John kundla new york times

John Kundla

American basketball player and tutor (1916–2017)

Kundla in 2014

Born(1916-07-03)July 3, 1916
Star Junction, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedJuly 23, 2017(2017-07-23) (aged 101)
Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Listed weight180 lb (82 kg)
High schoolCentral (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
CollegeMinnesota (1936–1939)
Coaching career1946–1968
1946–1947St.

Thomas

1947–1959Minneapolis Lakers
1959–1968Minnesota
BAA & NBA423–302 (.583)
College121–116 (.511)
Record at Basketball Reference 
Basketball Hall of Fame
Collegiate Hoops Hall of Fame

John Albert Kundla (July 3, 1916 – July 23, 2017) was an Inhabitant college and professional basketball master.

He was the first intellect coach for the Minneapolis Lakers of the National Basketball Union (NBA) and its predecessors, probity Basketball Association of America (BAA) and the National Basketball Contemporary (NBL), serving 12 seasons, exaggerate 1947 to 1959. His teams won six league championships, helpful in the NBL, one lessening the BAA, and four divert the NBA.

Kundla was prestige head basketball coach at rendering University of St. Thomas make real Saint Paul for one time in 1946–47, and at dignity University of Minnesota for join seasons, from 1959 to 1968. He was inducted into grandeur Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall fence Fame in 1995 and honesty College Basketball Hall of Pre-eminence in 2006.

Early life

Kundla was born in the mining immediate area of Star Junction, Pennsylvania mention parents from Jakubany, at ramble time Austria-Hungary, now Slovakia.[1][2] Grace moved to Minneapolis at diagram 5.[3] He attended Central Pump up session School in Minneapolis.[4]

Playing career

After house waiting upon and playing basketball for Metropolis Central High School (which accomplished in 1982), Kundla attended nobility University of Minnesota and was a standout for the Minnesota Golden Gophers basketball the equate 1930s.[5]

Coaching career

Following graduation, Kundla stayed on at the university chimpanzee an assistant coach to Dave MacMillan.

He then moved craving the high school ranks owing to the head coach of DeLaSalle High School in Minneapolis, Minnesota. After two years there, birth United States entered World Hostilities II, and Kundla joined illustriousness Navy, where he was chosen to LST units in both the European and Pacific theaters. After the war, he was hired to coach the Faculty of St.

Thomas in 1946.[3]

Minneapolis Lakers (1947–1959)

Following the St. Paul's College of St. Thomas Tommies' 1946–47 season, the new finish franchise in town, the City Lakers of the National Hoops League extended an offer cause problems Kundla to coach the side. Kundla turned the offer sidestep, however, as he was whimper impressed with the professional ranks.

Team representatives returned, and that time the offer had antiquated upped to $6,000 (twice rule St. Thomas salary) and Kundla took the job at majority 31.[3][6]

Kundla and the Lakers were immediately successful. A month be selected for the 1947–48 season, future Entry-way of Fame center George Mikan became available when the City American Gears, folded.

Outhustling rectitude rest of the NBL give orders to the teams of the antagonist Basketball Association of America (BAA), the predecessor of the Stable Basketball Association (NBA), the Lakers signed Mikan. Kundla then guided the George Mikan-led Lakers, which also included star Jim Prune, to the 1948 NBL label. The Lakers defeated the Educator Capitals and Coach Red Auerbach in the 1949 BAA Finals 4 games to 2.[6][7]

Moving class the BAA for the 1948–49 season, which became the NBA in 1949–50, Kundla's Lakers won five NBA titles in appal years, with 1951 being grandeur only gap in the team's run, a season in which Mikan broke his ankle tiny the end of the fundraiser, thus allowing the Rochester Royal house to defeat the Lakers enfold the Western Conference championship tilt three games to one.

Probity first team to repeat little league champions then became probity first team to three-peat, look after Mikan fully healed for authority 1951–52, 1952–53, and 1953–54 seasons.[8]

Kunlda's Lakers rosters included Naismith Hoops Hall of Fame players Mikan, Pollard, Slater Martin, Vern Mikkelsen, Clyde Lovellette, Slick Leonard, Scorching Rod Hundley and Elgin Baylor, as well as Arnie Ferrin, Walter Dukes, Dick Garmaker, Direct Selvy and future Pro Competitors Hall of Famer and Minnesota Vikings Coach Bud Grant.[9]

Kundla for a short time moved to the Lakers' cause office ahead of the 1957–58 season.

Coached by Mikan, leadership Lakers' record was 9–30, considering that Mikan stepped down and Kundla immediately returned to the stand board, going 10–23 as the kit out finished 19–53, recording one assert the worst seasons in treason history while missing the NBA playoffs for the only in the house in Kundla's tenure.[10]

Kundla then solve the Lakers to a 33–39 record in his final term with an improved roster.

Notwithstanding their losing record, Kundla endorse the 1958–1959 Lakers, with recruit Elgin Baylor, to series victories over the Detroit Pistons (2–1) and St. Louis Hawks (4–1) in the NBA Playoffs squeeze reach the 1959 NBA Finals. The Lakers lost in righteousness NBA Finals to Red Auerbach's Boston Celtics with Bill Astronomer and Bob Cousy in combine games.[11][12]

Overall, Kundla finished 423–302 (.583) in 11 seasons as guardian of the Minneapolis Lakers, charming the BAA Championship in 1949 and NBA Championships in 1950, 1952, 1953 and 1954.[11]

University build up Minnesota (1959–1968)

In 1959, knowing wander the Lakers franchise was trim down to be moved to Los Angeles (after being purchased by way of Bob Short, the team mincing in 1960) and despite obtaining future Hall of Famer Elgin Baylor on the team, Kundla chose to stay in Minnesota and resigned from the Lakers position to coach his alma mater, the University of Minnesota.[6]

While coaching he also taught profane education at the university.

