Ray Evans dies at age of 76
In football, Ray
Evans led the nation in pass completions in 1942, and in basketball, he
was a four-time All-Big Six selection.
By Gary Bedore
Journal-World
Assistant Sports Editor
One of the
greatest two-sport athletes in NCAA history, former Kansas University
standout Ray Evans has died at the age of 76.
Evans, a Kansas
City native who died at his home on Saturday night, holds the distinction
of being an All-American at KU in both football and basketball. His
accomplishments as a Jayhawk would fill a thick scrapbook.
* Evans was a
four-time All-Big Six selection in basketball in the 1940s. He played
under coach Forrest C. "Phog" Allen, leading the Jayhawks to an
NCAA Tournament appearance in 1942 and a 22-6 record and conference title
in 1943 before joining the Air Force.
For his efforts,
he was elected to the Helms Foundation Basketball Hall of Fame in 1971.
* A member of the
Orange Bowl and College Football Halls of Fame, Evans scored both
touchdowns as a halfback in the 1948 Orange Bowl.
During the '42
season, Evans completed 101 of 198 passes, leading the country in
completions.
"I always
thought there were two categories of athletes at the University of Kansas
-- one category was for him and one was for everybody else," former
KU football coach Don Fambrough, an ex-teammate of Evans, said Sunday.
"I know
you've heard the saying, 'He led by example.' It's been said a million
times. Whoever said it the first time had Ray Evans in mind. When you look
at two things -- Ray Evans as an athlete and man -- he is in a category by
himself."
Fambrough, who
was a football teammate of Evans in the Air Force, transferred from Texas
to Kansas after the two friends completed their stints in the service. The
duo played together at KU in 1946 and '47.
"He
absolutely loved KU. It didn't matter if it was football, basketball or
playing jacks in the middle of the street. If KU was out there, Ray Evans
would give his support," Fambrough said. "Ray Evans is the
reason I left Texas for KU."
Fambrough played
guard on offense and linebacker on defense. As a lineman, he opened holes
for Evans to pave through.
"I speak for
all my teammates ... any time Ray was there we thought we had a chance to
beat anybody," Fambrough said. "On the offensive line, I felt I
tried to do my best every play. When his play was called, I did a little
extra and the rest did too. You always knew he'd give 100 percent. You'd
be embarrassed if you didn't."
Another
multi-sport athlete, KU great Otto Schnellbacher recalls Evans as a loyal
teammate:
"As an
athlete he was a super athlete. As a teammate you couldn't ask for
anything better. He gave his all at all times -- 100 percent,"
Schnellbacher said. "He was inclusive in his acceptance of all his
ballplayers.
"He was a
much greater football player than basketball player, but as a basketball
player he was no 'ham and egger'," Schnellbacher added. "He was
a great guard, a great defensive player and good rebounder. He was tough.
I loved the guy."
Frank Pattee, a
football teammate of Evans, played in the same backfield.
"He was a
great football player, a dandy individual and good friend," Pattee
said Sunday. "He threw well, ran well and blocked well."
Floyd Temple, who
played baseball and football, and worked in KU's athletics department for
40 years, 27 as baseball coach, said: "When you talk about a KU
athlete, Ray Evans is the first who comes to mind.
"Ray
epitomizes what you think of a great Kansas athlete. Not only what he did
in school, but the way he conducted himself in his life after athletics
was tremendous."
Evans, who played
one year for the Pittsburgh Steelers, worked at Traders National Bank in
Kansas City, where he served as president until he retired in 1975. He was
instrumental in bringing the Kansas City Chiefs to KC and served as first
president of the Chiefs club. He also was a member of the Kansas State
Board of Regents for 12 years and president of KU's Alumni Association.
"Never have
I been around him when he wasn't excited and happy. I never heard him say
a bad thing about anybody," Temple said. "He's what I wish I
could be like. He was something. To lose a guy like Ray Evans it's a shock
and a shame. His memory will live on."
His memory lives
in football and basketball. KU's football players practice on the
"Ray Evans Field" in Anschutz Pavilion. Meanwhile, Evans'
basketball jersey No. 15 hangs in the rafters of Allen Fieldhouse.
His jersey number
was retired in a ceremony at the halftime of the KU-K-State basketball
game on Feb. 22, 1997.
"He was
always humble, modest, almost embarrassed by the recognition," KU
athletics director Bob Frederick said. "He was thrilled about it. It
meant a lot to him.
"Ray Evans
was a marvelous person," Frederick added. "He was an
All-American in two sports but he was an all-world gentleman. There
couldn't be a greater person."
At the time,
Evans said he was indeed honored by the retirement of his basketball
jersey to go with his football number 42, which had been retired in 1947.
"This has to
be something everybody dreams of," Evans said back in 1997. "A
lot of great players are qualified. It has to go down as one of the
greatest honors you could ever hope to achieve.
"When I go
to the games," Evans quipped, "I always look to the right and
see the 'Beware of the Phog' banner. Now I'll have to look to the left,
also."
A little-known
fact about Evans is he was a standout in softball, too.
"He was so
dang fast. I remember seeing him out there as a blur," Fambrough
said. "He was so fast and strong he could do it all."
"I played
softball with him in the city league in the 40s," Pattee noted. He
was an excellent pitcher. We had a lot of good times and went through a
lot of experiences."
Fambrough coached
Ray's son, Ray Darby Evans, a former KU defensive back.
"One of the
real thrills I had as a coach was having the thrill of coaching his son.
Ray Jr.," Fambrough said. "He was on my team that went to the
Hall of Fame Bowl (in 1981)."