From The Couch – Jack Paar
Jack Paar was one of the original three K-State basketball players to have their jerseys retired, joining Ernie Barrett and Bob Boozer. He was inducted into the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame in 2005. Let’s learn a little more about Jack…
“Against Kansas at Lawrence in 1958, Parr made perhaps his greatest defensive play. With the final seconds ticking away, Kansas went to Wilt Chamberlain under the basket for an assumed easy lay-in. Parr went straight up and batted the ball away, enabling K-State to take a thrilling 79-75 victory.”…www.kstatesports.com
JM: You can see a picture of Jack stuffing Wilt Chamberlain above.
“A 6-foot-9, 212-pound center from Richmond, Va., Parr played three seasons for Naismith and College Basketball Hall of Fame head coach Fred “Tex” Winter from 1955-58. He helped the Wildcats to a 54-21 (.720) record during his playing career, which included a trip to the 1958 Final Four and Big Seven Conference titles in 1956 and 1958.”...www.kstatesports.com, January 5th, 2015
JM: I was on an elevator with Jack Paar once. He’s all of six foot nine. I thought he was a seven footer!
“Parr burst onto the scene during the 1955-56 season by averaging a team-best 17.4 points and 13.6 rebounds per game to help K-State win the Big Seven title and reach the “Sweet 16” of the NCAA Tournament with a 17-8 record. As a junior, he dominated the Big Seven with averages of 20.6 points and his school-record 14.5 rebounds per game to earn All-America honors for the second time in 1956-57. Parr teamed with fellow All-American Bob Boozer to help the Wildcats to their second Final Four in 1958, as he averaged 13.6 points and 10.4 rebounds.”...www.kstatesports.com, January 5th, 2015
JM: With Boozer and Parr and Tex Winter coaching that must have been a really fun team to watch.
“Parr was drafted in the 10th round of the 1958 NBA Draft by the Cincinnati Royals for whom he played one season before turning to private business and becoming a Big Eight basketball official.”...www.kstatesports.com, January 5th, 2015
JM: Hard to believe the NBA used to have so many rounds in its draft.
“Parr and Bob Boozer helped Kansas State to a regional final victory over Oscar Robertson and Cincinnati. The Wildcats lost to Seattle and Elgin Baylor in the national semifinals.”…The Kansas City Star, March 5, 2005
JM: These K-State teams were legit. They played against Wilt Chamberlain, Oscar Robertson and Elgin Baylor, some of the best basketball players of all time.
That’s all I was able to find about Jack Paar, one of the greatest players in K-State history.
