 Ruby fromThe Savitar, 1922 | |
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1896-05-30)May 30, 1896 Stockport, Iowa, U.S. |
| Died | September 9, 1980(1980-09-09) (aged 84) Johnson County, Kansas, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1917–1920 | Missouri |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1920–1922 | Missouri |
| 1922–1936 | Illinois |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 181–97 |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| 2MVC (1921, 1922) 2Big Ten (1924, 1935) | |
| Awards | |
| 2×All-American –Helms (1918,1919) 2× All-MVC (1919, 1920) | |
James Craig Ruby (May 30, 1896 – September 9, 1980) was an Americancollege basketball player and coach. A two-timeAll-American and All-Missouri Valley Conference forward at theUniversity of Missouri, he took over the head coaching position of his alma-mater in 1920. Ruby coached the Tigers for two seasons, compiling a record of 33 wins and only 2 losses. Both of Ruby's Missouri teams were retroactively named national champions by thePremo-Porretta Power Poll.[1] Ruby was subsequently recruited byUniversity of Illinois athletic directorGeorge Huff to take over theFighting Illini’s men's basketball coaching duties.
Beginning in 1922 and continuing on for the next 14 years, Ruby compiled a record of 148 wins and 95 losses. While playing in theBig Ten Conference, Ruby's teams recorded 94 wins and 74 losses and won the conference championship 2 times. Ruby left the program in 1936 with coaching duties given toDouglas R. Mills.[2]
Ruby and legendary Kansas coachPhog Allen actively campaigned together for higher baskets to offset the advantage of tall centers. He also advocated the elimination of the dribble to do away with stalling, and wanted the hoop enlarged to 20 inches in diameter rather than the standard 18.[3] In 1930 Ruby served as the president of theNational Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC).[4]
Ruby retired from coaching to pursue a career with the Kansas City-based,Hallmark greeting card company at the age of 39. He died in 1980 in Johnson County, Kansas at the age of 84.
Ruby married Dorothy Whitney on August 11, 1924 in Chicago, Illinois. They had a daughter, Joyce, and son, Jay Whitney.
| Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missouri Tigers(Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association)(1920–1922) | |||||||||
| 1920–21 | Missouri | 17–1 | 17–1 | 1st | |||||
| 1921–22 | Missouri | 16–1 | 15–1 | T–1st | |||||
| Missouri: | 33–2 (.943) | 32–2 (.941) | |||||||
| Illinois Fighting Illini(Big Ten Conference)(1922–1936) | |||||||||
| 1922–23 | Illinois | 9–6 | 7–5 | T–4th | |||||
| 1923–24 | Illinois | 11–6 | 8–4 | T–1st | |||||
| 1924–25 | Illinois | 11–6 | 8–4 | T–3rd | |||||
| 1925–26 | Illinois | 9–8 | 6–6 | T–5th | |||||
| 1926–27 | Illinois | 10–7 | 7–5 | T–4th | |||||
| 1927–28 | Illinois | 5–12 | 2–10 | T–9th | |||||
| 1928–29 | Illinois | 10–7 | 6–6 | T–5th | |||||
| 1929–30 | Illinois | 8–8 | 7–5 | T–5th | |||||
| 1930–31 | Illinois | 12–5 | 7–5 | 5th | |||||
| 1931–32 | Illinois | 11–6 | 7–5 | 5th | |||||
| 1932–33 | Illinois | 11–7 | 6–6 | T–5th | |||||
| 1933–34 | Illinois | 13–6 | 7–5 | 4th | |||||
| 1934–35 | Illinois | 15–5 | 9–3 | T–1st | |||||
| 1935–36 | Illinois | 13–6 | 7–5 | T–3rd | |||||
| Illinois: | 148–95 (.609) | 94–74 (.560) | |||||||
| Total: | 181–97 (.651) | ||||||||
National champion Postseason invitational champion | |||||||||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
