Floyd Temple
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Memorial services for Floyd O. Temple, 86, Lawrence, KS will be held at 1 p.m. Tuesday, July 3, 2012 at the Plymouth Congregational Church in Lawrence. Private inurnment will be in Pioneer Cemetery in Lawrence. He died on Friday, June 29, 2012 at Pioneer Ridge in Lawrence.
He was born on February 3, 1926 in Coffeyville, KS, the son of John Daniel and Emma Head Temple.
Floyd served his country in the United States Marine Corps during World War II. He was awarded the Purple Heart.
He began his career with KU as a football player in 1948. He lettered two years each in baseball and football and was the third baseman for the 1949 baseball team that earned the Big Seven conference title – the Jayhawks last baseball Conference title prior to the 2006 Big 12 Championship. He graduated from the University of Kansas.
He went on to play minor league baseball in 1950 for the Gladewater Bears of the East Texas League. In 1951-52, he played for the Iola Indians of the Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League and managed the team for parts of those seasons. In all, Temple played 110 minor league games and posted a .278 batting average.
Floyd was the coach of the Kansas Jayhawks baseball team from1954-1981. He achieved the majority of his accomplishments despite the fact that he only had four baseball scholarships to award until 1975. During that time, many other schools in the conference has as many as 24 scholarships. In his last six seasons as a coach, when the number of scholarships were increased to 13, KU went a combined 171-101-3 for a winning percentage of .629. He coached four All-Americans and seven future Major League players.
During his 28 seasons as the KU baseball coach, he served as an assistant coach for the KU football team on the staffs of head coaches Jack Mitchell, Pepper Rodgers, and Don Fambrough. He also served as an Assistant Athletic Director at KU from 1981-1992.
His No. 13 was retired in 1982 and remains the only jersey number displayed on the outfield wall of KU’s home stadium, Hoglund Ballpark.
He was married to Beverly Brooks on August 15, 1948 in Coffeyville, KS. She survives.
Other survivors include a son, George “Biff” (wife, Leslie)Temple of Granbury, TX, a daughter, Ann (husband, Bobby) Clark of Arlington, TX; five grandchildren, Stephanie Temple, Kelly Ballard, Taylor Stapleton, Kaci Green, Brett Temple and six great grandchildren.
The family suggests memorials in his name to Wounded Warrior Project, the American Cancer Society, or to the Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders Foundation and may be sent in care of Warren-McElwain Mortuary in Lawrence.
We are so sorry for your loss. Floyd was a great influence on many lives and we enjoyed knowing him. He was someone who truly made a difference.
In all the years I was J-W sports editor, no one in the KU athletic department was ever friendlier to me than Floyd. I have such wonderful memories of his days as KU’s baseball coach, and later as assistant AD. I know I can’t possibly miss him as much as Bev, Biff and Ann, but I surely do. My thoughts are with you.
Thoughts and prayers go out to all of you, Temple family. Mr.Temple was a very special man and I’m so sorry for his loss.
lots of love to you all~
Jama (Crady) Maxfield
Dear Bev and family —
In my 60-plus years with the Journal-World, I never encountered any source whose friendship, ability, humor and accessibility were capsulized any better than Temp did it. I will always treasure that relationship and feel the heavy loss. Allen Fieldhouse’s environs lost something they will never get back when Floyd retired. That impish grin and his eagerness to help people and brighten the scene added so much to the atmosphere. Thank god he didn’t have to suffer through the Perkins Purge. May the memories of his influence soon overcome the shadows of grief. Our lives are much better because of the presence of (XXX). Sorry, my pet nickname is no longer politically correct.
A great golf partner. He will be missed. Erv
Biff, Our thoughts and prayers are with you. Let us know if you need anything. The Smith Family
As a close friend of their son Biff, Floyd and Beverly Temple welcomed me into their family as on of their own. Their kindness and love have earned them a special place in my heart. America has lost another of it’s heroes. May God bless and comfort Floyd’s family. He was a great man, great husband, great father, great patriot and great friend. I can think of no other way to honor him but to remember him and his sacrifices for his family, his country and his community.
I actually am one of the lucky individuals to have received an A in a Class taught by Floyd Temple entitled “Coaching of Baseball.” Coach gave you an A if you used a lot of different colors in your notebook, which you had to turn in periodically. Or that’s what he said, anyway. He was a good teacher. Floyd was the first coach I covered at the Daily Kansan and he was patient with the student reporter, teaching me about the game and never speaking down to me. I ALWAYS enjoyed visiting with Floyd about baseball and reporting on his team’s games. He was what we reporters call a “great quote.” Rest in peace, Floyd. Condolences to the family.
I actually am one of the lucky individuals to have received an A in a Class taught by Floyd Temple entitled “Coaching of Baseball.” Coach gave you an A if you used a lot of different colors in your notebook, which you had to turn in periodically. Or that’s what he said, anyway. He was a good teacher. Floyd was the first coach I covered at the Daily Kansan and he was patient with the student reporter, teaching me about the game and never speaking down to me. I ALWAYS enjoyed visiting with Floyd about baseball and reporting on his team’s games. He was what we reporters call a “great quote.” Rest in peace, Floyd. Condolences to the family.
Beverly and Family,
We have lost a great one. He made us all better, and we are grateful to have had the privilege to know Floyd. Our thoughts are with you.
I was so sad to hear of Floyd’s passing. Unfortunately, too many years have gone by since I last saw the family, but I have many fond memories of trips to Lawrence, staying with Floyd and Bev and going nose-to-nose with Floyd a few times! Bev, Biff and Ann, my thoughts are with you and yours at this time.
Bev – Biff – Ann: All who knew Floyd knew under that tobacco-chewing facade was a man of great character. They just don’t make them like that anymore. I think some thought that asking me to fly the family to OKC for the Big 8 tourney one time was a real leap of faith. Peace, Frank
K Club is so thankful to have had the opportunity to award Floyd with the K Club Lifetime Service Award this spring. His loyalty and influence in the Jayhawk community is unmatched.
Rock Chalk to the Temple family full of Jayhawks! Our hearts are with you today, all 7000 of us former athletes.
I’m a 1980 graduate of the KU School of Journalism. I’ve been a sportswriter all my life and I love the game of baseball. Of all the men I’ve met in college athletics there isn’t anyone I admired, respected and enjoyed more than Floyd Temple. Coach Temple was a baseball guy. He was a Kansas guy. He was a great Jayhawk. I learned so much about the game from Coach, covering the Jayhawks for the University Daily Kansan, and taking his “Coaching of Baseball” class. For the final, I elected to take the written exam rather the test of chewing tobacco. He was proud when I scored 100 percent. I was relieved I didn’t have to throw up. After graduation, Coach remained my friend. In recent years, after writing my Kansas basketball book, his granddaughter Stephanie became a friendly face welcoming me back to Allen Field House. I always told her to tell Floyd hello for me. My thoughts are with Stephanie and the rest of the Temple family. Floyd can’t be replaced but will always be remembered. Bet he is hanging out with Coach Fambrough in Jayhawk Heaven. Love you Floyd. RIP. – Ken Davis
Dear Bev and family,
I was one of those who watched Floyd play sports at Field Kindley. Ir was so good to read or hear of his success in the years that followed, including a wonderful family. You are in my thoughts and prayers,
Rita