Al McGuire was the head coach of the
Marquette UniversityMarquette University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1881, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities...
men's
basketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
team from 1964 to 1977. He compiled impressive numbers throughout his coaching career, resulting in his induction to the
Basketball Hall of FameThe Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States, honors exceptional basketball players, coaches, referees, executives, and other major contributors to the game of basketball worldwide...
in 1992, and was also well known for his colorful personality.
Early life
He played three years of basketball at St. John's Prep.,
QueensQueens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
,
New YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
(graduated 1947), and went on to star at St. John's University (1947–1951), where he played for four years and captained the 1951 team that posted a 26–5 mark and finished third in the NIT.
NBA career
After college, McGuire played in the
NBAThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
, first with the
New York KnicksThe New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
(1951–53) and then with the Baltimore Bullets (1954). While with the Knicks, he once famously pleaded with his coach for playing time, with this guarantee: "I can stop
CousyRobert Joseph "Bob" Cousy is a retired American professional basketball player. The 6'1" , 175-pound Cousy played point guard with the National Basketball Association's Boston Celtics from 1951 to 1963 and briefly with the Cincinnati Royals in the 1969–70 season...
." Inserted into the lineup, McGuire proceeded to foul him on his next six trips down the court.
Coaching career
McGuire began his illustrious coaching career as an assistant at
Dartmouth CollegeDartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
(1955–1957). He then took his first head coaching job at
Belmont Abbey CollegeBelmont Abbey College is a private liberal-arts Catholic college located in Belmont, North Carolina, USA west of Uptown Charlotte. It was founded in 1876 by the Benedictine monks of Belmont Abbey...
(1957–1964), where he recruited many high school players off the streets of New York. McGuire later became head coach at
Marquette UniversityMarquette University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1881, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities...
in 1964 where he enjoyed success, including the
NIT ChampionshipThe National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
in
1970The 1970 National Invitation Tournament was unique in that coach Al McGuire of Marquette University, unhappy with his team's placement, turned down a bid to the NCAA tournament and elected to play in the NIT instead. His Marquette Warriors went on to claim the championship.This tournament...
and a
Final Four appearanceThe 1974 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 25 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It was the first tournament to officially be designated as a Division I championship—previously, NCAA member...
in
1974The 1973–74 Marquette Warriors men's basketball team represented Marquette University in NCAA Division I men's competition in the 1973–74 academic year....
.
Helped by assistant coaches Hank Raymonds (who would succeed him) and
Rick MajerusRick Majerus is an American college basketball coach, and the men's basketball head coach at Saint Louis University. He coached previously at Marquette University , Ball State University , and the University of Utah .-Biography:Majerus graduated from Marquette University High School in 1966 and...
, who would become a successful college coach in his own right, McGuire led the Warriors (now known as Golden Eagles) to the university's only NCAA basketball championship, in
1977The 1976–77 Marquette Warriors men's basketball team represented Marquette University in NCAA Division I men's competition in the 1976–77 season...
, his final season as a head coach. McGuire's Marquette team, led by Butch Lee and
Jerome WhiteheadJerome Whitehead is an American former professional basketball player. He was selected by the San Diego Clippers in the 2nd round of the 1978 NBA Draft. A 6'10" center-forward from Marquette University, Whitehead played in 11 NBA seasons from 1978 to 1989...
, defeated
Dean SmithDean Edwards Smith is a retired American head coach of men's college basketball. Originally from Emporia, Kansas, Smith has been called a “coaching legend” by the Basketball Hall of Fame. Smith is best known for his successful 36-year coaching tenure at the University of North Carolina at Chapel...
