[Husker] Staying Put - Bud Wilkinson

[Wilson, Rick]

Re: Bud Wilkinson

First, I am not an expert on OU history (nor OSU history) and I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. I did eat some beef franks from Omaha Steaks though for dinner.

This topic made me do a little research on my friends 75 miles down I-35.

Bud Wilkinson's coaching record: 145-29-4,  2 or 3 MNC's,  1947-1959, 1962 Big 7/8 conference champions.
Record from 1960 to his last year in 1963 was 'only'

3-6-1, 5-5, 8-3, 8-2

He retired after the 1963 season  more than likely to run for the U.S. Senate<http://www.answers.com/topic/united-states-senate> in 1964, at which point he legally changed his first name to Bud, but lost to Democrat<http://www.answers.com/topic/democratic-party-united-states> Fred R. Harris<http://www.answers.com/topic/fred-r-harris>.

While still at Oklahoma, Wilkinson served on the President's Council on Physical Fitness from 1961 to 1964.

We all know him as a broadcaster and his 2 year ill-fated stint as St. Louis Cardinals head coach.

He passed in 1994.

After Bud W. retired,  Gomer Jones took over as head coach. He was also AD (as was Wilkinson). Jones went 9-11-1 and resigned after 2 years.  He passed away in 1971 while attending the NIT basketball tournament.

Next in line was Jim McKenzie for 1966.  He coached for 1 season and then died of a heart attack at age 37.

Chuck Fairbanks succeeded him.  At that stage, some of us remember OU history a little better.

Interesting if you compare NU to OU history from 1962(Devaney)-present, they have a more up and down history than we do.  But arguably they have still had more 'ups'.  Or maybe it just seems that way.  I wish they weren't quite so 'up' now. I cannot watch the sports on TV around here as I don't care what Sam Bradford had for lunch yesterday.

Merry Christmas.


Rick L. Wilson, Ph.D.
W. Paul Miller Professor of Business Administration
Professor and Head - Management Science and Information Systems
William S. Spears School of Business
408 BUS
Oklahoma State University
(405) 744-5084