# Forest Able > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Forest_Able > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Forest_Able.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_Able > Source revision: 1338069605 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|American basketball player (1932–2026)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox basketball biography | name = Forest Able | image = File:Forest Able.jpg | width = | caption = | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 3 | weight_lb = 180 | birth_date = {{birth date|1932|07|27}} | birth_place = [Louisville, Kentucky](/source/Louisville%2C_Kentucky), U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|2026|01|04|1932|07|27}} | death_place = [Fairdale, Kentucky](/source/Fairdale%2C_Kentucky), U.S. | high_school = [Fairdale](/source/Fairdale_High_School) (Louisville, Kentucky) | college = [Western Kentucky](/source/Western_Kentucky_Hilltoppers_basketball) (1953–1956) | draft_year = 1956 | draft_round = 3 | draft_pick = 20 | draft_team = [Syracuse Nationals](/source/Syracuse_Nationals) | career_start = 1956 | career_end = 1957 | career_number = 6 | career_position = [Guard](/source/Guard_(basketball)) | years1 = {{nbay|1956|full=y}} | team1 = [Syracuse Nationals](/source/Syracuse_Nationals) | highlights = }} '''Forest Edward Able''' (July 27, 1932 – January 4, 2026), nicknamed '''Frosty''', was an American professional basketball player.{{cite web |title=Great Fairdale career follows one minute in NBA |url=https://www.bgdailynews.com/opinion/commentary/great-fairdale-career-follows-one-minute-in-nba/article_571a616f-c2b3-5a40-a973-79a4ced3c404.html |website=Bowling Green Daily News |access-date=September 6, 2023 |date=January 8, 2023}} ==Biography== A {{convert|6|ft|3|in|m|adj=on}} [guard](/source/guard_(basketball)), Able attended [Fairdale High School](/source/Fairdale_High_School) in [Louisville, Kentucky](/source/Louisville%2C_Kentucky). He enrolled at the [University of Louisville](/source/University_of_Louisville) and played a season on their freshman team during the 1951–52 season. Able was the subject of controversy when he announced his intention to enrol at Western Kentucky State College (now [Western Kentucky University](/source/Western_Kentucky_University)) to be closer to his girlfriend who also attended the college. Able starred with the [Western Kentucky Hilltoppers](/source/Western_Kentucky_Hilltoppers_basketball), where he tallied 1,221 career points.{{cite news|last1=Whitaker|first1=Dave|title=Forest Able weds 'girl who' today|url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/97645838/the-courier-journal/ |newspaper=[The Courier-Journal](/source/The_Courier-Journal)|date=July 31, 1955|page=31|via =[Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)|access-date = March 14, 2022}} {{Open access}} As a senior, Able was named the Hilltoppers’ most valuable player and named to the [Newspaper Enterprise Association](/source/Newspaper_Enterprise_Association) 26-man All-America squad.{{cite news|title=Able honored as Toppers' "most valuable player"|url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/97645962/the-park-city-daily-news/ |newspaper=[The Daily News](/source/The_Daily_News_(Kentucky))|date=March 6, 1956|page=9|via =[Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)|access-date = March 14, 2022}} {{Open access}} After his college career, Able had a brief stint with the [Syracuse Nationals](/source/Syracuse_Nationals), who selected him in the [1956 NBA draft](/source/1956_NBA_draft). He appeared in one game against the [Rochester Royals](/source/Rochester_Royals) where he recorded two field goal attempts, an assist and a rebound. Able considered himself "a nervous wreck" during his appearance and was released shortly after his debut.{{cite web|last=Pickman|first=Ben|title= In It for a Minute |url= https://www.si.com/nba/2022/02/22/nba-one-minute-club-daily-cover |date=February 22, 2022|publisher=[Sports Illustrated](/source/Sports_Illustrated)|access-date=March 14, 2022}} Following the close of his playing career, Able became head coach at his alma mater Fairdale High School in 1959 and coached for more than 10 years.{{cite news|title=Forest Able to return to Fairdale as coach|url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/97646041/the-courier-journal/ |newspaper=[The Courier-Journal](/source/The_Courier-Journal)|date=May 23, 1959|page=18|via =[Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)|access-date = March 14, 2022}} {{Open access}} He taught physical education and health for 30 years. Able was inducted into the WKU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2011.{{cite web |title=WKU Athletic Hall of Fame |url=https://wkusports.com/sports/2017/6/8/ot-hall-of-fame-2-html |website=Western Kentucky University |access-date=September 6, 2023 |date=June 8, 2017}} Able died at his home in [Fairdale, Kentucky](/source/Fairdale%2C_Kentucky), on January 4, 2026, at the age of 93.{{cite news |title=WKU Athletics Hall of Famer Forest "Frosty" Able Passes Away |url=https://wkusports.com/news/2026/1/6/general-wku-athletics-hall-of-famer-forest-frosty-able-passes-away |access-date=7 January 2026 |publisher=WKU Sports |date=6 January 2026}} His grandson, Kameron, played on the [Morehead State Eagles football](/source/Morehead_State_Eagles_football) team.{{cite web |last=Maloney |first=Mark |title=Able-bodied: Kameron considers communication key to success |url=https://msueagles.com/news/2016/9/19/football-able-bodied-kameron-considers-communication-key-to-success |website=Morehead State University |access-date=September 6, 2023 |date=September 19, 2016}} ==NBA career statistics== {{NBA player statistics legend}} ===Regular season=== {{NBA player statistics start}} |- | style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|1956}} | style="text-align:left;"| [Syracuse](/source/1956%E2%80%9357_Syracuse_Nationals_season) | 1 || – || 1.0 || .000 || – || .000 || 1.0 || 1.0 || – || – || 0.0 |- class="sortbottom" | style="text-align:left;"| Career | style="text-align:left;"| | 1 || – || 1.0 || .000 || – || .000 || 1.0 || 1.0 || – || – || 0.0 {{S-end}} ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== {{basketball stats}} * [https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/forest-able-1.html College statistics] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20130310091633/http://www.wkusports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=5400&ATCLID=1568601 WKU HOF List] * [http://www.thedraftreview.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5668 Draft Review- College Stats] {{DEFAULTSORT:Able, Forest}} Category:1932 births Category:2026 deaths Category:20th-century American sportsmen Category:American men's basketball coaches Category:American men's basketball players Category:Basketball coaches from Kentucky Category:Basketball players from Louisville, Kentucky Category:Fairdale High School alumni Category:High school basketball coaches in Kentucky Category:Point guards Category:Shooting guards Category:Syracuse Nationals draft picks Category:Syracuse Nationals players Category:Western Kentucky Hilltoppers basketball players --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Forest Able](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_Able) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_Able?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.