Johnny Orr

John Michael Orr


Born:
June 10, 1927
Taylorville, IL

Died:
December 31, 2013
Des Moines, IA


Career
1942-43 Taylorville High School - Illinois (High School)
1943-44 Taylorville High School - Illinois (High School)
1944-45 University of Illinois (College)
1946-47 Beloit College (College)
1947-48 Beloit College (College)
1948-49 Beloit College (College)
1949-50 St. Louis Bombers (NBA)
1949-50 Waterloo Hawks (NBA)

1950-51 Fond du Lac Rockets (WSBL)
1951-52 Dubuque High School - Iowa (High School) Head coach
1952-53 Dubuque High School - Iowa (High School) Head coach
1953-54 Dubuque High School - Iowa (High School) Head coach
1954-55 Dubuque High School - Iowa (High School) Head coach
1955-56 Dubuque High School - Iowa (High School) Head coach
1956-57 Dubuque High School - Iowa (High School) Head coach
1957-58 Dubuque High School - Iowa (High School) Head coach
1958-59 Dubuque High School - Iowa (High School) Head coach
1959-60 University of Wisconsin (College) Assistant coach
1960-61 University of Wisconsin (College) Assistant coach
1961-62 University of Wisconsin (College) Assistant coach
1962-63 University of Wisconsin (College) Assistant coach
1963-64 University of Massachusetts (College) Head coach
1964-65 University of Massachusetts (College) Head coach
1965-66 University of Massachusetts (College) Head coach   
1966-67 University of Michigan (College) Assistant coach
1968-69 University of Michigan (College) Head coach
1969-70 University of Michigan (College) Head coach
1970-71 University of Michigan (College) Head coach
1971-72 University of Michigan (College) Head coach
1972-73 University of Michigan (College) Head coach
1973-74 University of Michigan (College) Head coach
1974-75 University of Michigan (College) Head coach
1975-76 University of Michigan (College) Head coach
1976-77 University of Michigan (College) Head coach
1977-78 University of Michigan (College) Head coach
1978-79 University of Michigan (College) Head coach
1979-80 University of Michigan (College) Head coach
1980-81 Iowa State University (College) Head coach
1981-82 Iowa State University (College) Head coach
1982-83 Iowa State University (College) Head coach
1983-84 Iowa State University (College) Head coach
1984-85 Iowa State University (College) Head coach
1985-86 Iowa State University (College) Head coach
1986-87 Iowa State University (College) Head coach
1987-88 Iowa State University (College) Head coach
1988-89 Iowa State University (College) Head coach
1989-90 Iowa State University (College) Head coach
1990-91 Iowa State University (College) Head coach
1991-92 Iowa State University (College) Head coach
1992-93 Iowa State University (College) Head coach
1993-94 Iowa State University (College) Head coach   

Born to Bert and Ann Orr, Johnny went to Taylorsville High School where the basketball team won the state title. He went to the University of Illinois but joined the Navy after his freshman season. The war end and Orr was discharged after 15 months. He wound up going to Beloit College when he returned home from the war, and was then drafted by the St. Louis Bombers of the NBA. He signed for $6000 and played half a season before moving to the Waterloo Hawks. Done with playing, he headed into coaching, taking over the Senior HS squad in Dubuque. After eight seasons, he moved on to take an assistant coaching job at Wisconsin, and then took the head coaching job at UMass. He was able to head to the midwest after three seasons at UMass, taking a assistant coaching job at Michigan and a year later, assumed the head coaching job.

While at Michigan, Orr won 209 games as head coach and was one of the more popular figures on campus. Despite his success, in 1980, Orr shocked Michgan by taking the Iowa State job. The Cyclones had six losing seasons prior to Orr's hiring, but in a few short seasons he turned the program around. ISU made the NCAA Tournament field six time in the 14 seasons he was there. He retired in August of 1994, and died in 2013 a few days after injuring himself in a bad fall.

He married Romie in 1949 had they four daughters.

Source:
M Live Obituary, December 31, 2013
Obituary, USA Today, December 31, 2013

Stats:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/o/orrjo01.html
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=orrjo01