A chronology of events in Bob Frederick’s life

By Staff     Jun 13, 2009

Below is a timeline of events in the life of Bob Frederick.

1958 — Enrolls at Kansas University after being rejected by the Air Force Academy because of a slight eye problem. Joins KU basketball team as walk-on.

1962 — Graduates from KU with a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in chemistry and joins KU coach Dick Harp’s men’s basketball staff as graduate assistant.

1964 — Earns Master of Education degree from KU with a major in school administration. Hired as assistant basketball coach and chemistry teacher at Rich Central High in Olympia Fields, Ill.

1966 — Named head men’s basketball coach at Russell High in western Kansas.

1970 — Named head men’s basketball coach at Coffeyville Community College.

1971 — Joins Ted Owens’ KU men’s basketball staff as freshman coach. Also serves as KU golf coach.

1972 — Hired as assistant men’s basketball coach at Brigham Young University in Utah.

1975 — Takes assistant men’s basketball coaching job at Stanford University in California.

1977 — Returns to KU to work on doctorate in education while serving as boys’ basketball coach and chemistry teacher at Lawrence High.

1978 — Participates in the Kansas Relays Marathon.

1981 — Named KU assistant athletic director and executive director of Williams Fund.

1984 — Earns KU doctorate in educational administration.

1985 — Named athletic director at Illinois State University.

1987 — Returns to Lawrence to become Jayhawks’ athletic director, succeeding Monte Johnson. Fires football coach Bob Valesente, hires Glen Mason.

1988 — Suffers fractured clavicle and separated shoulder after tumbling off his bicycle on Clinton Parkway.

1988 — Chooses obscure North Carolina aide Roy Williams as men’s basketball coach after Larry Brown leaves for San Antonio Spurs.

1991 — At the age of 51, finishes 15th in the Sunflower State Games triathlon at Lone Star Lake.

1991 — Cancels home-and-home basketball series with Notre Dame in protest of Irish signing an exclusive football TV contract with NBC.

1993 — Signs three-year contract — his first multi-year pact — after being listed as one of four finalists for AD opening at Michigan.

1994 — Suffers three broken ribs, a punctured lung and a broken shoulder blade while bicycling on Clinton Lake dam road. Becomes spokesman for helmet safety program for Safe Kids Coalition.

1995 — Listed as one of two finalists to become first commissioner of new Big 12 Conference. Loses out to Southwest Conference commissioner Steve Hatchell.

1995-96 — Serves two-year term as chairman of NCAA men’s basketball committee.

1996 — Hires Terry Allen after football coach Glen Mason leaves for Minnesota.

1999 — Announces $35 million plan for renovations at Allen Fieldhouse and Memorial Stadium.

2001 — Drops KU men’s tennis and swimming programs to help ward off projected budget shortfall, saying it’s “the most difficult thing I’ve done in my 14 years here.”

2001 — Rejects proposal to move Kansas-Missouri football game to Arrowhead Stadium and to devise donor seating plan for Allen Fieldhouse.

April 2001 — Resigns as KU athletic director, joins School of Education to teach sports management classes.

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33048A chronology of events in Bob Frederick’s life