Remembering basketball glory
Successful
businessman and former Shocker men’s basketball coach Gary Thompson
looks at life during and after coaching at the major college level during
the Distinguished Alumni Speaker Breakfast Series Oct. 2.
Thompson, a 1954 University of Wichita physical education graduate, was a starting Shocker guard on the 1954 NIT ball club. He was a top assistant for seven years under WU Coach Ralph Miller, before accepting head coaching duties after Miller left in 1964.
Thompson led the Shockers to their first – and so far only – No. 1 ranking on Dec. 14, 1964. During the 1964-65 season, after winning the Missouri Valley Conference championship, the 19-7 team earned a berth in the Midwest regional and eventually the Final Four. At the Final Four, the team lost to the defending champions UCLA Bruins and was defeated in a third-place game against Princeton. During Thompson’s seven years as head coach, his win-loss record was 93-94.
After coaching, Thompson focused his competitive attention on business and became a highly successful Pizza Hut franchisee. He now lives in Coronado, Calif.
He’ll speak at 7:30 a.m. Oct. 2 at the Olive Tree Banquet Hall, 2949 N. Rock Road. Cost is $15 per person.
For reservations, call the WSU Alumni Association, 978-3834.
Upcoming breakfast series speakers
- Cliff Tarpy, senior writer for National Geographic magazine, Nov. 16
- Ron Holt, chairman of the board and president of KGE, Jan. 11
- Susan Duffy, associate director of the Kansas State Historical Society, Feb. 6
- Shirley Knight, Oscar-nominated and Emmy Award-winning actress, April 17
