Hall of Fame former Louisville men’s basketball coach Denny Crum has died at the age of 86. Check out how did Denny Crum die.
Denny crum : How old was | How did die | Wife
After graduating in 1958, Crum served as the freshman basketball coach at UCLA. In 1961 he returned to Pierce College as an assistant coach and in 1964 became the head coach through the 1967 season.
Crum was then rehired by Wooden as a top assistant coach and chief recruiter. The Bruins won national titles in each of his three seasons.
His recruits included Bill Walton, one of the greatest college basketball players ever.
In 1971, Crum was hired as head coach by the University of Louisville, taking over from John Dromo.
How old was Denny Crum
Denny Crum, who won two NCAA basketball titles in a 30-year span as the head coach at Louisville, died Tuesday morning at his home. He was 86.
The university announced his death on social media.
“We are saddened to share the passing of legendary UofL Basketball Coach Denny Crum,” the post on the basketball program’s Twitter page said.
“Our thoughts & prayers are with his loved ones.”
Local television station WDRB said Crum had suffered strokes in 2017, 2019, and 2022.
A native Southern Californian, Crum played at UCLA and coached under John Wooden. Crum took over at Louisville before the 1971-72 season and led the team in his first year to a 26-5 mark and a berth in a national semifinal game.
The Cardinals made the NCAA Tournament in five of the next seven seasons before winning the 1980 championship, then had two more losses in a national semifinal before winning the 1986 tournament.
In all, Crum led the Cardinals to 23 NCAA Tournaments, six Final Fours, and a 675-295 record, including a 42-22 tally in the NCAA Tournament. The Cardinals won at least 20 games in a season 21 times under Crum.
Crum is one of only 14 coaches in NCAA history with two or more titles. He won national coach of the year honors three times and was second fastest in reaching 500 wins behind only Jerry Tarkanian.
Following his retirement, he continued to work as a special assistant to the university president, and the court at the KFC Yum! Center was named after him, as was a new residence hall on campus.
How did Denny Crum die
No cause of death was given, but Crum had battled an extended illness. He had a mild stroke in August 2017 while fishing in Alaska and another two years two ago.
Nicknamed “Cool Hand Luke” because of his cool, unflinching sideline demeanor — legend has it he never uttered a curse word — Crum retired in March 2001 after 30 seasons at Louisville with 675 victories, which ranked 15th all-time then, and championships in 1980 and ’86.
The disciple of legendary UCLA coach John Wooden often wore a red sport coat and waved a rolled-up stat sheet like a bandleader’s baton as he directed Louisville to 23 NCAA tournaments and six Final Fours.
The second half of his tenure was not nearly as successful as the first, however, as Louisville endured two separate NCAA investigations and never returned to the Final Four after Crum’s second championship season.
Crum remained a beloved, revered and respected presence around Louisville whose legacy has been recognized in many ways.
He frequently attended Cardinals games played on the KFC Yum! Center home court bearing his name and signature. And Crum was present for the September 2022 dedication of Denny Crum Hall, a new campus dormitory for athletes and students.
“You try to remember all of the things that you did, things that happened,” Crum said at a February 2020 ceremony honoring the 1980 title team. “Some was bad, but most of it good. It just makes you really proud that you were a part of it.”
Wife
Denny Crum tied the knot with Susan Sweeney Crum, who was a news anchor and reporter for Louisville television station WDRB, in 2001.
Later in 2006, Susan Sweeney Crum transitioned to become an announcer and news anchor at Louisville public radio station WFPL.
Denny Crum had three children: Cynthia and Steve from his first marriage, and Scott from his second marriage. He resided in Louisville and owned a hunting ranch in eastern Idaho, located near Henrys Lake.
Crum had a distinctive coaching style, often seen holding a rolled-up program in one hand during games and using it to gesture. At Louisville, he occasionally sported a red blazer on the sidelines, paying homage to the team’s red and black colors.