One of Clinton County’s most recognizable athletic figures died earlier this week.

Long-time Clinton County High School boys’ basketball coach, golf coach, baseball coach and athletic director Lindle Castle died Sunday. He was 86.

Castle arrived in Albany to coach the Bulldogs at Clinton County High School for the start of the 1957-58 basketball season with a very storied basketball background.

Fresh out of a stint in the U.S. Army when he arrived in Albany to coach the Bulldogs, Castle had played for Clark County High School for legendary coach Letcher Norton.

He played in the KHSAA Sweet 16 for Norton and Clark County in three straight appearances, 1947, 1948 and 1949, being named to the KHSAA All-Tournament team in 1949 when the tournament was played in the Louisville Armory.

After graduating from Clark County, Castle went to the University of Kentucky and played two years for Adolph Rupp and the Kentucky Wildcats.

He was a member of the Kentucky freshman team in 1949-50 when freshman weren’t allowed to play for the varsity team.

During his sophomore year, 1950-51, Castle was a member of the Wildcat squad that earned the University of Kentucky its third NCAA Championship title under Coach Rupp.

Facing sanctions for the point shaving scandal of 1951, Coach Rupp released Castle from the team and he finished his playing career just down the road at Morehead University where he finished his final two years and was named to the All- OVC team his senior year, 1952-53.

But it was his career as head coach in Albany that he will be best remembered, leading the host of players who looked up to “Coach” during two separate stretches he served as head coach here.

Castle arrived in Albany for that first season of basketball, met and married Mary Helen Dick, raised a family here that included two daughters, Terrie and Jana, and made Clinton County his home.

After a 14-11 start his first season, Castle coached his Bulldogs to a 20th District Championship the following year and in his third year on the bench, the 1959-60 season, he saw his team win another district championship and the school’s only regional championship in boys’ basketball.

Ironically, his Bulldogs had to defeat the Metcalfe County Hornets in both the district championship game that year and again just one week later in the championship game of the 5th Region Tournament, to earn a trip to the Sweet 16 in Louisville’s Freedom Hall.

That 1960 appearance in the Sweet 16 remains Clinton County’s only trip to the boys’ state basketball tournament. The Bulldogs lost in the opening round game, dropping a 64-62 decision to the Hopkinsville Attucks.

Another one of Castle’s early squads, the 1961-62 squad, was touted as perhaps an even more talented team than the 1959-60 team and were predicted to be his best chance at making a return to the Sweet 16.

However, that Bulldog squad ran up against eventual region champion Allen County in a semi-final game that reportedly had a questionable outcome during a time when gambling on high school basketball was rampant in the area.

That 1961-62 team finished the season with the best record of any Castle coached squad at 30-4.

Just this past summer, five members of that squad and Castle had a reunion breakfast at a local restaurant where games were replayed and tales were retold around a large table at Junction Station.

Castle coached the Bulldogs for two separate stints at Clinton County, the first being a 14 season run from the 1957-58 season through the 1970-71 campaign.

Five years later, while serving as Athletic Director at Clinton County High School, Castle was again hired to be the head coach for boys’ basketball and coached the teams for another five years for a 19 year career as head coach.

During that time, he put together an overall record of 273 wins against 216 losses.

Those years included five district championships, two district runner-up titles and the one regional tournament championship.

Castle was also a long-time golf coach at Clinton County High School, as well as holding the afore-mentioned position of Athletic Director at the school.

Castle’s fiery style of coaching and sideline antics made him a legend during his coaching days at Clinton County.

In 1998, when the Clinton County High School Basketball Wall of Fame was established, he was in the first group named to be honored on the Wall, along with former Clinton County Lady Bulldog head coach Lois Haddix.

After being inducted in that 1998 class, Castle became a member of the Wall of Fame Committee, and continued to be active with the WOF Committee through this past induction vote.

Several years ago, in recognition to the contributions he had made to the C.C.H.S. basketball and athletic program, the gymnasium was named in his honor and continues to be referred to as The Lindle Castle Gymnasium – also known as “The Castle” for short.

A complete death notice for Lindle Castle appears this week on page X.

Both visitation and the funeral will be held in the building that bears his name, the Lindle Castle Gymnasium on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

The family has asked the Clinton County News to announce that any former players – basketball, golf or baseball – and their families, will be afforded special seating in a section designated for “Honorary Pallbearers,” at Sunday’s funeral service

It was also noted that during the Saturday visitation, a video area will allow visitors to record a brief segment that will be played during Sunday’s service.

Officials often drew the ire of long-time basketball coach Lindle Castle during his 19 seasons at the helm of Clinton County High School boys’ basketball.