RIP Coach Jim Marking

[LakeJack]

TV tweeted this sad news

https://twitter.com/TerryVandrovec

Former SDSU men's basketball head coach Jim Marking has passed away. He led the Jacks to a record of 150-78 from 1965-74.

[boxerboy]

Re: RIP Coach Jim Marking

TV tweeted this sad news

https://twitter.com/TerryVandrovec

Former SDSU men's basketball head coach Jim Marking has passed away. He led the Jacks to a record of 150-78 from 1965-74.

He was the coach when I started as a young boy following the Jacks, and the running Rabbits, a great coach.

[Nidaros]

Re: RIP Coach Jim Marking

Below is Jim Marking's obituary from Eidness Funeral Home. I faintly recall a burnette guy who coached the Bruce Bees at a game in Sinai many years ago, like 1951. Its hard to believe this young man would go on to coach state champions at the A and B level in South Dakota and then on to his alma mater SDSU. He really loved SDSU and the Chicago Cubs. One story is that he drove out in the country looking for a hill high enough were he could get WGN or WHO Des Moines radio during the day or towards evening.
One story not mentioned is that after his gig at Bruce High School, he could not get a job coaching and worked briefly for the railroad. He told this story on Sports Max I believe. The Supertinendant at Hayti gave him a break and the rest is history.

Jim was a great guy and RIP.

http://www.eidsnessfuneralhome.com/s...=875907Marking

[Jacked_Up]

Re: RIP Coach Jim Marking

Coach Marking's college teams were fun to watch. He was an enthusiastic coach, and his teams ran and had fun. The nickname "Running Rabbits" may not have started during his tenure, but it fit.

[JackJD]

Re: RIP Coach Jim Marking

I was a (correction...had earlier written 1973-74) freshman in 1972-73, the year we moved from the Barn to Frost Arena. I was employed as the student-assistant to the Sports Information Director so I was in the HPER Center every day. I recall well that after a few games in Frost, Coach Marking said (only half-joking) that if it didn't get livelier in Frost, he was going to go back to the Barn for games!

Of course, Frost got livelier.

Great guy, a real gentleman and a fine coach.

[yoteforever]

Re: RIP Coach Jim Marking

I was a sophomore the 1973-74 season, the year we moved from the Barn to Frost Arena. I was employed as the student-assistant to the Sports Information Director so I was in the HPER Center every day. I recall well that after a few games in Frost, Coach Marking said (only half-joking) that if it didn't get livelier in Frost, he was going to go back to the Barn for games!Of course, Frost got livelier.Great guy, a real gentleman and a fine coach.

Who was the coach following Coach Marking? My respects to his family, friends, and supporters of SDSU basketball.

[UWMandSDSU]

Re: RIP Coach Jim Marking

Who was the coach following Coach Marking? My respects to his family, friends, and supporters of SDSU basketball.

Gene Zulk http://www.gojacks.com/ViewArticle.d...&ATCLID=942136

[yoteforever]

Re: RIP Coach Jim Marking

Gene Zulk http://www.gojacks.com/ViewArticle.d...&ATCLID=942136

That's right. Thanks. I remember now

[Grizzled_Jack]

Re: RIP Coach Jim Marking

Came in mid season with things in a bad way and righted the ship a year or so after I graduated in 1967. Was he ever comfortable with going DI? Know he criticized the move at the time.

[Nidaros]

Re: RIP Coach Jim Marking

Came in mid season with things in a bad way and righted the ship a year or so after I graduated in 1967. Was he ever comfortable with going DI? Know he criticized the move at the time.

At first he was very uncomfortable about the move to D1, but eventually. like many he came around, and became a regular at home games. At the Omaha game, the 1963 team and bb alumni were honored, Jim was present. Until he became ill, I suspect he was a regular at home games. He did love SDSU no matter what and was very supportive with gifts along the way. I believe his wife and Jim were honored for having a consecutive number of gifts since graduation.

[rabidrabbit]

Re: RIP Coach Jim Marking

First developed my following the Jacks in the late Barn days under Marking. The man believed in outrunning the opponents. Jim definitely had very entertaining teams.

[Jacks#1Fan]

Re: RIP Coach Jim Marking

Played against his team when he was at Hayti, was sports editor in Watertown when he was coaching there, and then when he moved to SDSU, I later joined him when I became alumni director. Carola was a classy lady, Jim was a gentleman and a great and enthusiastic coach. We differed on the D-1 move, and at one time he was surprised when I visited him, saying he thought I believed he was the "enemy". I told him that wasn't true, and everybody has a right to their opinions. None of that took away from his deserved reputation as a great coach.

[JackJD]

Re: RIP Coach Jim Marking

Coach Marking had some showman in him. He knew how to change the pace and momentum in a game. He knew how to get the crowd involved. He knew when it was necessary and when it was beneficial to get a technical foul. He was rarely called for a technical foul and when he did get a "T", it wasn't accidental and it certainly wasn't because he had lost control. To the contrary, he was absolutely in control.

I observed Marking intentionally draw one technical foul. The game was the last USD visit to the Barn: January 25, 1973. That was also the last game played in the Barn. A week later, SDSU opened Frost by hosting North Dakota State.

The 1972-73 Coyotes were very good team. They were the defending North Central Conference champs.

A rumor had circulated in advance of the USD game that if necessary, Coach Marking would give a signal to Colburn which meant Colburn had a green light to dunk. In those days, dunking, even in warmups, was a technical foul. I was working in the press box which hung from the curved ceiling/wall on the south side of the playing floor. Mid-way through the second half, the 'Rabbits were on a run and and it was clear USD needed a time out. USD shot and missed. SDSU got the rebound and passed to Colburn who was flying down the court. Marking gave the signal and Colburn, his huge hand palming the ball, took off from the free throw line and slammed the ball through the hoop. The crowd went crazy. The refs went crazy too.

USD went to the line to shoot the technical-foul free throws. I don't remember if they made one or two or none. It didn't matter. They were toast. Marking had grabbed momentum by the lapels and stuffed it into a Jackrabbit uniform. It was now sitting on the SDSU bench. His team wasn't going to be stopped.

SDSU 89, USD 66.

That season, SDSU won the North Central Conference Title and went to the Midwest Regional Tourney.

[Blue and Gold Blood]

Re: RIP Coach Jim Marking

I grew up watching the Running Rabbits of the late 1960s and early 1970s, when home games were carried live on SDPTV and WNAX did such a great job with all games, thanks to the legendary Noem Hilson at the mic.
The great forward combo of Lee Colburn and Dave Thomas, along with other talented players like Ron "The Whip" Wiblemo, made SDSU a joy to follow.
Marking knew how to entertain as well as win. He had The Barn rocking with those great teams.
I wonder why he retired so young?

[Jacked_Up]

Re: RIP Coach Jim Marking

Great story, JD. Colburn was my favorite Jack player, of all time, to watch play. (Wolters and Tetzlaff are up there, too.) I bet Colburn came away from that dunk smiling. I bet Marking smiled, too, after monetarily faking anger. He knew how to coach.