Lindsay Gaze
Encyclopedia
Lindsay John Casson Gaze (born 16 August 1936 in Adelaide
, South Australia
) is an Australia
n basketball
player and coach. He played for Australia in three Olympics between 1960 and 1968 and coached the Australian basketball team at four Olympics between 1972 and 1984. Gaze coached the Melbourne Tigers
for 35 years, including 22 years in the National Basketball League
(NBL), winning two championships in 1993 and 1997. He was the coach of the year in 1989, 1997 and 1999 and is second in the all-time number of coaching wins in that league. Lindsay Gaze is a member of the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame as both a player and coach and an associate member of the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.
in August 1936, the son of Albert J. Gaze and Avis M. Gaze. As a youth, he played both basketball and Australian rules football
. Gaze played in the Victorian Football Association for Prahran
. He was selected as a member of an Australian rules team that played an exhibition match in the Melbourne Olympics
although he didn't take the field.
However, it was in basketball that he would make his mark in the Olympics. He was selected for the Australian basketball team for the Rome Olympics
which was the first Australian basketball team to travel overseas for the Olympics. Gaze soon established himself as one of Australia's leading basketballers establishing an international reputation when he was selected as a member of the All-Star Five in the 1962 World Championships. He married Margaret Gaze in 1962 with the couple having a son, Andrew Gaze
(born 24 July 1965) and a daughter, Janet Gaze-Daniels (born 8 July 1964).
Gaze would represent Australia at the Rome Olympics
, Tokyo Olympics
and Mexico City Olympics
. He developed a reputation as a fanatical trainer training two or three times a week with his club and at home. Gaze also coached national under 16 and under 18 squads during his playing career.
His reputation for training led to his appointment as the coach of Melbourne Tigers in 1970 and of the Australian basketball side in 1971 coaching the team at four Olympic Games in 1972
, 1976
, 1980
and 1984
. Andrew Gaze was part of the team that he coached in 1984. Lindsay Gaze would write his first book Better Basketball in 1977.
Lindsay Gaze was also a member of the NBL Board. In 2004, he became a part owner of the Melbourne Tigers with Andrew Gaze. On his retirement, journalist Stephen Howell of the Melbourne Age wrote that history would judge him as the most influential figure in Australian basketball.
who play in the Chinese CBA for the 2008/09 season.
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
) is an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n basketball
Basketball
Basketball 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...
player and coach. He played for Australia in three Olympics between 1960 and 1968 and coached the Australian basketball team at four Olympics between 1972 and 1984. Gaze coached the Melbourne Tigers
Melbourne Tigers
The Melbourne Tigers are Australia's oldest and most respected basketball team, established circa 1931 in a local church hall League. Entering the National Basketball League in 1984, they are now the only Melbourne team, after the South Dragons withdrew from the league.The Melbourne Tigers are the...
for 35 years, including 22 years in the National Basketball League
National Basketball League (Australia)
The National Basketball League, also known as the iiNet NBL Championship for sponsorship reasons, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in Australasia....
(NBL), winning two championships in 1993 and 1997. He was the coach of the year in 1989, 1997 and 1999 and is second in the all-time number of coaching wins in that league. Lindsay Gaze is a member of the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame as both a player and coach and an associate member of the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.
Olympic career
Lindsay Gaze was born in AdelaideAdelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
in August 1936, the son of Albert J. Gaze and Avis M. Gaze. As a youth, he played both basketball and Australian rules football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
. Gaze played in the Victorian Football Association for Prahran
Prahran Football Club
Prahran Football Club, nicknamed The Two Blues, is an Australian rules football club based at Toorak Park in Orrong Road between High Street and Malvern Road, Armadale, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Since 2007, the club has competed in D1 Section of the Victorian Amateur Football Association...
