Jacoby, Fred 1997-08-08
Fred Jacoby, retired commissioner for the Southwest Conference, talks about his career and his eventual involvement with the Conference. He also discusses the breakup of the Southwest Conference and reasons behind it.
General Interview Information
Interviewee Name: Fred Jacoby
Additional Parties Recorded:
Date: April 4 and August 8, 1997
Location: Lubbock, Texas
Interviewer: Abel Ramirez with Dr. Jim Harper
Length: 1 hour, 40 minutes
Abstract
Tape 1, Side 1: Fred Jacoby background,
Graduated from Logan High School Logan Ohio,
Ohio State University,
Graduated at the age of 20,
Coached high school football,
Worked on Master’s in the summers at University
of Wisconsin (1953),
West High School Madison Wisconsin,
Assistant coach at University of Wisconsin (1958-
1966),
Commissioner for Wisconsin State University
Conference (1966-1971),
Commissioner of Mid-American Conference (1971-
1982),
Kent State incident,
Programs for student disruptions,
Commissioner of Southwest Conference (1982),
Moved to Dallas Texas,
Retired in 1993,
Helped set up a conference office for the Lone Star
Conference after retirement,
Reflections on career,
Being a commissioner,
Opinions,
Southwest Conference,
Handbook,
Re-wrote,
Met with administrators and coaches to write
guidelines,
Formed Women’s Basketball Advisory,
Committee,
Women’s athletic programs,
Basketball,
Growth,
Track programs,
Women’s athletic programs (again),
Women employees,
Basketball,
Scheduling,
Promotions,
Television coverage,
Ratings,
Market shares,
Expanding coverage out of the state,
University fan base,
Breakup,
Reasons,
State schools becoming larger and more
dominant,
Integrating black athletes,
School violations,
Sports (1950s).
Tape 1, Side 2: Southwest Conference,
Breakup (continued),
Reasons,
School violations,
Board of trustees,
Presidents,
Recruiting,
Texas football,
High schools,
Southern Methodist University,
Name rights,
Former members,
Formation of conferences,
Regions.
Tape 2, Side 1: Fred Jacoby background,
Born: 1927 in Logan Ohio,
Parents,
Did not finish high school,
Ohio State University,
Logan Ohio,
Ceramic industry,
Fred Jacoby (again),
Graduated high school (1945),
Worked summer jobs in Columbus Ohio,
Graduated college at the age of 20,
First coaching jobs,
Coaching women,
High school sports (1940s),
Women,
Minorities,
Fred Jacoby (again),
Jobs at high schools,
Driver’s education,
Games coached,
Worked on Master’s at University of Wisconsin
(1950),
Head coaching job at Madison West High School
(5 years),
Jimmy Bakken,
Place kicker,
Madison West High School,
University of Wisconsin,
Rose Bowl,
Played 17 years with St. Louis Cardinals,
High school football,
Midwest (1950s),
Region set ups and game schedulings,
Fred Jacoby (again),
High school jobs,
Taught 10 years,
Coaching at the University of Wisconsin (8 years),
Became commissioner for Wisconsin State,
University (1958),
Worked for five years,
Accomplishments,
Wisconsin State University Conference,
Women’s athletics,
Title Nine,
Cannot discriminate programs because of sex,
(1971).
Tape 2, Side 2: Fred Jacoby (again),
Became commissioner of Mid-American Conference
(1971),
Accomplishments,
Athletes,
Women’s program,
Jacoby Cup,
Trophy for all women’s sports,
Commissioner for Southwest Conference (1982),
First duties,
Fix business operations,
Start women’s program,
Texas Tech women’s basketball national,
championship (1993),
Integration in conferences,
Minority athletes,
College athletes,
Education,
Entrance requirements to college,
Changes,
Eligibility requirements,
Rules,
Enforcement,
Compliance programs,
Coordinators,
Coaches,
Rule violations,
Southwest Conference,
Meeting with presidents—1st meeting with Jacoby
(December 1982),
Agenda,
Presidents of the universities,
Authority,
NCAA Conventions,
Increase in attendance,
Reasons,
NCAA restructuring,
Southwest Conference (again),
Demise,
Reasons,
State schools vs. Private schools,
Big 12 Conference formations,
Politics.
Range Dates: 1927-1997
Bulk Dates: 1950-1997
Access Information
Original Recording Format:
Recording Format Notes:
Transcript:
Thank you for your interest in this oral history interview. Our oral history collection is available to patrons in the Southwest Collection's Reading Room, located on the campus of Texas Tech University. For reading room hours, visit our website. Please contact Reference Staff at least one week prior to your visit to ensure the oral history you are interested in will be available. Due to copyright issues, duplications of our oral histories can only be made for family members. If an oral history transcript has been made available online, the link will be provided on this page. More information on accessing our oral histories is located here. Preferred citation style can be found here.
