College Basketball Coach. Best known as the successor of UCLA's iconic coach John Wooden. While attending Northeast Missouri State University, he initiated his lengthy coaching career beginning at the high school level and following graduation, he served two years with the US Army. Bartow received a master's degree from Washington University in St. Louis and resumed coaching high school basketball, before reaching the collegiate ranks as head coach at Central Missouri State University (1961 to 1964), followed by Valparaiso University from 1964 until 1970. In 1970, he became head coach at Memphis and turned a struggling program into a national powerhouse as the Tigers' clinched two consecutive Regular Season Conference titles, including a 24 win, 6 loss record in 1972-1973, culminating with an appearance in the NCAA Title Game (defeated by UCLA 87 to 66). Following a one-year stint with Illinois (1974-1975), he replaced John Wooden at UCLA and during his two-year tenure with the Bruins, his teams captured two Regular Season Conference championships and reached the "Final Four" in 1976. In 1977, Bartow became athletic director at the University of Alabama-Birmingham and in 1979, he returned to court-side to serve as the Blazers' head coach (1979 to 1996). His achievements at that capacity include guiding his teams to seven consecutive tournament berths. He retired in 1996 with 647 career victories and was inducted into the National College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009. He died following a two-year battle with stomach cancer.
College Basketball Coach. Best known as the successor of UCLA's iconic coach John Wooden. While attending Northeast Missouri State University, he initiated his lengthy coaching career beginning at the high school level and following graduation, he served two years with the US Army. Bartow received a master's degree from Washington University in St. Louis and resumed coaching high school basketball, before reaching the collegiate ranks as head coach at Central Missouri State University (1961 to 1964), followed by Valparaiso University from 1964 until 1970. In 1970, he became head coach at Memphis and turned a struggling program into a national powerhouse as the Tigers' clinched two consecutive Regular Season Conference titles, including a 24 win, 6 loss record in 1972-1973, culminating with an appearance in the NCAA Title Game (defeated by UCLA 87 to 66). Following a one-year stint with Illinois (1974-1975), he replaced John Wooden at UCLA and during his two-year tenure with the Bruins, his teams captured two Regular Season Conference championships and reached the "Final Four" in 1976. In 1977, Bartow became athletic director at the University of Alabama-Birmingham and in 1979, he returned to court-side to serve as the Blazers' head coach (1979 to 1996). His achievements at that capacity include guiding his teams to seven consecutive tournament berths. He retired in 1996 with 647 career victories and was inducted into the National College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009. He died following a two-year battle with stomach cancer.
Bio by: C.S.
Family Members
Advertisement