. He was selected as a member of an Australian rules team that played an exhibition match in the Melbourne Olympics
1956 Summer Olympics
The 1956 Melbourne Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVI Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in Melbourne, Australia, in 1956, with the exception of the equestrian events, which could not be held in Australia due to quarantine regulations...
although he didn't take the field.
However, it was in basketball that he would make his mark in the Olympics. He was selected for the Australian basketball team for the Rome Olympics
1960 Summer Olympics
The 1960 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held from August 25 to September 11, 1960 in Rome, Italy...
which was the first Australian basketball team to travel overseas for the Olympics. Gaze soon established himself as one of Australia's leading basketballers establishing an international reputation when he was selected as a member of the All-Star Five in the 1962 World Championships. He married Margaret Gaze in 1962 with the couple having a son, Andrew Gaze
Andrew Gaze
Andrew Barry Casson Gaze is Australia's best known basketball player, and one of its most successful. He is considered as the greatest player in the history of the NBL....
(born 24 July 1965) and a daughter, Janet Gaze-Daniels (born 8 July 1964).
Gaze would represent Australia at the Rome Olympics
1960 Summer Olympics
The 1960 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held from August 25 to September 11, 1960 in Rome, Italy...
, Tokyo Olympics
1964 Summer Olympics
The 1964 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Tokyo, Japan in 1964. Tokyo had been awarded with the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this honor was subsequently passed to Helsinki because of Japan's...
and Mexico City Olympics
1968 Summer Olympics
The 1968 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Mexico City, Mexico in October 1968. The 1968 Games were the first Olympic Games hosted by a developing country, and the first Games hosted by a Spanish-speaking country...
. He developed a reputation as a fanatical trainer training two or three times a week with his club and at home. Gaze also coached national under 16 and under 18 squads during his playing career.
His reputation for training led to his appointment as the coach of Melbourne Tigers in 1970 and of the Australian basketball side in 1971 coaching the team at four Olympic Games in 1972
1972 Summer Olympics
The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from August 26 to September 11, 1972....
, 1976
1976 Summer Olympics
The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
, 1980
1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...
and 1984
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
. Andrew Gaze was part of the team that he coached in 1984. Lindsay Gaze would write his first book Better Basketball in 1977.
NBL Coaching Career 1983–2005
Lindsay Gaze was the inaugural coach of the Melbourne Tigers at the start of the NBL in 1984. He retired in May 2005 after 22 seasons and 689 games with 363 victories. The Melbourne Tigers won two championships in 1993 and 1997 with Gaze as coach. He was a widely respected coach in the NBL winning Coach of the Year three times during his career. He announced his retirement from basketball on the same day that Andrew Gaze announced his retirement after 612 NBL games. Lindsay Gaze had coached Andrew Gaze during his son's entire career as an NBL player with the pair forming the longest standing father-son partnership in the history of world sport. The pair would also author a book Winning Basketball in 1992.Lindsay Gaze was also a member of the NBL Board. In 2004, he became a part owner of the Melbourne Tigers with Andrew Gaze. On his retirement, journalist Stephen Howell of the Melbourne Age wrote that history would judge him as the most influential figure in Australian basketball.
CBA Coaching Career 2008–
Gaze was announced as head coach of Tianjin RonggangTianjin Ronggang
The Tianjin Ronggang Golden Lions are a basketball team in the North Division of the Chinese Basketball Association, based in Tianjin....
who play in the Chinese CBA for the 2008/09 season.
Record and accolades
- Player in 1960, 1964 and 1968 Olympics;
- Coach of Australian team at 1972, 1976, 1980 and 1984 Olympics;
- Coached 689 NBL games with 363 victories (52.6%);
- Two NBL championships 1993 and 1997;
- Three times NBL Coach of the Year 1989, 1997, 1999;
- Member Australian Basketball Hall of Fame as player and coach;
- Associate member of Sport Australia Hall of Fame (SAHOF) for role as coach and member of SAHOF board; and
- Victorian Father of the Year 1992 – Andrew Gaze would win the award in 2004.