Sam Amico
Jimmy Anderson, who spent nearly five decades as a player or coach with the Oregon State University basketball program, has died. He was 86.
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Anderson played for OSU legend Ralph Miller and went on the become a member of the school’s athletics hall of fame. He was inducted in 2015.
Anderson also helped to recruit many of the Beavers stars during the Miller era — with the list including the likes of A.C. Green, Charlie Sitton, Steve Johnson and Lester Conner. Anderson eventually succeeded Miller and coached the likes of Gary Payton and Brent Barry during his run (1988-96).
“His door was wide open at all hours. He was more of a family father figure than a coach to me,” Sitton said, via the Oregonian. “It was good cop-bad cop with Ralph and him.
“Jimmy was the guy who came to (Sitton’s hometown of McMinnville). He hung out there, came to the house, he and my mom talked gardening. He was the guy beating the streets bringing in players for Ralph.”
Per the Oregonian:
Anderson joined Oregon State as a player in 1956. Following a three-year career, Anderson coached the Beavers’ freshman team until 1962. He briefly left to coach Newberg High, then returned in 1965 to Oregon State, where he coached until his retirement in 1996.
Anderson never strayed far from Oregon State after retiring, however. He became an unofficial ambassador for Beavers basketball. Anderson usually sat several rows behind the OSU bench during home games, and had been a regular at practice until this season. Anderson was on hand in Gill Coliseum when Oregon State honored its 1964 Final Four team on Jan. 27.
Wayne Tinkle, Oregon State’s current coach, said he became friends with Anderson shortly after taking over the Beavers program in 2014. Tinkle said for several years on Fridays during the offseason, he’d go over to Anderson’s house to have a glass of wine and talk basketball.
