Jack Gardner (basketball)

James H. "Jack" Gardner (March 29, 1910 – April 9, 2000) was an American college men's basketball coach, known for his tenures as the head coach at Kansas State University and the University of Utah. He is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Jack Gardner
Gardner from the 1949 Royal Purple
Biographical details
Born(1910-03-29)March 29, 1910
Texico, New Mexico
DiedApril 9, 2000(2000-04-09) (aged 90)
Salt Lake City, Utah
Playing career
1928–1932USC
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1939–1942Kansas State
1946–1953Kansas State
1953–1971Utah
Head coaching record
Overall486–235
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
3 Big Six/Seven regular season (1948, 1950, 1951)
6 Skyline regular season (1955, 1956, 1959, 1962)
WAC regular season (1966)
Basketball Hall of Fame
Inducted in 1984
College Basketball Hall of Fame
Inducted in 2006

Gardner, born in Texico, New Mexico and a graduate of the University of Southern California, coached at Kansas State from 1939 to 1942 and 1946 to 1953, compiling a 147–81 record with the Wildcats, and thereafter coaching at Utah from 1953 to 1971, compiling a 339–154 record. His career college record was 486–235.

In his second stint at Kansas State, Gardner's teams won three conference crowns and captured two Big Eight Holiday Tournament championships. His 1950/1951 team finished 25–4 and lost in the finals of the NCAA tournament to the University of Kentucky. That team was arguably the best in K-State history, and one of two that reached the Final Four during his tenure (the other was in 1948). He had six All-Americans at Kansas State including Ernie Barrett.

Gardner left Manhattan, Kansas in 1953 to take over the head coaching reins at the University of Utah, where he remained for 18 years. He led the Utes to six appearances in the NCAA Tournament and two Final Four appearances (1961 & 1966). To date, he remains one of only three coaches to twice lead two different programs to the Final Four, along with Roy Williams and Rick Pitino. He finished his career winning seven conference titles. Between 1959 and 1962, his teams compiled a 72–14 record. He was often referred to as "The Fox" and he had five All-Americans including Billy "The Hill" McGill.

Gardner is a member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame as well as ten other Halls of Fame. He was inducted into the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame in 2000 and is also a member of the Southern Utah Hall of Fame, Utah All-Sports Hall of Fame, State of Utah Basketball Hall of Fame, Helms Foundation Hall of Fame, Kansas State University Hall of Fame, the Crimson Club (University of Utah), the Modesto Junior College Hall of Fame, the Redlands High School Hall of Fame and the College Basketball Hall of Fame. He was also the recipient of the National Association of Basketball Coaches' Golden Anniversary Award.

He worked as a consultant for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association from 1979 (when the team moved from New Orleans) until 1995. He is credited with discovering John Stockton from Gonzaga University while working for the Jazz.[1]

Gardner died on April 9, 2000 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Head coaching record

Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Kansas State Wildcats (Big Six Conference) (1939–1942)
1939–40 Kansas State 6–122–8T–4th
1940–41 Kansas State 6–123–75th
1941–42 Kansas State 8–103–75th
Kansas State Wildcats (Big Six / Big Seven Conference) (1946–1953)
1946–47 Kansas State 14–103–7T–5th
1947–48 Kansas State 22–69–31stNCAA Final Four
1948–49 Kansas State 13–118–43rd
1949–50 Kansas State 17–78–4T–1st
1950–51 Kansas State 25–411–11stNCAA Runner-up
1951–52 Kansas State 19–510–22nd
1952–53 Kansas State 17–49–32nd
Kansas State: 147–81(.645)66–46 (.589)
Utah Utes (Skyline Conference) (1954–1962)
1953–54 Utah 12–147–7T–4th
1954–55 Utah 24–413–11stNCAA Regional Third Place
1955–56 Utah 22–612–21stNCAA Elite Eight
1956–57 Utah 19–810–42nd
1957–58 Utah 20–79–5T–2ndNIT First Round
1958–59 Utah 21–713–11stNCAA University Division Second Round
1959–60 Utah 26–313–11stNCAA University Division Second Round
1960–61 Utah 23–812–2T–1stNCAA University Division Final Four
1961–62 Utah 23–313–11st
Utah Utes (Western Athletic Conference) (1962–1971)
1962–63 Utah 12–145–53rd
1963–64 Utah 19–94–64th
1964–65 Utah 17–93–76th
1965–66 Utah 23–87–31stNCAA University Division Final Four
1966–67 Utah 15–115–5T–3rd
1967–68 Utah 17–95–5T–2nd
1968–69 Utah 13–135–5T–2nd
1969–70 Utah 18–109–52ndNIT Second Round
1970–71 Utah 15–119–52nd
Utah: 339–154 (.688)153–70 (.686)
Total:486–235 (.674)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

See also

References

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