[tps_title]DAVE STRACK[/tps_title]
[tps_header]Arizona athletic director 1972-82[/tps_header]
Dave Strack at a Michigan basketball reunion event (University of Michigan photo)
Former Arizona athletic directors Cedric Dempsey and Dick Clausen are in the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame. Dave Strack deserves to get in for what he brought to the athletic program as it transitioned from the Western Athletic Conference to the Pac-10 in the 1970’s.
Strack hired two members of the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame — football coach Jim Young and basketball coach Fred Snowden — and promoted two others — track and field coach Dave Murray and golf coach Rick LaRose.
His hire of Snowden broke down barriers. Snowden was the first black men’s basketball coach at the highest collegiate level.
Strack also hired Larry Smith and longtime Arizona administrators Rocky LaRose and John Perrin.
Strack was criticized in 1980 for Arizona’s NCAA infraction involving the football program’s use of a slush fun that improperly paid coaches, alumni and recruits. He did not lose his job over it. He resigned two years later to become a professor of physical education at the school.
The good that Strack did for the university far outweighs the bad (including the hire of Ben Lindsey to replace Snowden in 1982).
He passed away last year at age 90. The university should honor him posthumously for what he brought to the athletic department and Tucson in general.
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