BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Forest "Frosty" Able, a former WKU Men's Basketball standout and member of the WKU Athletic Hall of Fame, passed away Sunday, Jan. 4, at his home in Fairdale, Kentucky. He was 93 years old.
Able starred for the Hilltoppers from 1954-56, emerging as one of Head Coach E.A. Diddle's most reliable backcourt scorers during a golden era of WKU Basketball. He finished his WKU career with 1,221 points, a total that ranks 31st among the program's all-time scoring leaders.
During Able's three seasons, WKU enjoyed one of the most successful stretches in program history. The 1953-54 Hilltoppers captured both the Ohio Valley Conference regular season and tournament championships, finishing fourth in the National Invitation Tournament and ranking as high as #3 nationally. The 1954-55 team followed by winning another OVC title, and the 1955-56 squad clinched a share of the OVC crown as co-champions.
As a senior, Able was named the Hilltoppers' Most Valuable Player and earned a spot on the Newspaper Enterprise Association's 26-man All-America squad, receiving honorable mention recognition. He was also an All-Ohio Valley Conference selection in 1954-55 and went on to be drafted in the third round (20th overall) of the 1956 NBA Draft by the Syracuse Nationals.
Following his playing career, Able served as a graduate assistant for the Hilltoppers under Coach Diddle during the 1963-64 season.
A Louisville native and 1951 Fairdale High School graduate, Able was one of the most accomplished players in Kentucky high school basketball history. He led Fairdale to the 1950 KHSAA State Tournament and earned All-Tournament honors that season, eventually becoming the school's first All-State selection and a Kentucky All-Star.
After his time on The Hill, Able returned to his alma mater, Fairdale High School, where he coached for more than a decade and taught physical education and health for 30 years. He guided the Bulldogs to multiple successful seasons and was named Sixth Region Coach of the Year in 1971. He remained a fixture in the Fairdale community long after his retirement, mentoring countless players and making an impact that extended far beyond the basketball court.
Able was inducted into the WKU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2011 — an honor he often described as one of the proudest moments of his life.
A longtime supporter of Kentucky high school basketball, Able rarely missed a King of the Bluegrass Tournament game, continuing to attend annually well into his 90s.
Visitation will be held Friday, Jan. 9, from 12-7 p.m. CT and Saturday, Jan. 10, from 9-10 a.m. CT at Schoppenhorst, Underwood & Brooks Funeral Home (Preston Highway at Brooks Road) in Louisville, followed by a service at 10 a.m. CT.
