Almanac Obituaries: Ken “King” Cole

While many in the basketball world mourned the recent passing of Ken Cole, few knew he played football before his stellar NBL coaching career. He played with the Gumeracha Football Club in the Hills Football League in 1975 (see team photo back row) and is fondly remembered by those who came into contact with him. He was the lead ruckman in that year when we made the Grand Final after finishing out of the finals several years before. One of our first ever Boomers, he played for Australia at Olympic and world championship level and was one of the superstars of basketball in this country before the formation of the NBL. He coached the Adelaide 36ers in 1985-1986 and his biggest legacy was his coaching. BA Chairman, Scott Derwin said “He also helped shape a whole generation of young basketball stars as a coach and set one of the most enduring records in our sport as the leader of the legendary Adelaide 36ers `Invincibles’ team.” In 1986, he set a mark that has never been matched since when his 36ers went 24-2, earning the team the nickname “The Invincibles”. The team was close to completing the year unbeaten as its two losses both were on last-second opposition buzzer-beaters.

As a playing coach, then a full-time head coach, Cole won at Australian States Championships, the Australian Club Championship, the New South Wales Championship, the South Eastern Conference, the Sydney Championship, the Tasmanian Championship, Victorian Championships, and South Australian Championships. He was sought after by many in basketball circles, and he was ‘recruited’ by the Physical Education Branch of the SA Education Department in 1975 to conduct clinics and generally be an ‘ambassador’ for the sport in schools. His immediate boss, Rob Chaplain, was the Gumeracha football coach in 1975-76 and ‘encouraged’ Ken to come and play with us. There is certainly a hint of ‘you owe me, so you better come play for me’ in the Adelaide Hills! We never felt it was his duty as he embraced the club and the lifestyle and endeared himself to many because of his charisma – and being handy at football certainly helped!

As renowned basketball scribe Boti Nagy recounted Cole was renowned as one of the all-time best and a master motivator. In the NBL he took West Adelaide Bearcats into the 1983 grand final before being given the job of helming SA’s unified composite team, the Adelaide 36ers from 1985. We saw glimpses of his coaching prowess during his time at Gumeracha. After we were narrowly beaten in the 1975 second semi final at the old Mt Pleasant oval (now a private residence/farm) and we, a young team, were feeling a little sorry for ourselves, Ken, darkening the doorway to the changerooms with his huge frame, said to us all “Get your heads up, in two weeks’ time this game will mean ‘F*%# all”.  Instantly we were jogged back into reality and came out and won the Preliminary final in convincing fashion – you could see then why he was a master coach and motivator.

An Olympian at the 1964 Tokyo Games, Cole again was selected for Mexico in 1968 but the Boomers failed to qualify. In 1970, he was a key member of the first Australian team to contest a world championship, leading the Boomers in Ljubljana in the former Yugoslavia. He remains the only Olympian ‘member’ of the Gumeracha Football Club although we have an Olympian coach, Leon Holme, who played with the club in the 1960’s and coached Dean Lukin to a Gold Medal in 1984.

There are many stories about Ken from the 1975 season and the few I will share are my favourites. I was the ruck ‘apprentice’ to him and spent long quarters in the forward pocket ‘changing’ with him – he would promise a change but it rarely happened, however to sit back and see the man at work with precise tapping and his on-field presence was indeed a gift. His great basketball pedigree was there for all to see and marvel at as he marshalled our young rovers and mid-field to “stand here and you go over there.” They had an armchair ride whenever he was on the ball, which was quite often, as I have alluded to. I would reluctantly ‘ask’ him if he wanted to change during the quarter breaks and he would almost invariably reply “Yes soon, but you are doing great down there kicking goals” even if I had not had a kick that game! Who was I to argue with such a foreboding figure?

In country football clubs, like many elsewhere, there was always politics and Ken had some pressure applied to at least come to some training sessions.  When he made an appearance on a typically deep winter Gumeracha night (where you had to chip the frost off the oval) he trained wearing a raincoat! When someone had the courage to quiz why he was adorned in the yellow ensemble he simply replied – “It’s going to rain isn’t it?” He was a character that we admired and loved playing alongside. He was tough and foreboding and we all walked a little taller when he played.

After the 1975 Grand Final defeat some of us found ourselves in the old Baptist Church Manse (then rented by one of ‘his’ rovers) where ‘commiserations’ continued. This is where his intense competitiveness was seen for all to admire! It was once mentioned that he used to play touring the USA with the New York Nationals team playing the legendary Harlem Globetrotters and was perplexed when told they were not to beat the star attractions. Ken soon quit in despair!

Alan Bleeze was a fervent club supporter and local business man who ‘loved’ Ken and used to call him “King” long before the basketball fraternity coined the King Cole nomenclature. Alan was an unfortunate victim of polio in his younger days and had a major boot built up to lessen his limp. He and Ken, two very unlikely protagonists, were engaged in a fierce indoor bowls battle down the long passageway that went deep into the night. It is a sight I will never forget! It also summed up the man that Ken was. He would give his time to anyone and it was little wonder that he got “gifts” (long before cash payments ever happened) of new tyres (from the Club President), bags of potatoes from the local growers (and fellow players) and assorted other gestures from local admirers of King Cole!

Ken was often described as a ‘colourful’ figure who helped lift the league in its infancy into the mainstream consciousness of Australian sport. He was rebellious and adventurous, traits rarely appreciated by officialdom at the best of times and this was seen by his basketball club in 1975. Coaching South Adelaide in the top tier of basketball in South Australia he was eventually summoned to the committee and told he would have to give up football while coaching or else! With that ultimatum he told them they had better start looking for a new coach because he was going to honour the commitment to Gumeracha! They suddenly relented and had a change of heart and thought he could play a ‘few’ games up in the hills!

Ken was an American trapped in an Australian body. He drove a massive Cadillac car, wore ten-gallon cowboy hats, complete with the appropriate boots and loved the culture. It was all on show when he ‘held court’ over the Adelaide 36ers when they graced the now long-gone Apollo Stadium. Whenever we asked for tickets to his games he would always make us feel welcome and reserve the best seats for “his Gum boys” as he affectionately called us.

When I approached him a few years ago to see if he could attend one of our reunion days, not only did he reply and attend the day but he graciously gave of his time. Even after that reunion, where he spoke briefly in an inspiring manner, we sometimes chatted on the phone when he would give some insight into the cancer battle he endured for 10 years and his pursuit of suitable alternative medicines. He ‘loved a chat’ and he spoke fondly of his time at Gumeracha. He was not well at this time and after attending another basketball event that evening fell ill and took days to recover. Such was his passion for sport and people he never complained nor showed any negative tendencies for the battle he endured.

Ken Cole was “one of a kind” and those lucky enough to have crossed his path are richer for the experience!

R.I.P. King Cole!

 

 

Written by Dr. Nigel Jamieson

Clayton Bay, SA.

 

 

To return to the www.footyalmanac.com.au  home page click HERE

Our writers are independent contributors. The opinions expressed in their articles are their own. They are not the views, nor do they reflect the views, of Malarkey Publications.

Do you enjoy the Almanac concept?
And want to ensure it continues in its current form, and better? To help keep things ticking over please consider making your own contribution.

Become an Almanac (annual) member – CLICK HERE