Former Ohio State Basketball Coach Fred Taylor Dies – Ohio State Buckeyes
1/6/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 6, 2002%^$
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Funeral Arrangements%^$
%^$Fred Taylor, Ohio State head men’s basketball coach from 1959-76, died Sunday at Mill Run Gardens & Care Center following a long illness. He was 77.%^$
%^$Taylor, a native of Zanesville, Ohio, is the only Ohio State men’s basketball coach to win a national championship. His 1960 team defeated California 72-55 March 19, 1960 to claim Ohio State’s NCAA crown. His 1961 and 1962 teams advanced to the national championship game before falling to Cincinnati both years.%^$
%^$Taylor was recognized in 1986 for his basketball coaching accomplishments by being elected to the National Basketball Hall of Fame. He is one of eight former Buckeye players and coaches currently in the hall of fame. Three other Buckeyes elected to the hall of fame–Jerry Lucas (elected as a player in 1979), John Havlicek (player, 1983) and Bob Knight (coach, 1991)–played for Taylor.%^$
%^$Five of his teams earned NCAA Tournament berths (1960, ’61, ’62, ’68, ’71) with four of those advancing to the Final Four (1960, ’61, ’62, ’68).%^$
%^$The Buckeyes also made history under Taylor by winning an unmatched five-consecutive Big Ten titles (1960-64). He also is the only Ohio State coach to lead six teams to 20 or more victories.%^$
%^$Over his 18 seasons as the head coach, Taylor compiled an OSU record 297 victories in 455 career games. His teams won seven Big Ten titles, four outright, and compiled a 158-102 record in conference play. His .653 overall and .608 Big Ten winning percentages are the highest among OSU coaches with more than two years of service in Columbus.%^$
%^$Of Ohio State’s 14 All-America selections, five played for Taylor while he was the OSU head coach. He coached All-American’s Larry Siegfried (1961), John Havlicek (1962), Jerry Lucas (1962), Gary Bradds (1964) and Allan Hornyak (1973). Both Lucas (No. 11) and Bradds (No. 35) have had their numbers retired by Ohio State. Lucas was a two-time National Player of the Year (1961, ’62) and Bradds won the same honor in 1964.%^$
%^$Seventeen of his players earned All-Big Ten honors: three forwards, five guards and nine centers. Six times, one of his players earned Academic All-Big Ten honors, including three-time winner Bill Hosket, who was an Academic All-American in 1968.%^$
%^$His teams won 32-consecutive games over two seasons from March 5, 1960 to March 24, 1961 and 50-consecutive home games from Dec. 1, 1959 to Dec. 2, 1963. Other streaks included 47-consecutive regular season wins, 27-consecutive Big Ten victories and 34-consecutive Big Ten wins at home.%^$
%^$Taylor, born Dec. 3, 1924, played both basketball (1948-50) and baseball (1947-50) at Ohio State. He was an OSU baseball All-American as a first baseman in 1950.%^$
%^$Taylor is survived by his wife Eileen and daughters Janna, Krista, Nikki and Sharla.%^$
%^$Jim O’Brien, current head coach of the Buckeyes, said Taylor set the foundation for success on the basketball court in Columbus.%^$
%^$”He set the standards to which every basketball coach since him has aspired to achieve,” O’Brien said. “The thing that impresses me the most about Coach Taylor is that all his former players held him in such high regard. Every one of his former players speak in glowing terms about their relationship with Coach Taylor both during their playing days and well after their basketball careers.”%^$
