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[Kennethgew]

Colorful basketball coach Lemons dies

, who had 599 profession college basketball coaching victories and 10 times that various stories to tell about life, basketball and their attendant tribulations and triumphs, died Monday at his house in Oklahoma City. He was 79.

Lemons' wife, Betty, stated the retired coach had been in declining overall health tales and considering the fact that he suffered a broken hip in July. He also suffered from Parkinson's disease.

Lemons coached for 34 years at , along with the , winning the 1978 NIT championship at Texas. He was renowned for drawnout tales and folksy oneliners, but as contemporaries and former players reeled off stories Monday night, they initially remembered a teacher along with a friend.

"A great deal of men and women heard his humor and thought he wasn't a serious individual," mentioned , one of his UT stars. "But it wasn't about basketball with him. It was about helping make you a better man."

, one more Texas player, said: "He was like the white buffalo that was certainly one of his Oklahoma sayings. He was the white buffalo of basketball, and not per day goes by when I do not believe of some thing he stated or some way in which he impacted me."

Coaching opponents also praised Lemons.

"I had coached against him given that the 1950s, and he was among the preferred coaches I ever saw at handling kids," stated former University of Houston coach Guy V. Lewis.

Officials, opposing coaches and his personal players were one of the most frequent targets of Lemons' humor, but he did not spare himself, stated Houston businessman .

"Abe had a real struggle with Parkinson's, but he by no means let it get him down," Sanders stated. "He only mentioned it after in public that I know of, and it was when he was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame.

"He got as much as speak and stated, Well, I actually do not deserve this honor. But I've Parkinson's, and I do not deserve that, either.' Along with the crowd just roared."

Immediately after coaching at Oklahoma City and Pan American, Lemons came to Texas within the summer season of 1976.

"He was a genius when it came to humor, as well as the stuffed shirts in the Tower couldn't stand that," Heard said. " was awesome together with the nation witticisms, but Abe was a great deal more in the storytelling mode. He would stroll you around the barn, and prior to you knew it, you had been hooked."

, the retired Texas A basketball coach, stated stuffed shirts Lemons' humor was as sharp on the court as around the banquet circuit.

"One time they were playing us, and he kept saying, Shelby, you happen to be cheating me. You happen to be cheating me,' " Metcalf mentioned. "I asked him, Abe, how am I cheating?' And he said, You understand we can not shoot no cost throws, and also you maintain fouling us.' "

A further within the memorable exchange came against Arkansas and coach .

"That was the game exactly where Abe got mad at Eddie and threatened to tear his Sunday clothes off his back," Metcalf stated. "Later in the game, he yelled at one of many officials, If I referred to as you an SOB, would you give me a technical?' And the official stated, Abe, if you did that, I'd must offer you a technical.' And Abe stated, Effectively, what if I just thought it?'

"The official mentioned, Properly, Abe, I can't provide you with a technical due to what you think.' And Abe mentioned, Then I believe you're an SOB,' " Metcalf stated, laughing. "And Abe did not get a technical."

Lemons even took on in the 1968 NIT in New York. The coach was so annoyed at his Oklahoma City group that he ordered his players to keep on the court at halftime to practice. Badgered by Cosell to explain his techniques, Lemons yelled: "Listen, mister! You could possibly be massive stuff in New York, but you ain't nothin' in Walters, Oklahoma!"

And if he was prepared to hook up with Cosell, you'll be able to imagine, said former player , what occurred for the hapless Marquette male cheerleader who dared test the Lemons wit.

"This yell leader saw coach Lemons wearing a pair of red cowboy boots, and he mentioned, actual sarcastically, Good boots, Abe,' " Danks said. "Coach Lemons turned about and stated, I'd rather have a sister inside a whorehouse than a brother holding a megaphone.'

"There was a entire row of priests sitting along courtside. Certainly one of them heard coach Lemons and began laughing, after which each a single turned to the subsequent and told the story. By the time coach Lemons got for the bench, the entire row was laughing."

And then there were the oneliners:

."One day of practice is like one particular day of clean living. It doesn't do you any superior."

."Finish last in your league, and they call you idiot. Finish final in medical school, and they get in touch with you medical doctor."

Only as soon as was Lemons identified to become at a loss for words.

"Abe would play every single year at 's golf tournament in Alvin," Sanders said. "One year our group was myself, Abe, Nolan and President (.) Bush, who was then governor. Abe hit his shot proper in to the water, and President Bush actions up and hits it 5 feet from the pin.

"And then he turned to Abe and mentioned, Abe, the distinction among you and me is the fact that while you had been choosing cotton in Oklahoma, I was practicing golf at the subsequent club.' Nolan stated that was the only time that he ever saw Abe without a comeback."

Lemons retired immediately after the 198990 season using a profession record of 599343. Arrangements are under the direction of Vondel L. Smith North Funeral Dwelling in Oklahoma City.

