Toby Kimball is a name associated with Husky lore. A forward on the first Elite 8 Game in UConn Men's Basketball History. But so, so much more. Kimball grew up in Southborough, Massachusetts before heading to play at Belmont Hill School, a prep school. Better known for Hockey before he got there, his teams won 55 consecutive games to set the state record. North Carolina was very interested in her services along with many other schools. UNC and UConn were his final two choices. It came down to Hugh Greer, the UConn Campus and the want to stay close to home that sold the 6'8" 220lb Kimball on UConn. And the teams he played on didn't disappoint.
18-7 in his sophomore season of 1962-63, averaging 15 points and nearly 16 rebounds per game, winning the Yankee Conference and playing in the NCAA's. Losing to West Virginia....The 1963-64 season the Huskies went 16-11, shared the Yankee Conference Title and made a surprise run in the NCAA Tournament to the Elite 8. That included a stunning win over Princeton in the Sweet 16. Of his 46 career double-doubles, his 18 point, 14 rebound performance against Duke wasn't enough as the Blue Devils ended the Huskies season. Kimball averaged 20.1 points and hauled down 17 boards per game. (466 total) . His senior year of 1964-65, Kimball had a scoring ally in Wes Balosuknia as the Huskies went 23-3 in winning the Yankee Conference again. Kimball averaging just shy of 20 points and an NCAA best 21 rebounds per game. But the Huskies fell to St Joseph's in the NCAA Tournament.
Toby Kimball is currently 25th on UConn's All Time Scoring List at 1,361. His 1324 rebounds is second All Time to Art Quimby. Five 30+ point games and an astonishing 27 games where he hauled down twenty boards or more. Toby Kimball was a three time Yankee Conference and All New England selection where he was Drafted by the home town Celtics in 1965. However, Red Auerbach didn't expect Kimball to play much, so he suggested Europe and Toby went to Italy where his team won both the Italian Cup and World Cup Championships before coming back to Boston where he sat on the bench most of the season....
The much traveled Kimball then played 4 years in San Diego, a season in Milwaukee, Kansas City and Philadelphia before going to New Orleans in an expansion draft. But Knee problems ended his career and he went into business. Eventually going into the Trophy Business at Southwest Trophy and Awards, it combined high tech and marketing which proved to be successful. After basketball, tennis became a passion until a second knee surgery, then it was kayaking.
As you'd expect, Toby Kimball was an inaugural member of the Huskies of Honor in 2006 where he continued to follow both the Men's and Women's Programs at UConn until his death in May of 2017 at the age of 74 of inflammatory lung disease with his wife and son at his side. "He was a great teammate with a sense of humor. You could throw the ball anywhere and go get it," said former teammate Tom Penders. Toby Kimball #42, another one of the greats in UConn History...