Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, August 18, 1995 TAG: 9508180059
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Shannon was the Hokies' head coach from 1964-71. The Knox City, Texas, native compiled a 104-68 record in seven seasons at Tech, making him the third-winningest coach in school history behind Charlie Moir and Chuck Noe.
Working with such stars as John Wetzel and Glen Combs, Shannon took the Hokies to the National Invitation Tournament in 1966. The next season, Tech made its first trip to the NCAA Tournament. The Hokies advanced to the Mideast Region final, where they lost to Dayton.
The program then slid a bit. After his next four teams went a combined 52-46, Shannon resigned as Tech's coach on March 29, 1971. The university honored Shannon's request to transfer to its Department of Health and Physical Education.
Shannon worked as a full-time instructor until retiring from the school on June 1, 1988. Shortly thereafter, he moved back to Plano, where he spent much of his retirement time playing golf.
Bill Matthews, who preceded Shannon as Tech's coach and later served as the school's assistant athletic director, was saddened Thursday night to hear of Shannon's passing.
``I hate to hear that,'' Matthews said. ``I hadn't seen him since he left here and went back to Texas.
``Howie was just a great person. I can't think of anybody who didn't like Howie.''
As a player, Shannon was a team captain and All-American under Tex Winter at Kansas State. He went on to play professional basketball and was named the NBA's rookie of the year for the Providence (R.I.) Steamrollers at the end of the 1948-49 season. He spent the 1949-50 season with the Boston Celtics.
When his brief pro career ended, Shannon returned to Kansas State to start his coaching career. He was an assistant under Winter at the school from 1954-63 before being named as Tech's head coach in 1964.
``Dr. [T. Marshall] Hahn [Tech president at that time] was the director of physiology at Kansas State and he knew Howie from his days there,'' Matthews said. ``They were good friends. When Hahn came here, he decided on a coaching change ... and Howie was going to be that coach.''
Matthews said Shannon ultimately was driven from coaching by the changes in the college game.
``In coaching, it was very difficult to keep the people happy,'' Matthews said. ``When Howie came in, it was very easy for him to get players into school. But as time went on, getting good players into school became more and more difficult, and so did everything else.''
Matthews said Shannon finally ``grew tired of the coaching rat race,'' prompting him to ask Hahn for a transfer to full-time teaching duties.
``Howie was fortunate to be in the position to pick what he wanted to do,'' Matthews said.
``He just got tired of it. But he could coach now, I tell you. He could coach the heck out of it.''
Shannon is survived by his wife, Patricia, of Plano; one son, Robert H. Shannon of Plano; three daughters, Katherine Shannon of San Angelo, Texas, Annette Offutt of Munday, Texas, and Maggie Cantor of Boca Raton, Fla.; one sister, Elizabeth Hargis of Leslie, Ark.; and four grandchildren.
A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. today at Ted Dickey Funeral Home in Plano. A graveside service will held at 10 a.m. Saturday at Munday Cemetery.
by CNB