Encyclopedia Dubuque
"Encyclopedia Dubuque is the online authority for all things Dubuque, written by the people who know the city best.”
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Affiliated with the Local History Network of the State Historical Society of Iowa, and the Iowa Museum Association.
ORR, Johnny
ORR, John Michael "Johnny." (Taylorville, IL, June 10, 1927---Des Moines, IA, Dec. 31, 2013). In 1949 Orr graduated from Beloit (Wisconsin) College where he was a two-time All-American in basketball. He coached at the high school level throughout the 1950s including DUBUQUE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL from 1951-59.(1) He taught world history. (2)
His first move into collegiate coaching was as an assistant at Wisconsin for four seasons. Orr then served as the head coach at University of Massachusetts for three seasons.
Orr assisted Dave Strack at Michigan for one season before taking over head coaching duties at Michigan prior to the 1968-69 season. He was national coach of the year and took Michigan to the NCAA championship game in 1976. He led the Wolverines to four NCAA Championship appearances in 12 seasons and amassed a school-record of 209 victories. Orr was one of the few coaches to be the all-time leader in career wins at two high-major schools.(3)
Orr came to Iowa State from Michigan in 1980. He turned around the Iowa State program in the 1980s, taking the Cyclones in 1985 to their first NCAA tournament appearance in 41 years. Orr eventually took the Cyclones to six NCAA tournaments and produced a record 5 20-win seasons. (4) He spent sixteen years as the coach of the Cyclones before retiring in 1994.
Orr won 466 games in 29 seasons as a college basketball coach. (5) In 2001 he was inducted into the Iowa State Letter Winners Club Hall of Fame. In 2011, the Iowa State Athletics Department opened a large sports bar-themed gathering area in the east concourse of Hilton Coliseum, naming it “Johnny’s” as a tribute to the coaching legend. (6)
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Source:
1. RadioIowa. Online: http://www.radioiowa.com/2013/12/31/cyclone-legend-johnny-orr-dead-at-86/
2. Brown, Rick. "Former Iowa State, Michigan Coach Johnny Orr Dies at 86," USA Today, December 31, 2013, Online: http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/2013/12/31/johnny-orr-dies-at-86-iowa-state-michigan/4262817/
3. Ibid.
4. Ibid.
5. Feinstein, John. "Johnny Orr, A Coach Who Could Do Magic," Washington Post, Dec. 31, 2013, Online: http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/johnny-orr-a-coach-who-could-do-magic/2013/12/31/2a944f2c-725f-11e3-8def-a33011492df2_story.html
6. RadioIowa