Walter Kindy's induction into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame was applauded by one of his closest friends during his lifetime.

John Wooden.

As in the John Wooden.

As in "The Wizard of Westwood," the coaching legend.

As in the basketball coach who guided UCLA to 10 national championships in 12 years, from 1964 through 1975.

"He'd be very pleased," Wooden says. "He took Beaver Dam to the Sweet 16 two years in a row. That was quite remarkable. The size of Beaver Dam High School...it was quite a wonderful thing he did."

Kindy died in 1984, but he was inducted posthumously into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in ceremonies held in Indianapolis on Wednesday. He was one of 14 people who were inducted.

Kindy coached Beaver Dam for three years. He won three sectional titles and two regional titles in those three years. His teams went to the state finals at Hinkle Fieldhouse his last two years, 1933 and 1934.

After the 1934 season, Kindy left Beaver Dam and went to South Bend Central High School, where he served as an athletic director and math teacher.

He became friends with Wooden, who was the head basketball coach.

"We went to South Bend at the same time," Wooden says. "I came up from Dayton, Kentucky, where I had taught and coached for two years.

"He came to South Bend and said he never wanted to be the head coach again, but he'd love to be my assistant. He was my assistant to the various jobs I held all the while I was there."

Kindy was still single at the time. Wooden was married. The Woodens often ate meals with Kindy, and they shared the same home.

"He said he was going to buy a little home if we would rent it from him," Wooden says. "We did.

"A few years later, he met Dorthea, and they got married. Of course I never let him live it down. He ran us out of our house and home."

Kindy assisted Wooden from 1934 until 1942. Wooden went into the service in 1942 and did not get out until 1946. Kindy dropped his assistant coach duties when Wooden left.

"We were together until I went into the service in 1942," Wooden says. "When I returned in January 1946, I resumed the teaching position I had there. He again became my full-time assistant.

"He didn't want to be the assistant to the coaches who were there while I was away. When I came back, he wanted to be my assistant again."

Wooden finished that school year at South Bend Central then left for Indiana State. He coached there until the summer of 1948, when he left for UCLA.

Kindy stayed at South Bend Central High School, but he still helped Wooden when he could.

"He talked to me about teams he had seen play, yes," Wooden says. "Whenever we were in the Midwest - we played a lot of Big Ten schools - he always came."

The bond formed between the two was so strong that Kindy also took at least one trip every year to California to visit Wooden.

"He saw quite a number of our ballgames when I was at UCLA up until the time he passed away," Wooden says. "We maintained our very close friendship all through the years."

Wooden was asked why Kindy, after two trips to the state finals in three years, did not want to be a head coach again.

"Because he was happy doing what he was doing," Wooden says. "He was a math teacher, a fine math teacher. He was a very fine person."

Because of other obligations, Wooden had to stay in California and could not attend the induction ceremonies.

But thousands of miles away, he reflected on Kindy and the times they spent together.

"I have just wonderful memories of our friendship," he says. "The meals he ate with us. The time we spent together. He was one of the finest people I have ever known.

"I never had a better friend." [[In-content Ad]]