Dave Strack
The architect of Michigan's 'Fab Five' era, a coach whose innovative fast-break system propelled the Wolverines to their first national championship game appearances.
1923–2014 (age 91)·American college sports coach and administrator·Birthday: March 2·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Dave Strack's name is woven into the foundation of modern University of Michigan basketball. Taking over as head coach in 1960, he inherited a program with modest expectations and transformed it into a national powerhouse. His innovation was the 'Michigan Fast Break,' a relentless, up-tempo system that overwhelmed opponents. It carried the Wolverines to their first-ever NCAA Final Four in 1964. The following season, Strack's team, led by Cazzie Russell, returned to the title game, cementing the program's arrival on the big stage. Though he left coaching in 1968, his impact was lasting; he recruited many of the players who would win the 1976 NIT under Johnny Orr. Strack later shifted to administration, serving as the Athletic Director at the University of Arizona where he oversaw significant growth. His legacy, however, remains anchored in Ann Arbor, where he built the framework for championship contention and proved Michigan could be a basketball school, too.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Dave was born in 1923, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Dave Was Born
The biggest hits of 1923
#1 Movie
The Covered Wagon
Dave's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1923Born
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1928Started school
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
1936Became a teenager
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1939Could drive
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1941Could vote
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1944Turned 21
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1953Turned 30
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1963Turned 40
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1973Turned 50
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1983Turned 60
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1993Turned 70
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2003Turned 80
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2014Died at 91
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
Key Achievements
- Led the University of Michigan to its first NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four appearances in 1964 and 1965.
- Coached the Michigan Wolverines to the 1965 NCAA Championship game, where they lost to UCLA.
- Served as the Athletic Director for the University of Arizona from 1972 to 1982.
Did You Know?
He was a teammate of future baseball Hall of Famer Phil Rizzuto on their high school basketball team in Illinois.
The 1964-65 Michigan team he coached finished the regular season ranked No. 1 in the nation.
He is a member of the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame, recognized for his high school and college playing career in the state.
“The fast break is not just speed, it's organized chaos that demoralizes the other team.”
