Archive for Basketball

Hank Gathers

Posted in Mount Lawn Cemetery with tags , on January 29, 2024 by Cade

February 11, 1967 – March 4, 1990

Casual sports fans may not immediately know the name Hank Gathers, but fans of college basketball likely know it too well. Gathers was a standout power forward at Loyola Marymount University during the late 1980s. He led the nation in both scoring (32.7 points/game) and rebounds (13.7/game) his junior year for the Lions. In a December home game during his senior year, Gathers collapsed on the court. After seeing doctors, he was diagnosed with a heart condition and given a regimen of medications. He missed two games and, when he returned, claimed the medication had a negative affect on his performance. His dosage was adjusted down over the following weeks and it’s believed he refused to take the meds at all on game days. He continued; however, to play well over this stretch. On March 4th, 1990, during a West Coast Conference Tournament game against Portland, Gathers collapsed again. This time, he never got up.

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Wilt Chamberlain

Posted in Cremated with tags , on March 18, 2014 by Cade

wilt1August 21, 1936 – October 12, 1999

Whether referred to as “Wilt the Stilt” (a name he hated) or “The Big Dipper” (a name he liked) or any of the numerous other nicknames he had, Wilton Norman Chamberlain could be called one, simple word: “Dominant.”

The 7′ 1″ basketball superstar literally changed the way the game of basketball was played. Because of Wilt, offensive goaltending became a no-no. Because of Wilt, dunking a free throw from a standing position (yes, he could do that) became a no-no. Because of Wilt, inbounding the ball OVER the backboard to a dunking big man became a no-no. He forced rule changes so that others could keep him in check. In his collegiate debut for the Kansas Jayhawks, Chamberlain scored 52 points and grabbed 31 rebounds. And that was just the beginning. Continue reading →

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Phog Allen

Posted in Oak Hill Cemetery with tags , , , on November 5, 2013 by Cade

phog1November 18, 1885 – September 16, 1974

Forrest Clare Allen had many nicknames. To players he worked closely with, he was “Doc” (he was an osteopathic physician). To the larger, basketball community, he is the “Father of Basketball Coaching.” But, to most – including the legion of fans of his beloved Kansas Jayhawks – he is simply “Phog.”

Phog Allen played basketball for KU under the game’s inventor, James Naismith. He also lettered in baseball. He eventually coached both sports, along with the school’s football team. He even served as the university’s Athletic Director for nearly two decades. But it was as a basketball coach that he will always be remembered. Continue reading →

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John Wooden

Posted in Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills with tags , , on September 9, 2013 by Cade

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October 14, 1910 – June 4, 2010

I’m just going to start this off by complaining about the fact that someone dubbed “The Wizard of Westwood” is not, in fact, buried IN Westwood.

Ok, with that out of the way, let’s talk college basketball. John Wooden was an All-American player at Purdue, but is best regarded for being the head coach of the UCLA Bruins from 1948-1975. While in Westwood, Wooden led the Bruins to 10 National Championships…in 12 years.  His program won 88 consecutive games at one point during this amazing run. A feat that has never even been sniffed by another team. Continue reading →

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James Naismith

Posted in Memorial Park Cemetery (KS) with tags , , , on March 18, 2013 by Cade

naismith1

November 6, 1861 – November 28, 1939

Canadian-born James Naismith was a physical educator, coach and inventor. He is most remembered for inventing the game of basketball at a Massachusetts YMCA in 1891. Naismith then went on to become the first basketball coach at the University of Kansas. He famously told his successor, Forest “Phog” Allen, that you “can’t coach basketball; you just play it.”  He was partially right.  HE wasn’t that great at coaching it.  He retired with a 55–60 career record.

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