Clay Cooper, 1917 - 2007

Clay Cooper, one of Mizzou's greatest Tigers by any definition, passed away on Thursday. He was 89.

A letter-winner in football, basketball and track, Clay Cooper served on Missouri's football staff for five decades. He was also the coach of the Tigers' freshman basketball team for several years.

He was a warm and charming man, and I had the pleasure of interviewing him during my research for True Sons. He shared stories of the basketball Tigers' 1939 and 1940 championship seasons, the exploits of his older brother John (a great player of the early 1930s), the dignity of longtime hoops coach George Edwards, and the legend of Don Faurot. It's a better book because of his participation, and I will always be thankful to him.

Godspeed, coach.