Wooden a Tough Act to Follow

Since John Wooden retired in March, 1975, Jim Harrick is the sixth coach to follow him to the bench at Pauley Pavilion in Westwood.

The first was Gene Bartow, who gave up the coaching job at Illinois to take over from Wooden. For a while, Wooden stayed on in what became Bartow’s office and even answered the phone at times. Bartow stayed behind the big desk for 2 years.

He now answers the phone as basketball coach and athletic director at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

After Bartow, Gary Cunningham, a former player and assistant coach under Wooden, moved into the No. 1 spot.

Cunningham, however, apparently tired of the coaching life after 2 years and chose a new career in athletic administration. A former athletic director at the Oregon College of Education and at the University of Wyoming, Cunningham is now athletic director at Fresno State.

Larry Brown was next. Brown also stayed 2 years. He left the Bruins for the New Jersey Nets, whom he then left for Kansas, which he left for the San Antonio Spurs, by whom he is currently employed.

After Brown came Larry Farmer, another former Bruin player and assistant coach. Farmer remained at his post for 3 years before resigning. Farmer got another coaching job at Weber State, lost it and is now coaching the national basketball team in Kuwait.

Walt Hazzard replaced Farmer and lasted 4 years, longer than any of his predecessors. Hazzard, who played on Wooden’s first National Collegiate Athletic Assn. championship team in 1964, is working with UCLA administrators to try to reach a settlement on the 2 years that remained on his contract when he was fired.

According to Jerry Roth, Hazzard’s attorney, an agreement is close. In the new accord, Roth said, Hazzard would come back to UCLA and work with Vice Chancellor Winston Doby.