Eddie Sutton, in failing health for three years after suffering a stroke, held on long enough to learn he finally had been elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Sutton — who as the Arkansas coach led the Razorbacks to a 260-75 record in 11 seasons from 1974-75 through 1984-85, highlighted by nine NCAA Tournament appearances and a 1978 Final Four appearance — was elected to the Hall of Fame on April 3 in his seventh time as a finalist.
The honor capped a career in which Sutton had an 806-326 record in 37 seasons as a college coach with 26 NCAA Tournament teams at Creighton, Arkansas, Kentucky and Oklahoma State. He led Oklahoma State, his alma mater, to the Final Four in 1995 and 2004.
“Coach Sutton is getting the ultimate honor because he was the ultimate coach,” said Joe Kleine, an All-Southwest Conference center for Sutton at Arkansas. “He meets every criteria for a coach who should be in the Hall of Fame.”
Sutton died May 24 at age 84 at his home in Tulsa, surrounded by his three sons and their families, who also were together for his Hall of Fame election news.
Steve Sutton said his father was able to understand and appreciate the news of being elected to the Hall of Fame.
“He immediately closed his eyes, and I think part of that was a sense of relief and just feeling, ‘Finally, I got across the finish line,’ ” Steve Sutton said. “Then right before we got off the phone, he looked up and kind of pumped his fist.
“To me, that was confirmation he was absolutely with us and knew exactly what was going on.”