Abe Lemons

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Abe Lemons (November 21, 1922 - September 2, 2002) was one of the most successful head basketball coaches in Oklahoma history.

Lemons grew up in the town of Walters, Oklahoma. He served in World War II in the Pacific and often referred to the pressures of his war experience to put sports pressures into perspective. He joined Oklahoma City University as a student in 1947.

At Oklahoma City University, Lemons excelled as a player and coach in basketball for more than 40 years. In 34 seasons of coaching, he accomplished 599 victories and 343 losses, ranking fifth among the winningest men's active collegiate coaches.

Lemons spent 25 years as head coach at OCU. His first 18 years at OCU from 1955-1973, during which he led OCU to a 309-181 record, two NIT berths and seven NCAA tournament appearances in 1956, 1957, 1963-1966 and 1973. OCU also won the All-College Tournament in 1965.

From 1973-1976 Lemons was head coach at Pan American University, where he was named 1974-1975 Texas Coach of the Year. He took the head coaching position at the University of Texas in 1976. He served as president of the National Association of Basketball Coaches in 1977 and was named National Coach of the Year in 1978. Lemons' last season at Texas was 1982.

In his second stint at OCU, he took the Chiefs to the NAIA Championship tournament once and to the District IX playoffs four times. Lemons was Sooner Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 1985-1986. OCU had an undefeated season record and a trip to the NAIA tournament in 1986-1987. That year, they were ranked number one throughout the season. The season ended with a 34-1 record, Lemons' was named District 9 Coach of the Year and Sooner Athletic Conference Coach of the Year. In 1987, he was named Basketball Times Coach of the Year. In 1989, he received the Jim Thorpe Lifetime Achievement Award.

During his 25 years with OCU, Lemons posted a record of 432-264. He brought positive national attention to the state of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City and OCU. He established himself as a "teacher of men," not only in sports, but in the values of life, as proven by the success and leadership accomplishments of his students and players.

Lemons died on September 2, 2002 of complications from Parkinson’s Disease at the age of 79.

[edit] Notable Quotes

• "That's one more rebound than a dead guy."

After his center grabbed only one rebound in the first half of a game.

• "You may be big in New York, but in Walters, Oklahoma, you're nobody."

to broadcaster Howard Cosell

• "If you had come with me, you could be the principal of a high school by now."

to Johnny Bench, whom he tried to recruit with at Oklahoma City University.

• "Damn referees. I'll miss them less than anybody."

after losing his final game by one point, in a bid for victory No. 600

• "You mean in the state?"

When asked if he felt his 1976 University of Texas basketball team should be ranked in the top twenty that season

• "Finish last in your league and they call you 'Idiot'. Finish last in medical school and they call you 'Doctor'."

• "I never substitute just to substitute. I play my regulars. The only way a guy gets off the floor is if he dies."

• "One day of practice is like one day of clean living. It doesn't do you any good."

• "I don't jog. If I die I want to be sick."

• "Doctors bury their mistakes, mine are still on scholarship."

• "I hope they notice the mistletoe tied to my coattails as I leave town."

[edit] See also