Cecil O. Hankins (January 6, 1922 – June 3, 2002) was an American professional

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...

and

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

player who played for the St. Louis Bombers and

Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), ...

in the

Basketball Association of America The Basketball Association of America (BAA) was a professional basketball league in North America, founded in 1946. Following its third season, 1948–49, the BAA merged with the National Basketball League (United States), National Basketball Lea ...

prior to the formation of the

NBA The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...

. Hankins was a four-sport star at Zaneis Consolidated School and attended Oklahoma A&M (now

Oklahoma State University Oklahoma State University (informally Oklahoma State or OSU) is a public land-grant research university in Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States. The university was established in 1890 under the legislation of the Morrill Act. Originally known ...

). After playing basketball and running track as a freshman, Hankins transferred to

Southeastern Oklahoma State University Southeastern Oklahoma State University (Southeastern or SE) is a public university in Durant, Oklahoma. It had a total enrollment of 5,376 in 2022. History On March 6, 1909, the Second Oklahoma State Legislature approved an act designating Du ...

where he starred in basketball and football before returning to Oklahoma State for his senior year. In that year, Hankins was a key player for Henry Iba's 1945 national championship team, averaging 13.3 points for the Aggies. Hankins also starred on the gridiron, starting at halfback for the 1945 Cotton Bowl champions. Following the close of his collegiate career, Cecil Hankins weighed opportunities in both professional football (with the

Boston Yanks The Boston Yanks were a National Football League team based in Boston, Massachusetts, that played from 1944 to 1948. The team played its home games at Fenway Park. Any games that conflicted with the Boston Red Sox baseball schedule in the Ameri ...

) and basketball. He ultimately chose basketball, signing with the St. Louis Bombers of the BAA. Hankins played two seasons in the league, with the Bombers and the Boston Celtics. He averaged 4.9 points per game in 80 contests. After his professional career ended, Hankins became a basketball and football coach at Sand Springs High School. He also officiated basketball and football games at the collegiate level. He retired as director of athletics at Sand Springs in 1988. Cecil Hankins died on June 3, 2002.

BAA career statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

References

External links

1922 births 2002 deaths American men's basketball players Basketball players from Oklahoma Boston Celtics players Guards (basketball) High school basketball coaches in Oklahoma Oklahoma State Cowboys basketball players Oklahoma State Cowboys football players People from Sand Springs, Oklahoma Southeastern Oklahoma State Savage Storm football players Southeastern Oklahoma State Savage Storm men's basketball players St. Louis Bombers (NBA) players 20th-century American sportsmen {{1920s-US-basketball-bio-stub