Gene Bartow, father of UAB athletics, dies at 81
By Wade KwonVideo: a look at the life of Gene Bartow
He coached basketball at six universities, with a .647 record.
He took UAB to the NCAA Men’s Tournament an astonishing seven times in a row in his first 8 years as new head coach.
And he served as the school’s first athletic director, after 34 years in coaching, including a 52-9 record at UCLA.
Gene Bartow died Tuesday at age 81 after a 2-year fight with stomach cancer. He’s best known as the “father of UAB athletics.”
On Saturday, Memphis plays UAB in the Conference USA season opener, otherwise known as the third annual Bartow Classic. Two dollars of every ticket sold goes to the Coach Gene Bartow Fund for Cancer Research at the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center. Tipoff is at 8 p.m. at Bartow Arena, airing on CBS Sports Network. Tickets are $22-$27.
Video: tribute to Gene Bartow
- Chinese New Year is Jan. 23, marking the year of the dragon.
Saturday, January 7, 2012, 7:46 pm
I think someone who was interviewed about Gene Bartow for Channel 13 said it best, “He loved human beings and people too.”
Saturday, January 7, 2012, 10:38 pm
Love it.