Wild West Sports

Login

Re: John Wooden, record your guess

Home › Forums › Football › Re: John Wooden, record your guess

Viewing 8 reply threads
  • Author
    Posts
    • January 27, 2026 at 8:26 pm #9216
      GTrojan2
      Participant

      Many years ago my dad and I had lunch with Johnny Wooden in Encino.  I believe the restaurant was called the Valley Inn, but I could be wrong.  After lunch we went to his 2 bedroom condo in Encino to continue our conversations.  My dad grew up in Marion Indiana at the same time Wooden was at Evansville or Martinsville, as my memory is not all that reliable.  Wooden had a great sense of humor, as I recall.  I asked him if he knew who was driving Harrick’s Bronco and how much Sam Gilbert paid his players.  It was a fun time.  Most of the discussions were between my father and Wooden, as they both knew the same basketball players from their time in Indiana.

      Wooden had retired from coaching at ucla when we met, though I don’t know for how long.  During our meeting he revealed to us what his salary was his last year at ucla.  What is your guess as to what it was?

    • January 27, 2026 at 8:52 pm #9217
      Butkus51
      Participant

      Back in 1975 his salary must have been $38 K to $40 K.  Shoot for a hall of fame coach, dat was sheet.  Heard UCLA fooked him over.  Read dat his former players came to his financial aid during some medical hardship and saved his home from foreclosure?  Not sure about da real story…  Cheers

      • This reply was modified 4 weeks ago by Butkus51.
      • January 27, 2026 at 10:13 pm #9223
        GTrojan2
        Participant

        You and SC Gator nailed it again.  His salary was $37,500.

      • January 27, 2026 at 11:40 pm #9236
        Butkus51
        Participant

        About 20 years ago, I recalling reading a sad LA Times article about his shaky financial situation.  The big issue was UCLA did not have him on a pension or retirement plan.  Most likely C. Wooden thought SS benefits was enough, like most people belief.  His X players came to aid and put together a big amount into his savings acct and had a monthly plan for him and his wife.  But, he made some money thru motivational speaking gigs, BB camps.

        He should have hired an agent.  But, C. Wooden was a very modest man & devout Christian.  No wonder the very top players wanted to play for him.  Fight On to C. Wooden…  Cheers

      • January 31, 2026 at 12:31 am #9381
        Butkus51
        Participant

        $37,500 1975 = around $225,750 today.  Median household annual income 13,720 = $82,560 today.  Average social security benefits 1975 = $208 month or $2,496 year.   C. Wooden must have received around $575 a month SS benefits and $6,900 year in 1975.  I’m thinking the Wooden’s must have saved a lot thru out his time at UCLA.  Plus, he made xtra income from speaking events and BB camps.

        The Wooden’s mortgage must have been around $180 to $200 per month, depending when they bought and price.  Rent in
        SF Valley in 1975 was about $150 month and cost of living in Calif was very affordable.

      • January 28, 2026 at 3:57 pm #9260
        RWC
        Participant

        Wrong board but since you started it G2, I’m reminded of the time my Dad and I were at Andy Enfield’s house in LA, and I asked him how much did Tony Bland pay your players?

      • January 30, 2026 at 10:23 pm #9351
        PasadenaTrojan
        Participant

        Yes squeaky clean UCLA. Famous for paying women’s softball players in the 90’s. 😂🤦‍♂️😂🤦‍♂️ when average attendance for games was what 121 parents and siblings.

    • January 27, 2026 at 9:07 pm #9219
      SC Gator
      Participant

      $35,000

    • January 27, 2026 at 9:57 pm #9220
      Daystalker
      Participant

      I think it was the Fantasy Inn that you ate at.

    • January 27, 2026 at 10:01 pm #9221
      BigBalls
      Participant

      cool story GT. I worked with one of his grandsons over a decade ago. Really humble and cool guy. With his last name of Wooden he was a magnet for questions. The only interesting tidbit is that he and his family got free tickets to ucla games. UCLA was playing at the Pond in anaheim in an invitational and he just walked up and got tickets. I was pretty impressed.

      • January 27, 2026 at 10:16 pm #9226
        GTrojan2
        Participant

        His condo was nothing to envy.  Second floor over the parking garages.  It was packed to the gills with memorabilia.

    • January 27, 2026 at 10:15 pm #9224
      PasadenaTrojan
      Participant

      That’s cool. You’re a very lucky guy. I went to a cool leadership event with a bunch of amazing sports leaders/legends at the Pond back in early 90’s. Thousands of us of course. Wooden’s
      pyramid of success speech was so well done. Just so so good.

      Terry Bradshaw did a great job too. Made
      Fun of folks calling him a dumb redneck and then called out a few plays that had a bout 25 words/codes each. I was impressed tbh.

      Without really banging my head I can’t think of the others.
      Oh shoot. Just came to me. Lou Hotz was there to. He spoke about the dash poem. He was great too.

      • January 27, 2026 at 10:20 pm #9227
        GTrojan2
        Participant

        I have a photograph on my dresser of Wooden and my dad and I from that lunch.  My dad passed away in 2005.

    • January 27, 2026 at 10:35 pm #9228
      troystory
      Participant

      I met Wooden in the 80’s as a participant in his summer basketball camp. Bill Walton and Walt Hazard also made appearances. Walton was still playing at the time. I would not have guessed Wooden would live another 25 years. But in his 70’s at the time feels like what 105 years does now.

      When he addressed the whole camp the only thing I can remember is he had this thing about the shoes being the exact fit, even for growing boys. My mom did not agree, a little room for growth was more economical. I have a picture with him and a team MVP Pyramid of Success plaque. Not sure if my mom still has those artifacts.

    • January 28, 2026 at 3:36 am #9246
      RWC
      Participant

       

       

      • This reply was modified 4 weeks ago by RWC.
    • January 30, 2026 at 4:31 pm #9323
      Java
      Keymaster

      I thought it was about $33k

      My grandparents were classmates of his at Purdue. And they knew him fairly well.

      They used to drive down to ucla games from central ca and after the game walk over to see him and go to dinner. It wasn’t a big deal. There were no press conferences. Just the assistant coaches telling the players when practice was and a couple reporters getting 30 seconds of quotes. Then dinner.

      This was long before pauley was built and b fore the winning started. Many people don’t know he was at ucla like 10-13 years before any of the big winning started.

      After his wife died and my grandpa too either she came to one of his book signings or he came to one of her award ceremonies and they were introduced as classmates and he referred to her at this “pretty young lady”. They were both over 85-90 at the time lol.

      • January 30, 2026 at 6:49 pm #9337
        SC Gator
        Participant

        When I was in high school, shortly before Pauley opened, it was pretty cool to go to SC-UCLA doubleheaders at the brand new, state-of-the-art…………………….Sports Arena.

         

  • Author
    Posts
Viewing 8 reply threads
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.