Former Bradley head coach Bob Vanatta dies at age 98

[Da Coach]

Former BU coach Bob Vanatta passed away Saturday at age 98-

http://www.commercialappeal.com/story/sports/college/memphis-tigers/basketball/2016/10/22/ex-tiger-basketball-coach-bob-vanatta-dies-98/92616730/

http://www.news-leader.com/story/sports/college/msu/2016/10/22/bob-vanatta-dies-98/92608078/

Vanatta did not have much success at Bradley. He coached only 2 seasons, 1954-55 and 1955-56, and was 22-33 (.400). He followed 2 coaching legends, A.J. Robertson (1920-1948, 316-187, .628 ) and Forddy Anderson (1948-1954, 142-56, .717), and was succeeded by Chuck Orsborn (1956-65, 194-56, .776).

However, Vanatta was a winner at Delta State, Southwest Missouri State, and Army before coming to Bradley. And after leaving Bradley, Vanatta landed at Memphis and went 24-6 his first season, and 109-34 in 6 very successful seasons there.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Vanatta

After finishing his coaching career, he spent time as Athletic Director at Oral Roberts University and Louisiana Tech, and commissioner of several conferences, including the Ohio Valley and Atlantic Sun. He also spent time as executive director of the Independence Bowl.

[tornado]

Vanatta did not have much success at Bradley. ...

numbers don't tell the whole story - he was a good coach and others saw it - that's why he got hired away..
in 1954-55 despite the W-L numbers - he led Bradley to the ELITE EIGHT!
We have never finished any higher in the 62 years since

[capecod]

Bradley under Bob Vanatta

Vanatta came to Bradley after a season as head coach at West Point

Bradley had just finished 2nd in the NCAA tourney the year before-losing the championship game to Tom Gola & LaSalle(the Braves were leading at halftime!)

BU Frosh coach Chuck Osborn was said to have been disappointed that he didn't get promoted to the Head Coaching job-he remained the Frosh Coach

Vanatta & Osborne combined that first year to bring in the first black players in BU history(Curley Johnson & Shellie McMillon)

Ironically the very first game that Vanatta coached at Bradley was vs Osborn's Frosh Papooses

For the only time in a series that lasted until the early 1970's, the BU Frosh upset the varsity 82-80 with Shellie McMillon and Barney Cable leading the Papooses to victory.

Then Independent Bradley(the Braves had dropped out of the Valley) made it to the Elite 8 in the NCAA tourney-despite a losing record

The next season there was no Frosh-Varsity BU game-the only year that a game wasn't played...I guess Vanatta didn't want to mess with Osborn again

Barney Cable flunked off the team at mid season & Shellie McMillon went down with a knee injury after game 13....the team fell apart after losing it's two stars-losing 7 of their last 11- IIRC

After 2 years Vanatta left for Memphis St & Chuck Osborn finally got the Bradley head coaching job

That season Bradley faced Memphis St & their old coach Vanatta for the NIT Championship game....Osborn won over Vanatta again-giving Bradley it's first NIT championship

[tornado]

...
Vanatta & Osborne combined that first year to bring in the first black players in BU history(Curley Johnson & Shellie McMillon)...

a couple thoughts on that...

Johnson & McMillion were the first Black players to play in a varsity game at Bradley

http://bradleyfans.com/vb/showpost.php?p=259726&postcount=5

BUT they were not the first Black players at Bradley:

http://bradleyfans.com/vb/showpost.php?p=259721&postcount=4

[capecod]

Leroy Jackson

my bad-I should have said that McMillon & C Johnson were the first SCHOLARSHIP black basketball players at Bradley

To my knowledge, LeRoy Jackson (6'2 150) from Dunbar, Ill Madison HS was a walk on on the 1953-54 Bradley frosh team

[tornado]

Many schools like Kentucky did not have a single Black player until late 60's and even later..

[capecod]

Tom Payne

Many schools like Kentucky did not have a single Black player until late 60's and even later..

Kentucky's very first black player was 7'1 Tom Payne from Louisville around 1970

Prior to Kentucky HC Adolph Rupp signing him, Payne had signed a MVC letter of intent with Bradley & Joe Stowell

IIRC Payne's parents refused to co-sign the Bradley LOI -then Kentucky came calling

Paine hadn't even started playing basketball until his soph yr of HS-but such things could be easily overlooked when you are 7'1

Prior to Payne, Kentucky had tried to sign HS sensation Wes Unseld a few seasons earlier-but Wes wasn't interested & went to Louisville


Payne would later end up in trouble with the law & spent time in prison

An aside:
In the mid 60s when Stowell was still the BU Frosh coach, he got Walt Wesley 6'11 from Orlando to sign a MVC conference LOI-but that wasn't binding until he signed a National LOI & Bradley lost Wesley to Kansas...where he was billed 'the next Wilt Chamberlain'

[tornado]

I and a few friends were at Hunts when Joe Stowell brought Payne there during a recruiting trip - but we all knew Bradley would never be able to "match Kentucky's offer"...if you know what I mean