5/31/2016 Kstate Alumni Association Kstate Basketball Legend Bob Boozer Passes Away
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5/31/2016 KState Alumni Association KState Basketball Legend Bob Boozer Passes Away Dashboard Content Community Email Events Donations Forms Members Data Site Map New Page Page Properties Content Modules Images Files Approve Content Settings Content Builder Help KState Alumni Association | University | KState Athletics | KSU Foundation | Shop Varney's Tweet Share Like Share 0 KState Basketball Legend Bob Boozer Passes Away KState Sports Information Bob Boozer, the only twotime consensus first team AllAmerican in K State men’s basketball history and one of just 10 players to have his jersey honored by the school, passed away May, 19 at the age of 75 at his home in Omaha, Neb. A 6foot8, 220pound power forward from Omaha, Neb., Boozer played three years for Naismith and College Basketball Hall of Fame Head Coach Fred “Tex” Winter from 195659. He helped the Wildcats to an incredible 6215 (.805) record during his threeyear playing career, which included a trip to the 1958 Final Four and consecutive Big Seven/Eight Conference titles in 1958 and 1959. Boozer averaged a then schoolrecord 25.6 points per game as a senior en route to leading the school to the Big Eight regular season title with a perfect 140 mark and the No. 1 ranking in the final regular season poll of 1959. The scoring mark stood for nearly 50 years until Michael Beasley, who also wore No. 30 on his jersey, averaged 26.2 points per game in 200708. The Wildcats came within a game of its second consecutive Final Four, losing the Midwest Regional Final to No. 5 Cincinnati and fellow legend Oscar Robertson. “I join KStaters around the world in mourning the passing of Bob Boozer,” said KState Head Coach Bruce Weber. “Although I’m just getting to know the rich history of our basketball program, the name Bob Boozer resonates throughout the history of basketball. He was not only a twotime consensus AllAmerican at KState, but also part of one of the greatest Olympic teams in history. He will be greatly missed by The first Wildcat to play on an Olympic team, Bob our basketball program. My thoughts and prayers are with his family Boozer was part of the goldmedal winning 1960 during this difficult time.” U.S. Olympic team that was enshrined into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010. Considered one of the most decorated players in KState history, (Photo: KState Sports Information) Boozer was the landslide leading votegetter for the school’s All Century Basketball team in 2003. A first team AllAmerican in both 1958 and 1959, he averaged a doubledouble for his 77game career with 21.9 points on 44 percent shooting with 10.7 rebounds per game. He is one of only two players (Willie Murrell) in school history to average 20 points and 10 rebounds in a career. In addition to AllAmerican honors, he was one of only a handful of players to earn first team AllBig Eight honors three times. He is a member of the school’s Sports Hall of Fame, while his number 30 jersey was honored in 2005. http://www.kstate.com/s/1173/newsletterSocial.aspx?sid=1173&gid=1&pgid=3343 1/2 5/31/2016 KState Alumni Association KState Basketball Legend Bob Boozer Passes Away Although he played nearly 50 years ago, Boozer still ranks among numerous Top 10 lists for singlegame, singleseason and career records at KState, including first in career 20point games (45), second in career scoring average (21.9 ppg.), career 30 point games (10) and fourth in career points scored (1,685) and rebounds (824). He still owns the alltime marks for free throws made (529) and attempted (702), while his 23 makes (on 26 attempts) against Purdue on Dec. 1, 1958, remains No. 1 on the chart for most free throws made in a game. “Bob Boozer is a KState legend and one of the greatest basketball players to ever wear a KState uniform,” said Athletics Director John Currie. “I enjoyed getting to know Bob and appreciate all that he did for Kansas State University. He will be missed, and our thoughts and prayers continue to be with the Boozer family as we mourn his loss.” The first Wildcat to play on an Olympic team, Boozer was part of the goldmedal winning 1960 U.S. Olympic team that was enshrined into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010. Touted as the greatest basketball team in Olympic history, the 1960 U.S. squad went a perfect 80 in winning gold in Rome, averaging 101.9 points a game and posting an average margin of victory of 42.4 points. Boozer averaged 6.8 points per game in playing in all eight games. Coached by legendary coach Pete Newell, 10 members of the 12man roster went on to play in the NBA. Boozer was the No. 1 pick of the 1959 NBA Draft by the Cincinnati Royals. He went on to play 11 seasons in the NBA for six different teams, including a fouryear stint for the Royals from 196063 and again from 196364. He led the Milwaukee Bucks to the 1971 NBA title in his final season. Twice he averaged better than 20 points per game for the Chicago Bulls in 196768 and 196869. He scored 12,964 points (14.8 ppg.) on 46.2 percent shooting during his NBA career with 7,119 rebounds and 1,237 assists in 874 games. Following his professional career, Boozer returned to his hometown of Omaha, where he built a career with Northwestern Bell (now CenturyLink). He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Ella. KState Alumni Association 100 Alumni Center, 1720 Anderson Avenue, Manhattan, KS 665066600 | 800600ALUM (2586) | 7855326260 Alumni@KState.com | www.KState.com | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram http://www.kstate.com/s/1173/newsletterSocial.aspx?sid=1173&gid=1&pgid=3343 2/2.