Henry P. Iba, known as "Mr. Basketball" retired in 1970 with plenty for OSU fans to remember and smile about.
During his coaching career at OSU his teams brought home 655 victories and 316 losses. As athletic director, Iba lifted the university to national prominence in football, basketball, baseball, golf and track. He gained an international reputation for coaching the 1964, ’68 and ’72 Olympic basketball teams.
At the time of his retirement, only the University of Southern California held more national team championships. A crowd gathered at Gallagher Hall to wish Iba well (see photo), he was joined by the new head basketball coach Sam Aubrey. Aubrey wasn’t a newcomer to OSU he started as forward on the 1946 championship team despite being injured in World War II.
Iba was elected to Basketball's All-Time Hall of Fame, the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame, the Oklahoma Hall of Fame, the Missouri Hall of Fame and the Helms Foundation Hall of Fame for Basketball.
Mr. Iba died on Jan. 15, 1993 in Stillwater.