Al McGuire facts for kids
McGuire circa 1986
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 7, 1928 Queens, New York, U.S. |
| Died | January 26, 2001 (aged 72) Brookfield, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| High school | St. John's Prep (Brooklyn, New York) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Listed weight | 180 lb (82 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | St. John's (1947–1951) |
| NBA Draft | 1951 / Round: 6 / Pick: 55th overall |
| Selected by the New York Knicks | |
| Pro career | 1951–1955 |
| Coaching career | 1955–1977 |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 1951–1954 | New York Knicks |
| 1954–1955 | Baltimore Bullets |
| As coach: | |
| 1955–1957 | Dartmouth (assistant) |
| 1957–1964 | Belmont Abbey |
| 1964–1977 | Marquette |
| Career highlights and awards | |
As coach:
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Alfred James McGuire (born September 7, 1928 – died January 26, 2001) was a famous American college basketball coach and sports announcer. He was the head coach for Marquette University from 1964 to 1977. In his last season at Marquette, he led his team to a national championship. Later, he was honored by being inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992. Al McGuire was also well-known for his lively personality and for being a popular television basketball commentator for many years.
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Al McGuire's Early Life
Al McGuire played basketball for three years at St. John's Prep in Brooklyn, New York. He graduated in 1947. After high school, he became a star player at St. John's University from 1947 to 1951. He played for four years and was the captain of the 1951 team. That team had a great record of 26 wins and 5 losses, finishing third in the NIT.
Playing in the NBA
After college, McGuire played in the NBA. He played for his hometown team, the New York Knicks, for three seasons from 1951 to 1954. During his time with the Knicks, he once told his coach he could stop a famous player named Bob Cousy. When he got into the game, McGuire fouled Cousy six times in a row!
In September 1954, the Knicks traded McGuire to the Baltimore Bullets. He didn't play much for the Bullets. In November, the NBA stopped the Bullets team because they were having financial problems. This ended McGuire's playing career in the NBA.
Al McGuire: A Great Coach
McGuire started his coaching journey as an assistant coach at Dartmouth College from 1955 to 1957. He coached the freshman team there.
His first head coaching job was at Belmont Abbey College in North Carolina (1957–1964). He was known for finding talented high school players from New York City streets.
In 1964, McGuire became the head coach at Marquette University in Milwaukee. He had a lot of success there.
- In 1970, his team won the NIT Championship.
- In 1974, they reached the Final Four of the NCAA tournament.
- From 1973, he also served as the athletic director for Marquette's basketball program.
His assistant coaches, Hank Raymonds and Rick Majerus, were very important to his team's success. McGuire once said that Hank was like an "encyclopedia" of basketball knowledge, and Rick helped connect with the players.
McGuire led Marquette to its only NCAA basketball championship in 1977. This was his final season as a head coach. He surprised everyone by announcing in December 1976 that he would retire after the season. Marquette's team, led by players like Alfred "Butch" Lee, Maurice "Bo" Ellis, and Jerome Whitehead, had an amazing run. In the national semifinals, Whitehead made a last-second shot to win the game. Two days later, they beat Dean Smith's North Carolina Tar Heels to win the championship. Marquette had seven losses that season, which was the most losses for a team to win the NCAA Championship at that time. This exciting win was a perfect way for McGuire to end his coaching career.
After McGuire retired, his assistant Hank Raymonds took over as coach. Marquette didn't reach another Final Four until 2003.
While at Marquette, McGuire started "Al's Run," a charity event that raises money for the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin. This race has been held for over 40 years.
From Coach to Commentator
After coaching, Al McGuire became a very popular sports commentator for NBC Sports and CBS Sports. His fun conversations with fellow commentator Billy Packer helped make college basketball even more popular across the United States.
McGuire was a commentator for the famous 1979 championship game. This game featured basketball legends Larry Bird and Magic Johnson. Many people believe this game greatly increased the popularity of college basketball. McGuire said that the 1979 title game "put college basketball on its afterburner" (meaning it made it super popular). This game still holds the record for the highest-rated NCAA Final broadcast.
He announced his retirement from broadcasting after calling a game on March 5, 2000.
McGuire was known for his exciting calls. During a 1992 NCAA tournament game, after a game-winning shot, he famously shouted, "Holy mackerel! Holy mackerel! Holy mackerel!" He also gained fame for dancing with players from Syracuse and the University of Minnesota after they won regional championships. The Minnesota players even said they wanted to "Get down with Al!"
Later Life and Legacy
Al McGuire passed away in 2001 at the age of 72 in Brookfield, Wisconsin, after a long illness.
To honor him, the Al McGuire Center was opened on the Marquette campus in 2004. It includes a statue of him. He was also elected to the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 1993.
Al McGuire's brother, Dick McGuire, was also a famous basketball player and coach. Both Al and Dick played for the New York Knicks. They are one of only two pairs of siblings to be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Al McGuire is not related to coach Frank McGuire, but Frank was Al's coach at St. John's and a mentor to him.
Al McGuire was survived by his wife, Patricia, his three children, Allie, Rob, and Noreen, and six grandchildren. His son Allie also played basketball for his father at Marquette.
Books About Al McGuire
Four books have been written about Al McGuire's life:
- You Can Call Me Al: The Colorful Journey of College Basketball's Original Flower Child, Al McGuire by Joseph Declan Moran (1999)
- I Remember Al McGuire: Personal Memories and Testimonials to College Basketball's Wittiest Coach and Commentator by Mike Towle (2001)
- Cracked Sidewalks and French Pastry: The Wit and Wisdom of Al McGuire by Tom Kertscher (2002)
- Al McGuire: The Colorful Warrior by Roger Jaynes (2004)
See Also
- List of NCAA Division I Men's Final Four appearances by coach
