Born 1905 in Dadeville. 1922 graduate of Tallapoosa County High School. 1926 graduate of Auburn University. Started teaching and coaching career at Geraldine in 1926. In six years at Geraldine, he carried three teams to the state tournament, winning back-to-back state chapionships in 1931 and 1932. In 1932, he went to Jackson County High School at Scottsboro and quickly won two more state championships in 1934 and 1938. In 1944, he won his fifth state championship. Both the high school gymnasium and the recreation complex in Scottsboro were named in his memory. He is credited by former players with designing the zone defense, perfecting the fast break, installing the four-corners offense, and developing the ball-handling play-making point guard. O’Brien died June 30, 1944, of complications following an appendectomy. He was 39 years old.
