John E. Erickson (Wisconsin politician)
Encyclopedia
John Erickson was a former general manager of the Milwaukee Bucks
NBA team and the losing Republican
candidate for the U.S. Senate in Wisconsin
in 1970.
. He played on the Rockford East High School
basketball and tennis teams. Erickson graduated from college in 1949 after being a Little All-American basketball player for Beloit College
. He was the college's first player to score over 1000 points in a career that spanned three full seasons and two half seasons. He also represented the college for three National Collegiate Athletic Association
(NCAA) tennis tournaments.
and Stevens Point, Wisconsin
that advanced to the state competition. Erickson was drafted
in 1953, serving for two years in the United States Army
. He began coaching college basketball at Lake Forest College
, compiling 34 wins and 38 losses for three season between 1955 and 1958. He served as an assistant coach for the University of Wisconsin–Madison
for the 1958-59 season. The following year, he became the head coach for the Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball
. The team finished second in the 1962 Big Ten Conference
. He remained as the team head coach until he was hired as the general manager of the Milwaukee Bucks expansion team in 1968. He had 100 wins and 114 losses as the Badger's head coach.
After Erickson resigned as the general manager, he won the Republican Party primary, but lost in his 1970 run for the United States Senate against incumbent William Proxmire
.
After the loss, Erickson became president of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, a position that he held for 15 years. The Big Eight Conference
hired Erickson to be their Director of Basketball in 1988, a position that he held until he was promoted to be the Assistant Commissioner.
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....
NBA team and the losing Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
candidate for the U.S. Senate in Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
in 1970.
Background
Erickson grew up in Rockford, IllinoisRockford, Illinois
Rockford is a mid-sized city located on both banks of the Rock River in far northern Illinois. Often referred to as "The Forest City", Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County, Illinois, USA. As reported in the 2010 U.S. census, the city was home to 152,871 people, the third most populated...
. He played on the Rockford East High School
Rockford East High School
Rockford East High School is a comprehensive four year high school in Rockford, Illinois.-Notable alumni:*Bill Erickson – consensus Second Team All-American basketball player at Illinois....
basketball and tennis teams. Erickson graduated from college in 1949 after being a Little All-American basketball player for Beloit College
Beloit College
Beloit College is a liberal arts college in Beloit, Wisconsin, USA. It is a member of the Associated Colleges of the Midwest, and has an enrollment of roughly 1,300 undergraduate students. Beloit is the oldest continuously operated college in Wisconsin, and has the oldest building of any college...
. He was the college's first player to score over 1000 points in a career that spanned three full seasons and two half seasons. He also represented the college for three National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
(NCAA) tennis tournaments.
Career
After college, he coached high school basketball teams at Beloit, WisconsinBeloit, Wisconsin
Beloit is a city in Rock County, Wisconsin, United States. As of the 2010 census, Beloit had a population of 36,966. The greater Beloit area is home to more than 91,000 residents.-Claim to fame:...
and Stevens Point, Wisconsin
Stevens Point, Wisconsin
Stevens Point is the county seat of Portage County, Wisconsin, United States. Located in the central part of the state, it is the largest city in the county, with a population of 24,551 at the 2000 census...
that advanced to the state competition. Erickson was drafted
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
in 1953, serving for two years in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. He began coaching college basketball at Lake Forest College
Lake Forest College
Lake Forest College, founded in 1857, is a private liberal arts college in Lake Forest, Illinois. The college has 1,500 students representing 47 states and 78 countries....
, compiling 34 wins and 38 losses for three season between 1955 and 1958. He served as an assistant coach for the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
for the 1958-59 season. The following year, he became the head coach for the Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball
Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball
The Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball team is a NCAA Division I college basketball team competing in the Big Ten Conference. Home games are played at the Kohl Center, located on the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus in Madison, Wisconsin....
. The team finished second in the 1962 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...
. He remained as the team head coach until he was hired as the general manager of the Milwaukee Bucks expansion team in 1968. He had 100 wins and 114 losses as the Badger's head coach.
After Erickson resigned as the general manager, he won the Republican Party primary, but lost in his 1970 run for the United States Senate against incumbent William Proxmire
William Proxmire
Edward William Proxmire was an American politician. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as a United States Senator from Wisconsin from 1957 to 1989.-Personal life:...
.
After the loss, Erickson became president of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, a position that he held for 15 years. The Big Eight Conference
Big Eight Conference
The Big Eight Conference, a former NCAA-affiliated Division I-A college athletic association that sponsored football, was formed in January 1907 as the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association by its charter member schools: the University of Kansas, University of Missouri, University...
hired Erickson to be their Director of Basketball in 1988, a position that he held until he was promoted to be the Assistant Commissioner.