Wayman Tisdale, basketball star and musician, dies

Wayman Tisdale, who became a successful jazz musician after retiring from pro basketball, died Friday morning after a two-year battle with cancer, his agent said. Tisdale, 44, died in a Tulsa, Oklahoma, hospital, where his wife took him when he had trouble breathing early Friday.

"He was a real testament to the power of positive thinking," Pang said. "Even after the cancer and amputating his leg above his knee, he never lost that smile on his face."

Doctors discovered Tisdale's bone cancer after he broke his leg in a fall down a flight of stairs, according to the official biography on his Web site.

Tisdale was a three-time All-American at Oklahoma in the mid-1980s before playing a dozen years in the NBA and later becoming an accomplished jazz musician.

But those who knew Tisdale, who died Friday at a hospital in his hometown of Tulsa, Okla., recalled not only his professional gifts but a perpetually sunny outlook, even in the face of a two-year battle with cancer that took his life at 44.

"I don't know of any athlete at Oklahoma or any place else who was more loved by the fans who knew him than Wayman Tisdale," said Billy Tubbs, who coached Tisdale with the Sooners. "He was obviously, a great, great player, but Wayman as a person overshadowed that. He just lit up a room and was so positive."

“Throughout it all, he always had that infectious smile,” said OU basketball coach Jeff Capel. “This is an incredibly sad day as we have lost not only one of the greatest Sooners ever, but one of the all-time best people to walk the face of the earth.”

TULSA, OK -- Funeral plans are set for Tulsa native Wayman Tisdale, who lost his battle with cancer Friday at age 44.

Visitation is scheduled for 1 p.m. Wednesday at Friendship Baptist Church, and a memorial service will be 11 a.m. Thursday at the BOK Center.

Tisdale is being remembered for his infectious smile and mastery of the hardwood. But it's what he did after basketball that takes music lovers down memory lane.

A celebration of Tisdale's life will be 11 a.m. Thursday in the BOK Center. In respect to the family, those who attend are encouraged to be seated by 10:30 a.m. to hear Tisdale's band play before the family is seated.

Visitation will be at the Friendship Baptist Church, 1709 N. Madison Ave., at 1 p.m. Wednesday.

Tisdale will be buried at Tulsa's Memorial Park Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, you may make contributions to the Wayman Tisdale Foundation. Please call Friendship Church for additional information.

After his basketball career, he became an award-winning jazz musician, with several albums making the top 10 on the Billboard charts. Last month, he was chosen for induction into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.

Tisdale's death was announced on the Oklahoma Senate floor Friday by Senate Majority Leader Todd Lamb, who led the chamber in prayer.

"Whether you're a Cowboy or a Sooner, Oklahoma has lost a great ambassador," Lamb said. "He was a gifted musician, a gifted athlete and he just wore that well wherever he went."

Tisdale was the first freshman to be a first-team All-American since freshmen were allowed to play again in 1971-72.

He was also one of 10 three-time All-Americans: The others were Oscar Robertson, Bill Walton, Lew Alcindor, Pete Maravich, Patrick Ewing, Tom Gola, Jerry Lucas, David Thompson and Ralph Sampson. Ewing and Tisdale were the last to accomplish the feat, from 1983-85.

Tisdale played on an Olympic team that sailed to the gold medal in Los Angeles, winning its game by 32 points. The squad was coached by Bob Knight and featured the likes of Ewing, Michael Jordan, Sam Perkins and Chris Mullin.

Tisdale averaged 25.6 points and 10.1 rebounds during his three seasons with the Sooners, earning Big Eight Conference player of the year each season.

He still holds Oklahoma's career scoring record with 2,661 points and career rebounding record with 1,048. Tisdale also owns the school's single-game scoring mark, a 61-point outing against Texas-San Antonio as a sophomore, along with career records in points per game, field goals and free throws made and attempts..

Wire reports contributed to this story.

Images courtesy rushthecourt.net

photo courtesy Teafor2.com July 2009.

Sources: good faith fair use of sources stated above

Compiled, transcribed and submitted by Marti Graham, Oklahoma County, OKGenWeb Coordinator, January 2012. Information posted for educational purposes for viewers and researchers. The contributor is not related to nor researching any of the above.

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