Diddle was known as one of the early pioneers of the fast break and for waving a red towel around along the sidelines.

During games he would wave, toss, and chew on this towel, and even cover his face in times of disappointment.

During the tournament, he came to the attention of officials at Western Kentucky who offered him the coaching position at the college.

Diddle's teams led the NCAA in victories six seasons and had the highest winning percentage in 1948.

Diddle was responsible for breaking a color barrier at the college when he recruited the first African American basketball players, Clem Haskins and Dwight Smith, in the early 1960s.

During a 1968 game against Dayton, he jumped on top of a press table to lead the students in cheers.

When a Dayton sportswriter told him to get down, Diddle snapped, "What do you mean I can't get on top of this table?