach Mac,” McCutchan coached the Purple Aces for 31 seasons from 1946 to 1977, […]
Karl Kae Knecht
Karl Kae Knecht (December 4, 1883 – July 28, 1972) was an American artist who was the cartoonist for the Evansville Courier (now Evansville Courier & Press) from 1906 to 1960 and was instrumental in the founding of Evansville’s Mesker Park Zoo. His work was the subject of a book, The World of Karl Kae Knecht […]
Bettye Lou Jerrel
Bettye Lou Jerrel graduated from Bosse High School and the University of Evansville. In addition to teaching at Washington School, she became a Republican precinct committeewoman at age 20, when the legal voting age was 21. Mrs. Jerrel was the first female Republican county chairperson and served as vice chair for five different chairmen. Her […]
Shirley James
Shirley James (died 2007) was an Evansville community activist and environmental advocate best known for her work to improve the city’s West Side and develop the Pigeon Creek Greenway Passage. Originally from Montana and raised in Washington state, James moved to Evansville, Indiana, in 1963 and attended the University of Evansville. In 1976, she helped […]
Clinton Keown
Clinton Wayne “Clint” Keown (February 25, 1980 – September 22, 2024) was an American basketball and baseball player and one of the most accomplished multi-sport athletes from Evansville, Indiana. Reitz Memorial High School Keown attended Reitz Memorial High School, where he excelled in basketball, baseball and football. On the basketball court, Keown scored 1,766 career […]
Larry Humes
Larry Humes (born April 24, 1944) is a former American basketball player and one of the greatest players in University of Evansville history. A native of Madison, Indiana, Humes came to Evansville after being named Indiana Mr. Basketball in 1962. University of Evansville Humes starred for coach Arad McCutchan and the Purple Aces from 1963 […]
Vance Hartke
Rupert Vance Hartke (May 31, 1919 – July 27, 2003) was a Democratic United States Senator from Indiana from 1959 until 1977. In 1994, he was indicted by a grand jury in Indiana for polling violations. As part of a plea agreement, Hartke received a six-month suspended sentence. Early life, education, military service Born in Stendal, […]
Scott Haffner
Scott Richard Haffner (born February 2, 1966) is an American former professional basketball player. Haffner, a 6-foot-3-inch (1.91 m), 180 lb (81+3⁄4 kg) point guard, played two years in the National Basketball Association (NBA), for the Miami Heat during the 1989–90 season and for the Charlotte Hornets during the 1990–91 season. His best year as […]
Aaron Gries
Aaron Gries is a former baseball player from Evansville, Indiana, who starred at Reitz Memorial High School and the University of Evansville. Gries was a four-year starting shortstop for the Purple Aces under head coach Jim Brownlee. In 1993, he was named the Academic All-America Player of the Year, earning Academic All-America honors for the […]
Ron Glass
Ron Glass (July 10, 1945 – November 25, 2016) was an American actor born in Evansville, Indiana, best known for playing Detective Ron Harris on Barney Miller and Shepherd Book on Firefly and its film sequel, Serenity Glass graduated from the University of Evansville in 1968, where he studied drama and literature. He remained closely […]