[Kennethgew]

Colorful basketball coach Lemons dies

, who had 599 profession college basketball coaching victories and 10 instances that several stories to inform about life, basketball and their attendant tribulations and triumphs, died Monday at his property in Oklahoma City. He was 79.

Lemons' wife, Betty, stated the retired coach had been in declining overall health tales and considering that he suffered a broken hip in July. He also suffered from Parkinson's disease.

Lemons coached for 34 years at , plus the , winning the 1978 NIT championship at Texas. He was renowned for drawnout tales and folksy oneliners, but as contemporaries and former players reeled off stories Monday night, they 1st remembered a teacher and a buddy.

"A large amount of folks heard his humor and believed he wasn't a significant particular person," said , certainly one of his UT stars. "But it wasn't about basketball with him. It was about helping make you a better man."

, another Texas player, mentioned: "He was just like the white buffalo that was one of his Oklahoma sayings. He was the white buffalo of basketball, and not every day goes by when I never consider of some thing he said or some way in which he impacted me."

Coaching opponents also praised Lemons.

"I had coached against him since the 1950s, and he was on the list of finest coaches I ever saw at handling kids," said former University of Houston coach Guy V. Lewis.

Officials, opposing coaches and his own players have been one of the most frequent targets of Lemons' humor, but he didn't spare himself, mentioned Houston businessman .

"Abe had a genuine struggle with Parkinson's, but he never ever let it get him down," Sanders stated. "He only described it as soon as in public that I know of, and it was when he was inducted in to the Oklahoma Hall of Fame.

"He got as much as speak and stated, Nicely, I certainly never deserve this honor. But I have Parkinson's, and I never deserve that, either.' Along with the crowd just roared."

Soon after coaching at Oklahoma City and Pan American, Lemons came to Texas in the summer of 1976.

"He was a genius when it came to humor, and the stuffed shirts inside the Tower could not stand that," Heard said. " was awesome with all the nation witticisms, but Abe was additional within the storytelling mode. He would stroll you about the barn, and before you knew it, you had been hooked."

, the retired Texas A basketball coach, stated stuffed shirts Lemons' humor was as sharp on the court as on the banquet circuit.

"One time they have been playing us, and he kept saying, Shelby, you are cheating me. You are cheating me,' " Metcalf stated. "I asked him, Abe, how am I cheating?' And he said, You understand we can't shoot totally free throws, and you preserve fouling us.' "

One other within the memorable exchange came against Arkansas and coach .

"That was the game exactly where Abe got mad at Eddie and threatened to tear his Sunday garments off his back," Metcalf mentioned. "Later within the game, he yelled at one of the officials, If I known as you an SOB, would you give me a technical?' And the official stated, Abe, if you did that, I'd need to provide you with a technical.' And Abe stated, Effectively, what if I just thought it?'

"The official said, Nicely, Abe, I can not provide you with a technical as a result of what you feel.' And Abe mentioned, Then I think you are an SOB,' " Metcalf mentioned, laughing. "And Abe did not get a technical."

Lemons even took on at the 1968 NIT in New York. The coach was so annoyed at his Oklahoma City team that he ordered his players to remain on the court at halftime to practice. Badgered by Cosell to explain his techniques, Lemons yelled: "Listen, mister! You might be huge stuff in New York, but you ain't nothin' in Walters, Oklahoma!"

And if he was willing to hook up with Cosell, you're able to consider, stated former player , what occurred towards the hapless Marquette male cheerleader who dared test the Lemons wit.

"This yell leader saw coach Lemons wearing a pair of red cowboy boots, and he stated, actual sarcastically, Nice boots, Abe,' " Danks stated. "Coach Lemons turned about and mentioned, I'd rather possess a sister inside a whorehouse than a brother holding a megaphone.'

"There was a whole row of priests sitting along courtside. One of them heard coach Lemons and started laughing, and after that every single 1 turned for the subsequent and told the story. By the time coach Lemons got to the bench, the whole row was laughing."

After which there have been the oneliners:

."One day of practice is like a single day of clean living. It does not do you any superior."

."Finish last in your league, and they contact you idiot. Finish last in medical college, and they call you medical doctor."

Only after was Lemons recognized to become at a loss for words.

"Abe would play every year at 's golf tournament in Alvin," Sanders mentioned. "One year our group was myself, Abe, Nolan and President (.) Bush, who was then governor. Abe hit his shot best into the water, and President Bush steps up and hits it five feet in the pin.

"And then he turned to Abe and stated, Abe, the difference among you and me is that when you had been picking cotton in Oklahoma, I was practicing golf at the subsequent club.' Nolan said that was the only time that he ever saw Abe devoid of a comeback."

Lemons retired just after the 198990 season using a profession record of 599343. Arrangements are below the direction of Vondel L. Smith North Funeral Home in Oklahoma City.