OBU ATHLETIC HERITAGE SERIES
Gene Wallace: Coaching Versatility
Harry E. (Gene) Wallace coached at Oklahoma Baptist University from 1959 to 1989—16 years as head baseball coach (two stints); 10 years as assistant coach and 8 years as head coach of men's basketball; 2 years as head coach of women's basketball; and a year as men's golf coach. No other OBU mentor has coached as many sports over such a long period of time.
Before Wallace, from St. Louis, Mo., became a fixture on Bison Hill, he had a career in professional baseball—signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1953. The Dodgers assigned him to the Shawnee Hawks of the Sooner State League. Wallace only played 22 games in Shawnee in 1953 because the U.S. Army called him to active duty.
After his tour of duty, Wallace was again assigned to Shawnee where he played the 1955 season. From Oklahoma, Brooklyn sent him to the Class B Wichita Falls (Tex.) Spudders in 1956 and the Class B Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Raiders in 1957.
In 1958 the Los Angeles Dodgers assigned him to the Class B Green Bay (Wis.) Bluejays. In 1959 he played for the Class AAA St. Paul (Minn.) Saints and the Class AAA Montreal (Canada) Royals. In 1960 and part of 1961, he played for the Class AA Atlanta (Ga.) Crackers, and the latter part of 1961 he played for the Class AAA Omaha (Neb.) Dodgers. From 1962-64 he played for the Class AAA Spokane (Wash.) Indians.
In 10-plus seasons of minor league baseball, Wallace played in 1,145 games, had 3,804 at bats, scored 472 runs, and collected 1,036 hits for a .272 career batting average. He had 155 doubles, 44 triples, 65 homeruns, and 369 RBI. As an infielder, it was a difficult time for Wallace to advance to the Dodgers which boasted infielders Pee Wee Reese, Jim Gilliam, Charlie Neal, and Maury Wills during these years.
Wallace married LaVonna Russell of Shawnee in 1955. He attended Harris Teachers College in St. Louis in the off-seasons of 1955-56 before they moved to Shawnee in 1957. He attended OBU in the fall semesters from 1957 until he graduated in 1964. In 1958-59 he played basketball for OBU's Bob Bass, and from 1959-65 Wallace served as Bass' assistant Bison basketball coach on a part-time basis. After leaving professional baseball after the 1964 season, he earned his master's degree at the University of Oklahoma.
Asked about his schedule of being a student at OBU in the fall, serving as an assistant basketball coach until March then heading for spring training, and playing baseball until the fall, Wallace says he really enjoyed the break in the schedule which being a student and coach gave him. "It was tough to get a job in the off season," he explains, "so this worked well for me."
In the fall of 1965, Wallace joined the OBU staff as head baseball coach (succeeding Bass), assistant basketball coach, instructor of physical education, and director of Brotherhood Dormitory. He coached baseball from 1965-66 through 1974-75 and again from 1978-79 through 1983-84. His baseball coaching record was 303-257-1—a 54.1 percent winning percentage.
Wallace's first team in 1966 was 20-8, won the East Half of the Oklahoma Collegiate Conference, the OCC championship playoff with Phillips, and advanced to the NAIA District Playoffs. That team was 20-8 with a pitching staff that compiled a 2.54 ERA.
His 1970 team was 20-8, tied for the East Half, but lost a playoff with Southeastern. The 1971 Bison were 28-12, defeated Southeastern for the East Half, but lost the conference playoff to Southwestern. That team had a .341 batting average.
The 1981 Bison were 30-16, becoming the first OBU baseball team to win 30. They reached the District 9 playoffs. The 1982 team was 25-16.
He coached four NAIA All America selections: Bob Banfield, second baseman, 1967; Tom Zumalt, shortstop, 1968; Larry Harlin, catcher, 1970; and Terry Rutledge, catcher, 1971. His All District selections were Harlin, centerfielder David Shannon, and pitcher Gary Gray, 1970; Rutledge, third baseman Mike Longstreth, and Shannon, 1971; Rod Loftis, outfielder, 1974 and 1975; outfielder
Bobby Cox (current OBU baseball coach), 1979; and shortstop Jim King, 1981 and 1982.
Wallace was assistant basketball coach from 1959-60 through 1968-69—eight years with Bob Bass and two years with Raymond (Red) Miller. The Bison were 204-91 during these years.
Named head basketball coach in 1970, Wallace coached eight years—1970-71 through 1977-78. His teams were 129-114—a 53.1 percent victory percentage. The Bison reached the NAIA district playoffs seven of his eight seasons. The 1972-73 Bison won the District 9 playoffs, qualifying for the NAIA National Tournament where they reached the quarterfinal round, defeating Alcorn State, Miss., and Winona, Minn. They lost to Augustana, Ill. The 1973-74 team was District 9 playoff runnerup.
Wallace's Bison basketball teams were 79-30 at home; 42-77 on the road; and 8-7 on neutral floors. He coached two honorable mention All America selections: center Irvin Kiffin and guard Wardell Jeffries, who were also All District 9 picks. Wallace's all conference players included center Fred Batiste (twice), forward Jon Tuttle, Jeffries, Kiffin (twice), guard Charles Fixico, guard Jody Desin, guard/forward Buck Alexander (twice), and guard Skip Masters.
Jeffries was drafted by the Seattle Sonics. Kiffin played for the Athletes in Action, then played briefly with the San Antonio Spurs, and finished his playing days in Italy and France.
In 1987 the university asked Wallace to step in as Lady Bison basketball coach after the previous coach left just before the season started. He coached the Lady Bison two years with his teams going 37-27. The 1987-88 team, 21-12, reached the District 9 playoffs. The 1988-89 team, 16-15, finished in a tie for second in the Sooner Athletic Conference. The Lady Bison were 19-7 at home, 13-18 on the road, and 5-2 on neutral floors under Wallace.
Center Bobbie Mahan was a two-time all conference and an all district player for Wallace. Guard Kellie Roberts was all conference and all district. Forward Elizabeth Willis was an all conference pick.
Wallace also coached golf in 1977.
After coaching men for most of his career, Wallace says it was an easy transition to coaching the Lady Bison. "It was enjoyable," he says. "They were young and worked really hard. And we had some very good players like Bobbie Mahan and Kellie Roberts."
Was he a coaching "jack-of-all-trades," leading four different OBU teams? "Not really," Wallace explains. "I was glad to have a job, and it was very enjoyable. I coached some really good young men and women. I don't remember any bad ones."
When asked about the highlights of his coaching career, he immediately points to being the assistant coach for the 1964-65, 1965-66, and 1966-67 Bison which reached the NAIA national tournament basketball championship game for three consecutive seasons. "Those seasons were great fun," he comments. Another major highlight for Wallace was his 1973-74 basketball team which was the surprise winner of the District 9 title and then upset two teams en route to the national quarterfinals.
A member of OBU's Athletic Hall of Fame, Wallace has a combined record of 469-398-1 in baseball and basketball. Following his final coaching stint in 1989, Wallace continued teaching physical education courses until his retirement from OBU in 1998.
Wallace coached four men who returned to OBU to coach: David Sallee, Bob Hoffman, Bob Banfield, and
Bobby Cox. Sallee was Lady Bison basketball coach from 1979-84; Hoffman was Bison basketball coach from 1990-99; Banfield was Bison basketball coach from 1978-85; and Cox has been OBU's baseball mentor since 1984-85.
Wallace and his wife, LaVonna, live in Shawnee. They have two sons, Doug and Steve.
