Franklin D. Burgess
Encyclopedia
Franklin D. "Frank" Burgess (March 9, 1935 – March 26, 2010) was an African American
standout college basketball player and, later, a United States federal judge
.
, Arkansas
. A man with a good sense of humor, he once described his hometown as being so small that "the only fast food we had in that town was if you hit a deer
going 70 (miles per hour)." He attended Arkansas Agricultural, Mechanical and Normal College (Arkansas AM&N), a small school now known as the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
, for one year while also playing on the basketball team. He then joined the Air Force
and spent a four-year tour of duty in Europe
. Burgess still played basketball even in Germany and was so good that he was picked to be one of the 10 best Air Force players in the world. While stationed at Hahn Air Force Base he averaged 33.4 points per game. It was during this time that Burgess met Mel Porter, a fellow American Air Force officer and Gonzaga University
alumnus. Porter recognized Burgess' talent and played middle man to Burgess and the Gonzaga Bulldogs men's basketball
coach, Hank Anderson
. Although Burgess had also started to receive serious interest from Kansas and USC, he ultimately chose to attend Gonzaga because he felt that that school would get him the most prepared for life after basketball. "You have to remember, I had gotten out of the service, and I was married with twin girls. I was about getting an education and taking care of my family," he said to a newspaper reporter later in his life.
honors in both his junior
and senior
seasons, while in his senior year he was a consensus Second Team All-American
. Although his Gonzaga career ended in 1961, Burgess is etched in the records book at the school, including:
Career
Season
Game
of the National Basketball Association
. He instead chose to play in the fledgling American Basketball League with the Hawaii Chiefs, but after two years the league folded. He decided to go back to school and enrolled at the Gonzaga University School of Law
, where he graduated near the top of his class despite working the midnight shift for Washington Water Power.
. After six months, he became an assistant city attorney of Tacoma, Washington
until 1969. Burgess then spent the next 11 years (until 1980) as a private practice lawyer with Jack E. Tanner. He was a Judge pro tem, Municipal Court and Pierce County District Court during that time. From 1980 to 1981, Burgess was a regional counsel for the Department of Housing and Urban Development in Seattle, and then became a U.S. Magistrate in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington
from 1981 to 1993.
Burgess became a federal judge on the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington when President Bill Clinton
nominated him on November 19, 1993, to a seat vacated by Tanner. He was then confirmed by the United States Senate
on March 25, 1994, and received his commission on March 28, 1994. Burgess assumed senior status
on March 9, 2005.
Franklin D. Burgess died on March 26, 2010 from cancer.
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
standout college basketball player and, later, a United States federal judge
United States federal judge
In the United States, the title of federal judge usually means a judge appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate in accordance with Article II of the United States Constitution....
.
Early life
Burgess was born in EudoraEudora, Arkansas
Eudora is a city in Chicot County, Arkansas, United States of America. The population was 2,819 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Eudora is located at ....
, Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
. A man with a good sense of humor, he once described his hometown as being so small that "the only fast food we had in that town was if you hit a deer
White-tailed Deer
The white-tailed deer , also known as the Virginia deer or simply as the whitetail, is a medium-sized deer native to the United States , Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru...
going 70 (miles per hour)." He attended Arkansas Agricultural, Mechanical and Normal College (Arkansas AM&N), a small school now known as the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff is a historically black university located in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, United States. Founded in 1873, it is the oldest HBCU and the second oldest public institution in the state of Arkansas . UAPB is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund...
, for one year while also playing on the basketball team. He then joined the Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
and spent a four-year tour of duty in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. Burgess still played basketball even in Germany and was so good that he was picked to be one of the 10 best Air Force players in the world. While stationed at Hahn Air Force Base he averaged 33.4 points per game. It was during this time that Burgess met Mel Porter, a fellow American Air Force officer and Gonzaga University
Gonzaga University
Gonzaga University is a private Roman Catholic university located in Spokane, Washington, United States. Founded in 1887 by the Society of Jesus, it is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities and is named after the young Jesuit saint, Aloysius Gonzaga...
alumnus. Porter recognized Burgess' talent and played middle man to Burgess and the Gonzaga Bulldogs men's basketball
Gonzaga Bulldogs men's basketball
The Gonzaga Bulldogs men's basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing Gonzaga University. The school competes in the West Coast Conference in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
coach, Hank Anderson
Hank Anderson
Hank Anderson was the head coach for the Gonzaga University men's basketball team from 1951-1972. While at Gonzaga, he acquired a record of 290-272 .-External links:**...