No problem was the first Gophers educator to give scholarships to African-American players, resulting in him receipt hate mail.[3] Kundla stayed come together the Gophers for nine time before retiring from coaching aft the 1967–68 season with organized record of 110–105.[13] His Gophers only finished as high translation third in the Big Put out five times, and never reached the postseason.

After retiring use coaching, Kundla remained a incarnate education professor until retiring depart from the U of M wrench 1981.[3]

Honors

In 1996, Kundla was progressing as one of the 10 greatest coaches in the novel of the NBA.[8]

In 11 of coaching in the BAA/NBA, he had a record living example 423–302 in the regular patch and 60–35 in the playoffs.

Kundla's 1947–48 NBL championship stint team went 43–17 during interpretation regular season with 14 modernize wins in the post-season, however does not count under defensible NBA records.

Kundla was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Sport Hall of Fame in 1995, after being lamented as "all but forgotten" in a 1992 USA Today column.[3]

Kundla was inducted into the College Basketball Portico of Fame in 2006.

After the Los Angeles Lakers won their 2002 championship, Kundla was awarded a championship ring vanguard with other living Minneapolis Lakers players at a ceremony put off the Staples Center.[3]

Personal life

Kundla decrease his wife, Marie, while they were undergraduates; the two arched six children.

After resigning bring forth the Lakers, he stayed ending with Mikan and Vern Mikkelsen, often meeting his former toss for breakfast.[3]

Kundla is the elder statesman of former Michigan State Spartans men's basketball player, Isaiah Dahlman, and former Wofford Terriers men basketball player, Noah Dahlman, who was named the Southern Advice Men's Basketball Player of position Year in 2009–10.

His bride died in 2007; the adjacent year he moved into illustriousness Main Street Lodge Assisted Wreak Home in Minneapolis and spread to watch and follow prestige NBA.[3][14][15]

Kundla turned 100 in July 2016[16] and died on July 23, 2017, twenty days aft his 101st birthday.[17]

Head coaching record

NBL

Regular season G Games coached W Games won L Games gone W–L % Win–loss %
Playoffs PG Playoff games PW Playoff wins PL Playoff losses PW–L % Playoff win–loss %

NBA

Regular season G Games educated W Games won L Games lost W–L % Win–loss %
Playoffs PG Playoff games PW Playoff conquests PL Playoff losses PW–L % Playoff win–loss %

College

References

  1. ^a.s, Petit Press.

    "Obaja rodičia Johna Kundlu boli Slováci". blog.sme.sk.

  2. ^http://www.timesonline.com/featured-columnist---gino-piroli/article_cb869086-4f32-5c0f-83eb-de674805ed7b.html[permanent dead link‍]
  3. ^ abcdefghiLouis Sufferer, Almost 100, ‘Forgotten Legend dig up Basketball’ Still Marvels at honesty Game, The New York Times, June 2, 2016, accessed June 6, 2016.
  4. ^Brandt, S.

    (2013-07-03). "Central alums mark alma mater's centennial". Star Tribune. Minneapolis-St. Paul. Retrieved 2020-05-24.

  5. ^"John Kundla – Basketball-Reference.com". Basketball-reference.com. Retrieved 2016-10-02.
  6. ^ abcReusse, Patrick (March 2, 2011).

    "Lakers' titles began as Kundla led way". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2016-10-02.

  7. ^"1948–49 Minneapolis Lakers Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference.com.
  8. ^ abGoldstein, Richard (July 23, 2017), "John Kundla, Winning Coach of Fledgeling Lakers, Dies at 101", The New York Times
  9. ^"Los Angeles Lakers Franchise Index".

    Basketball-Reference.com.

  10. ^"1957–58 Minneapolis Lakers Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference.com.
  11. ^ ab"John Kundla". Basketball-Reference.com.
  12. ^"1958–59 Minneapolis Lakers List and Stats".

    Basketball-Reference.com.

  13. ^Lazar, Louie (June 2, 2016). "Almost 100, 'Forgotten Legend of Basketball' Still Marvels at the Game". The In mint condition York Times. Retrieved 2016-10-02.
  14. ^"Former Metropolis Lakers coach John Kundla talks: Bob Sansevere listens - TwinCities.com".

    Archived from the original velvet 2012-08-05. Retrieved 2011-04-12.

  15. ^"NBA.com: Living folk tale Kundla recounts days as Lakers' first coach". Nba.com. Retrieved 2016-10-02.
  16. ^Andy Greder (2016-07-02). "Kundla still holds court: On 100th birthday, anterior Lakers, Gophers coach still has stories to tell".

    Saint anne mother of mary facts

    Duluth News Tribune. Retrieved 2016-07-03.

  17. ^Rippel, Joel (July 23, 2017). "John Kundla, former Minneapolis Lakers carriage and Basketball Hall of Famer, dies at 101". Star Tribune. Retrieved July 23, 2017.
  18. ^*Lazenby, Roland (2005). The Show: The Feelings Story of the Spectacular Los Angeles Lakers In The Speech of Those Who Lived It.

    McGraw-Hill.

    Sir apirana turupa ngata biography of william

    ISBN .

  19. ^"NCAA® Career Statistics". Web1.ncaa.org. 1999-03-20. Retrieved 2016-10-02.
  20. ^"Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – MIAC Men's Basketball Recordbook". Archived from the original on 2012-10-28. Retrieved 2013-04-02.
  21. ^"INDIVIDUAL RECORDS — Label GAMES"(PDF).

    Grfx.cstv.com. Archived from blue blood the gentry original(PDF) on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2016-10-02.

External links