Truman State University Athletics

Paul Whalen was raised in Baring, Mo., and entered the university in 1941 after an outstanding high school career. He played as a freshman on the Bulldog basketball team and was named to the honorable mention All-MIAA basketball team that season. His collegiate career was interrupted by World War II during which time he spent three years in the Army. Mr. Whalen returned to the university in 1945 and made significant contributions as a member of three Bulldog teams, two of which were MIAA champions and amassed a 59-4 cumulative record. After graduation with a B.S. degree in 1948, he performed for the Caterpillar Diesels, an AAU basketball league team. He was one of 10 players picked for the All-American team at the 1949 national AAU tournament in Oklahoma City, Okla. The Caterpillar team finished third at the AAU tournament. He also competed in Gold Medal tournaments in Bloomfield, Iowa, and Hannibal, Mo. Mr. Whalen coached, taught and was a principal and superintendent for 30 years in Missouri school systems. After retiring in 1983, Mr. Whalen and his wife worked for Motel 6 and Laquinta motel chains and traveled coast to coast. They then moved to Lauderhill, Fla., and worked as managers for National Self-Storage.