19 Facts About Maury John

Maurice E John was an American college basketball coach at Drake University and Iowa State University.

Maury John died of cancer at age 55 in 1974, while coaching at Iowa State.

Maury John was born June 17,1919, in Sweet Springs, Missouri.

Maury John attended William Jewell College for two years before transferring to Central Missouri State, graduating in 1941 with a Bachelor of Science in education.

Maury John went on to earn his master's degree in education at the University of Missouri.

Maury John went on to serve in the Air Force during World War II.

Maury John continued coaching the Lubbock, Texas Air Force Base basketball team.

Maury John began his collegiate coaching career starting the basketball program at Moberly Junior College in Moberly, Missouri.

Maury John was followed at Moberly by future NBA coach Cotton Fitzsimmons, who led Moberly to another two NJCAA National Championships.

Maury John moved from Moberly to Drake University of the Missouri Valley Conference in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1958.

Maury John led Drake to the 1969 Final Four of the 1969 NCAA University Division basketball tournament, where the cinderella Bulldogs gave powerhouse UCLA and Lew Alcindor a scare on their way to the NCAA Championship.

Maury John proceeded to lead Drake to the 1970 and 1971 NCAA Tournaments as well, and both times led the Bulldogs to the Elite Eight.

In 1971, Maury John left Drake to move to nearby Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa.

In October 1973, Maury John had been having trouble sleeping and went to see a doctor.

Two months later, on the day Iowa State team lost at Drake, Maury John was told he had an inoperable malignant tumor at the base of his esophagus.

Maury John resigned because of his health on July 30,1974.

Maury John died on October 15,1974, at the age of 55.

Maury John made every spoke in the wheel as important as the other.

Maury John came out and got this little kid from San Francisco and brought me to Iowa.