John W. Bunn enshrined as a contributor in 1964

John W. Bunn

Enshrined 1964
Born: September 26, 1898
Wellston, OH
Died: August 13, 1979

As a coach, teacher, lecturer, and prolific writer, John Bunn was a national and international authority on basketball. First playing and coaching under Hall of Famer Phog Allen at the University of Kansas, Bunn moved on as head coach at Stanford, building the Cardinal program into a national power. Bunn's teams played a coast-to-coast schedule, a rarity in those days, which helped to establish West Coast basketball. In 1937, Stanford won the Helms Foundation National Championship behind Hall of Famer Hank Luisetti. Bunn, who also coached at Springfield College (1946-56) and Colorado College (1958-63), initiated many rule changes, most notably the elimination of the center jump following a field goal in 1937. Due to his extensive foreign travel, Bunn was dubbed the "American Ambassador of Basketball." For his tireless contribution, the Basketball Hall of Fame annually presents an award in his name.