Basketball, Track (1938-41)

Austin Earnest was born on a farm four miles south of Durant n 1917. He attended the Calera schools where he participated in basketball and track. He was one of a family of eight sons, five of whom graduated from Southeastern and three of whom were Savage athletes.

Earnest attended Southeastern during the 1938-41 period and returned after World War II to graduate in 1947. He had a brilliant basketball career under Coach Bloomer Sullivan and was also a track star in the Oklahoma Collegiate Conference.

The period during which Earnest participated in Southeastern basketball was exciting. The Savages won 57 games and lost only 7 during these four years. He played on teams that won three conference championships, participated in three NAIB (forerunner to NAIA) national tournaments in Kansas City, played in three All-College Tournaments in Oklahoma City, and made one trip to the National AAU Tournament in Denver, Colorado.

Beginning with his freshman year, Austin was an important part of Savage basketball. He was a three-time Oklahoma Collegiate Conference all-conference selection. He led the conference in scoring in the 1939-40 season.

As a four year letterman on the Southeastern track team, he won the conference shot and discus championships and placed in the javelin and high hurdles.

Following graduation from Southeastern in 1947 Earnest played with the Professional Basketball league of America. He was a member of the Oklahoma City Drillers of that league which consisted of twenty four major cities across the nation. He was also active as a player and coach on the military teams which played extensively overseas and won the All-European Military Championship in 1948-49.

Austin Earnest had an outstanding four year career in Savage athletics. His accomplishments in this area have brought great honor to Southeastern Oklahoma State University. On February 4, 1989, Austin Earnest was honored with induction into the university’s Athletic Hall of Fame.