Guy Lewis
The charismatic coach who unleashed Phi Slama Jama and brought college basketball's aerial revolution to national television.
1922–2015 (age 93)·American basketball player and coach·Birthday: March 19·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Guy Lewis, with his ever-present polka-dot towel, looked more like a friendly uncle than a basketball revolutionary. Coaching at the University of Houston for 30 years, he built a program defined by athleticism and showmanship. His greatest insight was recognizing talent where others saw only rawness, recruiting players like Elvin Hayes and later the nucleus of Phi Slama Jama—Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler. Lewis embraced television, pushing for his team's games to be broadcast nationally, which transformed the Cougars into a must-see attraction. His teams reached five Final Fours, and though he never won a national title, his up-tempo, dunk-centric style changed how the game was played and marketed, making college basketball a national spectacle.
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.
Guy was born in 1922, 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 Guy Was Born
The biggest hits of 1922
#1 Movie
Robin Hood
Guy's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1922Born
King Tut's tomb discovered in Egypt
President: Warren G. Harding"April Showers" — Al Jolson
1927Started school
Lindbergh flies solo across the Atlantic; The Jazz Singer premieres
President: Calvin Coolidge"My Blue Heaven" — Gene Austin
1935Became a teenager
Social Security Act signed into law
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,450President: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Cheek to Cheek" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Mutiny on the Bounty
1938Could drive
Kristallnacht and the escalation toward WWII
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $2,850Min wage: $0.25/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Begin the Beguine" — Artie ShawBest Picture: You Can't Take It with You
1940Could vote
The Blitz: Germany bombs London
Gas: $0.18/galHome: $2,938Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I'll Never Smile Again" — Tommy DorseyBest Picture: Rebecca
1943Turned 21
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1952Turned 30
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1962Turned 40
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1972Turned 50
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1982Turned 60
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1992Turned 70
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2002Turned 80
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2015Died at 93
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
Key Achievements
- Coached the University of Houston to five NCAA Final Four appearances (1967, 1968, 1982, 1983, 1984).
- Led the high-flying 'Phi Slama Jama' teams to back-to-back national championship games in 1983 and 1984.
- Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013 after a long campaign by his former players.
- Won 592 games as head coach of the Houston Cougars, establishing the program as a national power.
Did You Know?
He was an All-American player at the University of Houston before becoming its coach.
He famously waved his polka-dot towel on the sidelines during games.
He was instrumental in orchestrating the 1968 'Game of the Century' between his Houston team and UCLA, the first nationally televised regular-season college basketball game.
He recruited Hakeem Olajuwon after seeing him play soccer and basketball at a Nigerian teachers' college.
“I just wanted to win. I didn't care how we did it, but I wanted it to be fun for the players and the fans.”