's
North Carolina Tar HeelsThe North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball program is the intercollegiate men's basketball of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and is considered one of the most successful programs in NCAA history...
for the title, just two days after Whitehead received a full court pass then subsequently made a last second shot (exactly the same style of shot made by Duke's
Christian LaettnerChristian Donald Laettner is a retired American professional basketball player and entrepreneur. He had a distinguished college and national career, and played in the National Basketball Association for thirteen seasons, from 1992–2005. He is presently a minority holder for the Major League...
against
KentuckyThe 1991–92 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team represented the University of Kentucky in NCAA competition in the 1991–92 season. Coached by Rick Pitino, the Wildcats were, then as now, a member of the Southeast Conference and played their home games at Rupp Arena.This season's team is one of...
fifteen years later) propelling Marquette past
UNC CharlotteThe Charlotte 49ers represent the NCAA Division I sports teams of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Charlotte joined the Atlantic 10 in 2005. The 49ers field 16 teams, 8 men and 8 women....
in the national semifinals. The thrilling weekend in Atlanta's
Omni ColiseumThe Omni Coliseum, usually called The Omni, from the Latin for "all," or "every," was an indoor arena, located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Completed in 1972, the arena seated 16,378, for basketball and 15,278, for ice hockey...
provided a happy sendoff to one of the most joyful and charismatic figures in college basketball history.
Business career
On December 17, 1976, McGuire stunned fans by announcing that he would retire as coach after the end of the 1976-77 season to become vice chairman of Medalist Industries, effective May 1, 1977. McGuire quit as vice-chairman of the company on March 20, 1978.
Broadcasting career
After retiring from coaching, McGuire became a popular commentator for
NBC SportsNBC Sports is the sports division of the NBC television network. Formerly "a service of NBC News," it broadcasts a diverse array of programs, including the Olympic Games, the NFL, the NHL, MLS, Notre Dame football, the PGA Tour, the Triple Crown, and the French Open, among others...
and
CBS SportsCBS Sports is a division of CBS Broadcasting which airs sporting events on the American television network. Its headquarters are in the CBS Building on West 52nd Street in midtown Manhattan, New York City, with programs produced out of Studio 43 at the CBS Broadcast Center on West 57th Street.CBS...
. McGuire's on-air arguments with then-NBC colleague Billy Packer helped to increase the popularity of college basketball across the United States. McGuire was court side for the landmark 1979 championship game between Indiana State and Michigan State, which is remembered as a game that vastly enhanced the appeal of college basketball. Reflecting on the event ten years later, McGuire said that the 1979 title game "put college basketball on its afterburner."
Death
McGuire died at 72 after a long bout with
leukemiaLeukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
on January 26, 2001 in Milwaukee,
WisconsinWisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
.
Legacy
The
Al McGuire CenterThe Al McGuire Center is an 4,000 seat arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin which houses the women's volleyball and basketball teams at Marquette University. It also serves as a practice facility for the men's basketball team. It was opened in 2004, replacing the venerable Marquette Gymnasium...
, which includes a statue in his honor, opened on the Marquette campus in 2004.
He is not related to the late
North CarolinaThe University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
and
South CarolinaThe University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
coach
Frank McGuireFrank Joseph McGuire was an American athletic coach who gained his greatest renown in collegiate basketball....
, who was a coaching contemporary of his, though he did play for McGuire at St. Johns.
He was elected to the
Wisconsin Athletic Hall of FameThe Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame is a promenade in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, dedicated to honoring distinguished members of Wisconsin's sports history. New members are honored at a biennial banquet.-History:...
in 1993.
McGuire's brother
DickRichard Joseph "Dick" McGuire was an American professional basketball player and coach.One of the premier guards of the 1950s, McGuire spent eleven seasons in the NBA , eight with the New York Knicks and three with the Detroit Pistons...
was also a prominent figure in basketball. They are the only pair of brothers inducted into the
Basketball Hall of FameThe Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States, honors exceptional basketball players, coaches, referees, executives, and other major contributors to the game of basketball worldwide...
.
McGuire was survived by his wife Patricia, three children - sons
AllieAllie McGuire is a former guard in the National Basketball Association. He was drafted in the third round of the 1973 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks and played with the team that year....
(who played for his father at Marquette) and Rob, and daughter Noreen - and six grandchildren.
Play
Al McGuire's former television broadcast partner and friend,
Dick EnbergRichard Alan "Dick" Enberg is an American sportscaster. He currently provides play-by-play for telecasts of San Diego Padres baseball on 4SD, following a long career calling various sports for such networks as NBC, CBS, and ESPN...
