Missouri State

MAX OLDHAM
Basketball, 1954-58
Inducted September 22, 1979

Max Oldham came to Missouri State from Stockton, Missouri and was a Bruin starter at forward for most of his four seasons as a Bear letterman. He averaged in double figures in scoring each of his last three years and his career total of 1,016 points made him only the third MSU player ever to score more than a thousand for MSU. He was top free-throw shooter throughout his career and currently ranks seventh on the all-time MSU lists in free throws attempted and made a tenth in accuracy. His .838 figure from the foul line his senior year is the third best single season ever recorded at MSU for a regular and he wound up with a 12.5 scoring average for 81 MSU games. Oldham joined the Bears the year after MSU had made three straight trips to the NAIA national tournament and he was a Bruin captain as both a sophomore and a senior. He was on the all-conference team the same two years and made the all-league second team as a junior. He was accorded an additional honor in 1958 when he was given the MIAA Sportsmanship award. His last Bear team won 22 of 24 games and an MIAA title. The Bears whipped Centenary and Regis in NCAA regional tourney action at MSU before bowing in the national quarterfinals to South Dakota. He MSU record in Oldham’s four varsity seasons was a lofty 60-25.