. Although Burgess had also started to receive serious interest from Kansas and USC, he ultimately chose to attend Gonzaga because he felt that that school would get him the most prepared for life after basketball. "You have to remember, I had gotten out of the service, and I was married with twin girls. I was about getting an education and taking care of my family," he said to a newspaper reporter later in his life.
College
Burgess matriculated at Gonzaga University in the fall of 1958 after his stint in the Air Force had ended. He spent three years at Gonzaga, from 1958–59 to 1960–61, and during that time was a veritable scoring machine. He led the Bulldogs in scoring all three seasons, scored 40 or more points in a game seven times with a career-high 52 points against UC Davis, led the NCAA in scoring in 1960–61 with a 32.4 points per game average, and finished as the school's all-time leading scorer with 2,196 points. He received All-AmericanNCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans
The NCAA Men's Basketball All-American teams are honorary teams made up of those NCAA basketball players voted the best in the country by a variety of organizations.-History:...
honors in both his junior
Junior (education)
"Junior" is a term used in the United States to describe a student in their 3rd year of study . A Junior is considered an upperclassman...
and senior
Senior (education)
Senior is a term used in the United States to describe a student in the 4th year of study .-High school:...
seasons, while in his senior year he was a consensus Second Team All-American
1961 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans
The Consensus 1961 College Basketball All-American team, as determined by aggregating the results of seven major All-American teams. To earn "consensus" status, a player must win honors from a majority of the following teams: the Associated Press, the USBWA, The United Press International, the...
. Although his Gonzaga career ended in 1961, Burgess is etched in the records book at the school, including:
Career
- Points – 2,196 (1st)
- Scoring average – 28.1 (1st)
- Field goals made – 800 (1st)
- Field goals attempted – 1,780 (1st)
- Free throws made – 596 (1st)
- Free throws attempted – 727 (1st)
Season
- Scoring average – 32.4 (1st); 28.9 (2nd); 23.2 (5th)
- Points – 842 (2nd); 751 (3rd)
- Field goals made – 304 (2nd); 265 (3rd)
- Free throws made – 234 (2nd); 221 (3rd)
Game
- Points – 52 (1st)
- 40+ points – 7 times (1st)
- Free throws made – 16 (T-1st)
- All-time ranks accurate through the 2009–10 season.
Later life
Burgess graduated with a degree in education in the spring of 1961 and was then drafted by the Los Angeles LakersLos Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
of the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
. He instead chose to play in the fledgling American Basketball League with the Hawaii Chiefs, but after two years the league folded. He decided to go back to school and enrolled at the Gonzaga University School of Law
Gonzaga University School of Law
The Gonzaga University School of Law is one of the professional graduate schools of Gonzaga University, located in Spokane, Washington, USA. Established in 1912, the law school is viewed as a strong institution in the Pacific Northwest, and is the only law school in the State of Washington...
, where he graduated near the top of his class despite working the midnight shift for Washington Water Power.
Legal career
From 1966 to 1967, Burgess was a Legal intern for the United States Atomic Energy CommissionUnited States Atomic Energy Commission
The United States Atomic Energy Commission was an agency of the United States government established after World War II by Congress to foster and control the peace time development of atomic science and technology. President Harry S...
. After six months, he became an assistant city attorney of Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
until 1969. Burgess then spent the next 11 years (until 1980) as a private practice lawyer with Jack E. Tanner. He was a Judge pro tem, Municipal Court and Pierce County District Court during that time. From 1980 to 1981, Burgess was a regional counsel for the Department of Housing and Urban Development in Seattle, and then became a U.S. Magistrate in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington
United States District Court for the Western District of Washington
The United States District Court for the Western District of Washington is the Federal district court whose jurisdiction comprises the following counties of the state of Washington: Clallam, Clark, Cowlitz, Grays Harbor, Island, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, Pierce, San Juan,...
from 1981 to 1993.
Burgess became a federal judge on the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington when President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
nominated him on November 19, 1993, to a seat vacated by Tanner. He was then confirmed by the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
on March 25, 1994, and received his commission on March 28, 1994. Burgess assumed senior status
Senior status
Senior status is a form of semi-retirement for United States federal judges, and judges in some state court systems. After federal judges have reached a certain combination of age and years of service on the federal courts, they are allowed to assume senior status...
on March 9, 2005.
Franklin D. Burgess died on March 26, 2010 from cancer.