, penned a one-man theatrical play entitled "McGuire". It debuted at
Marquette UniversityMarquette University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1881, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities...
's Helfaer Theater in 2005, and returned there by popular demand in 2006. It was then presented at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta during the 2007 Final Four Championship; at Hofstra University in February 2008; and at the North Coast Repertory in San Diego County in April 2008. It returned to North Coast Rep by popular demand in August 2008, and then went to Central Michigan University, Dick Enberg's Alma Mater, on October 10, 2008, after which there was a benefit performance for the San Diego Chargers on November 12, 2008. The play has received rave reviews as an accurate portrayal of the eccentric coach, portrayed by
Cotter SmithCotter Smith is an American stage, film, and television actor.-Biography:He was born Joseph Cotter Smith in Washington, D.C., the son of Madeline and John Lewis Smith, Jr., who was a federal judge...
.
The show is currently contracted with
Off Broadway Booking in New York City, New York and is available for bookings through 2012. Most recently, the show has traveled to Belmont, North Carolina at Belmont Abbey College (Al's first coaching job) as well as Bloomington, Indiana at Indiana University.
Coaching accomplishments
- Belmont Abbey record: 109-64
- Coached Belmont Abbey to five postseason appearances
- Marquette record: 295-80
- Coached team to 11 consecutive postseason bids at Marquette
- NIT
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
championship (1970)
- Coached team to a 28-1 season (1971)
- Associated Press, United Press International and United States Basketball Writers Association Coach of the Year (1971)
- NABC Coach of the Year (1974)
- NCAA
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
championship (1977)
- Among a select few coaches who have won both the NIT and NCAA championships
- Marquette captured its first ever NCAA championship with a 67-59 victory over North Carolina in McGuire's last game as coach
- More than 92 percent of his student-athletes completed requirements to earn their degrees from Marquette
- Twenty-six of his players were drafted into the NBA
- Marquette University Athletic Director (1973–77)
- Conducted clinics at two Air Force bases in Europe (1971)
Head coaching record
Broadcasting experience
- College basketball analyst, NBC Sports and CBS Sports
- Basketball analyst, 1988 Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
- Color commentator for CBS Sports' March Madness
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
- Perhaps his most famous line as commentator came during the 1992 NCAA Tournament, when McGuire blurted out "Holy mackerel! Holy mackerel! Holy mackerel!" following a game winning buzzer-beater by Georgia Tech
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets men's basketball team represents the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in NCAA Division I basketball. The team plays its home games in Alexander Memorial Coliseum. Under the tenure of Bobby Cremins, Georgia Tech established itself as a national force in basketball...
's James Forrest.
- Following his broadcast of a 1996 NCAA Regional Championship, McGuire garnered fame for dancing with the players of Syracuse
The Syracuse Orange men's basketball program is the intercollegiate men's basketball team representing Syracuse University. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Big East Conference...
who were celebrating their entry into the Final Four. He would do the same the following year with the players from the University of MinnesotaThe Minnesota Golden Gophers men's basketball team represents the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Golden Gophers have played in the Big Ten since the conference began sponsoring basketball in 1905...
. The Minnesota players proclaimed they wanted to "Get down with Al!"
- McGuire's broadcasting career was capped by a warm and poignant reunion less than a year before his death. When Dick Enberg joined CBS Sports in 2000 after a long career with NBC, McGuire was able to be reunited with Enberg and longtime CBS commentator Billy Packer. Late in the 2000 season, the trio called its final game together, nineteen years after working the 1981 national championship game for NBC.
See also
- Marquette Golden Eagles men's basketball
The Marquette Golden Eagles Basketball team is the basketball team that represents Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The school's 1977 team, coached by Al McGuire, won the NCAA championship. Currently the team competes in the Big East Conference. It last played in the NCAA Division I...
- NCAA Men's Division I Final Four appearances by coaches
This is a list of the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Regional Championships by coach. The current names of the NCAA Tournament regions are the East, Southeast, Southwest, and West...
External links