Bob Kurland facts for kids
Joseph DePietro (left) and Bob Kurland on the way to the 1948 Olympics
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||
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| Born | December 23, 1924 St. Louis, Missouri |
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| Nationality | American | |||||||||||||
| Died | September 29, 2013 (aged 88) Sanibel Island, Florida |
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| High school | Jennings (Jennings, Missouri) | |||||||||||||
| Listed height | 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) | |||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 220 lb (100 kg) | |||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||
| College | Oklahoma State (1942–1946) | |||||||||||||
| Pro career | 1946–1952 | |||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||
| 1946–1952 | Phillips 66ers | |||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Robert "Bob" Albert Kurland (born December 23, 1924 – died September 29, 2013) was a very tall American basketball player. He was 7 feet (2.13 meters) tall! Bob played as a center for the Oklahoma A&M Aggies college team, which is now known as the Oklahoma State Cowboys. He helped his team win two national championships in college. Bob also led the U.S. basketball team to win gold medals in two different Summer Olympics. He is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, which means he's one of the best basketball players ever!
Contents
Early Life and School
Bob Kurland was born in St. Louis, Missouri. His parents were Albert and Adele Kurland. He went to Jennings High School in Jennings, Missouri. While there, he played both basketball and ran track.
College Basketball Star
Bob thought about going to the University of Missouri for college. But then, the coach from Oklahoma A&M, Henry Iba, invited Bob to dinner. Coach Iba offered Bob a scholarship to play basketball. This was a big deal because many people in Bob's family had not finished high school. Bob was the first in his family to go to college.
Bob was a key player for the Oklahoma A&M team. He helped them win two NCAA national championships in a row, in 1945 and 1946. He was even named the NCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player in both of those tournaments. In the 1945–46 season, he scored a lot of points, including 58 points in one game!
Bob was famous for jumping high to block shots from his opponents. This led to a new rule in basketball in 1945 called "goaltending," which made it illegal to block a shot after it started going down towards the basket. People also say Bob was the first player to ever dunk in a college basketball game. He had a big rivalry with another famous tall player, George Mikan, from DePaul University. These rivalries between "big men" became a big part of basketball.
Besides basketball, Bob was also very active in college. He was even the president of the student council in 1945 and 1946. He earned a degree in education.
Playing for the AAU
After college, Bob Kurland decided not to play professional basketball. Instead, he played for the Phillips Petroleum company's AAU team, called the Oilers. AAU teams were for amateur players, meaning they didn't get paid to play. Bob played for the Phillips 66ers for six years and helped them win three national championships.
Olympic Gold Medals
Because Bob was an amateur player, he was allowed to play in the Olympic Games. He played for the U.S. basketball team in two Summer Olympics.
In the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, England, Bob helped the U.S. team win the gold medal. The U.S. team beat France in the final game with a score of 65-21.
At the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, Finland, Bob had the special honor of carrying the U.S. flag during the opening ceremony. He was still a very strong player at center. The U.S. team won another gold medal, beating the Soviet Union 36-25 in the final.
Life After Basketball
After his basketball career, Bob Kurland worked for the Phillips Petroleum Company. He held different jobs there, including in sales and marketing. He helped develop the idea of self-service gas stations.
Bob was chosen for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1961. This is a huge honor for basketball players. In 1996, he was also added to the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame.
Bob and his wife, Barbara, lived in Bartlesville, Oklahoma and Sanibel Island, Florida after he retired in 1985.
Bob Kurland passed away at his home in Florida on September 29, 2013, when he was 88 years old. He was survived by his wife, Barbara, and their four children: Alex, Ross, Dana, and Barbara. He also had seven grandchildren.
Images for kids
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Kurland as a junior at Oklahoma A&M.
See also
In Spanish: Bob Kurland para niños
