Bucky O'Connor
Encyclopedia
Frank "Bucky" O'Connor was a college men's basketball coach. He was the head coach of the Iowa Hawkeyes men's basketball
team from 1949 to 1958. Born in Monroe, Iowa
, O'Connor spent much of his early life playing golf
, as his parents managed a country club. O'Connor attended and played basketball at Newton High School and Drake University
; he became team captain in his senior year of college despite his slight frame and bad eyesight. After graduating, he coached at Boone High School
and Harrisburg High School. When the United States entered World War II, O'Connor joined the United States Army Air Corps
, serving in Japan and climbing to the rank of captain.
After the war, he held jobs in the athletic departments at Boone High and Boone Junior College, and ultimately joined the Iowa Hawkeyes athletic staff as the freshman basketball coach and head golf coach in 1948. In 1950, O'Connor took charge of the Hawkeyes' baskeball team after the first two coaches of the 1949–50 season stepped down. He became the official coach in the 1951–52 season, in which the team achieved a 19–3 record and a second-place finish in the Big Ten Conference
. O'Connor is best known in Iowa basketball history for recruiting and coaching the players who comprised the "Fabulous Five": Sharm Scheuerman, Bill Seaberg, Carl Cain
, Bill Schoof and Bill Logan. This team first came together during the 1953–54 season, finishing second in the Big Ten with a 11–3 conference record (17–5 overall). The team won the Big Ten in the next two seasons, advancing to the Final Four
both times. In the 1955–56 season, which was the Fabulous Five's final season together, the Hawkeyes won 17 consecutive games and advanced to their only National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championship game in school history, where they lost to the University of San Francisco
, marking the end of Iowa's most successful era of basketball.
O'Connor coached the Hawkeyes for the next two seasons, compiling a combined record of 21–23 before dying in a highway accident on April 22, 1958, at the age of 44. He had one daughter, Kathy, born to his wife Jane.
Iowa Hawkeyes men's basketball
The Iowa Hawkeyes men's basketball team represents the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa, as a member of the Big Ten Conference and the National Collegiate Athletic Association. They currently play in 15,500-seat Carver-Hawkeye Arena, along with the school's women's basketball, wrestling, and...
team from 1949 to 1958. Born in Monroe, Iowa
Monroe, Iowa
Monroe is a city in Jasper County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,808 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Monroe's longitude and latitude coordinatesin decimal form are 41.521880, -93.103492...
, O'Connor spent much of his early life playing golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
, as his parents managed a country club. O'Connor attended and played basketball at Newton High School and Drake University
Drake University
Drake University is a private, co-educational university located in Des Moines, Iowa, USA. The institution offers a number of undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as professional programs in law and pharmacy. Today, Drake is one of the twenty-five oldest law schools in the country....
; he became team captain in his senior year of college despite his slight frame and bad eyesight. After graduating, he coached at Boone High School
Boone High School
Boone High School is a high school located in Boone, Iowa. The school's mascot is the Toreadors....
and Harrisburg High School. When the United States entered World War II, O'Connor joined the United States Army Air Corps
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
, serving in Japan and climbing to the rank of captain.
After the war, he held jobs in the athletic departments at Boone High and Boone Junior College, and ultimately joined the Iowa Hawkeyes athletic staff as the freshman basketball coach and head golf coach in 1948. In 1950, O'Connor took charge of the Hawkeyes' baskeball team after the first two coaches of the 1949–50 season stepped down. He became the official coach in the 1951–52 season, in which the team achieved a 19–3 record and a second-place finish in the Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
. O'Connor is best known in Iowa basketball history for recruiting and coaching the players who comprised the "Fabulous Five": Sharm Scheuerman, Bill Seaberg, Carl Cain
Carl Cain
Carl Cecil Cain was an American basketball player who competed in the 1956 Summer Olympics. Cain played collegiately at the University of Iowa....
, Bill Schoof and Bill Logan. This team first came together during the 1953–54 season, finishing second in the Big Ten with a 11–3 conference record (17–5 overall). The team won the Big Ten in the next two seasons, advancing to the Final Four
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
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...
both times. In the 1955–56 season, which was the Fabulous Five's final season together, the Hawkeyes won 17 consecutive games and advanced to their only National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championship game in school history, where they lost to the University of San Francisco
San Francisco Dons men's basketball
The San Francisco Dons basketball team represents the University of San Francisco in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I men's college basketball. The Dons compete in the West Coast Conference, in which they have won sixteen regular season and one conference tournament...
, marking the end of Iowa's most successful era of basketball.
O'Connor coached the Hawkeyes for the next two seasons, compiling a combined record of 21–23 before dying in a highway accident on April 22, 1958, at the age of 44. He had one daughter, Kathy, born to his wife Jane.