Now, Dean Larsen has passed.
The former BYU All-American, member of the school’s athletic Hall of Fame and proud cornerstone of Stan Watts’ teams of the mid-1950s, has joined almost an entire squad of his teammates on that court in the beyond. Larsen was 87 at the time of his death, May 4.
Last month, it was Herschel “Bones” Pedersen and earlier this year it was career scoring leader Roland Minson. All-American and former NBA all-star Mel Hutchins passed away in 2018. And don’t forget former Cougar, Ute and USU player/coach Ladell Andersen, who died as this 2020 year arrived. Bob Skousen, whose single-game scoring record Jimmer Fredette broke, passed in 2016. On May 25, it will be the 25th anniversary of the death of the legendary Kresimir Cosic.
All I know is if there’s a BYU alumni team organized in heaven, somebody’s got good draft picks.
Larsen was a quiet superstar for Watts. He was a scorer and leader, a 6-foot-1 forward from Mesa, Arizona. He died at his home in Spanish Fork on May 4 after word went out among friends mourning Pedersen, that Larsen would soon follow.
Former BYU athletic director Glen Tuckett, who is in his 90s, is one of a fleeting number of athletic figures at the school who knew these guys personally, from the days they played to their development into manhood.
Larsen, like so many of his teammates, led a life of dedicated service to others and his faith. He was a teacher.
“People liked him and he was a handsome young man. He looked like he just got out of the shower all the time,” said Tuckett of Larsen.
“He was an All-American and you can’t beat that. He followed that group of Minson and Hutchins and it was that group before Bob Skousen.”
Tuckett said, “Mortality is a strange thing,” remembering the faces of the old-timers whose once vibrant and athletic presence thrilled crowds with their performances and are now remembered in obituaries.
“Dean was a guy you put on the front of the college catalog. He was a nice young man, good size and just a great person.”
“Dean was a guy you put on the front of the college catalog. He was a nice young man, good size and just a great person.” — Former BYU athletic director Glen Tuckett, on Dean Larsen
Years ago, Tuckett remembers Larsen’s wife Leona calling him and asking if the school had any film of her husband’s playing days. He worked with the late Jay Monsen, who died in 2013, and found some archived game films and delivered it to Leona.
“She wanted to get it for his birthday,” said Tuckett.
“We found it and watched it. You really want to watch some of those old films because after we see some of the things guys are doing now, we weren’t as good as we thought we were but we were good at that time. The game has really changed. But we did find it and it was a nice gift. He was a loyal and kind friend to BYU all his life.”
Larsen played when the game didn’t have the 3-point shot and the dunk was not allowed. While players could play above the rim, they put more emphasis on the fundamentals, dribbling, passing, development of hook shots, jump and set shots and playing the angles with hustle.
Seven years ago, I had the rare opportunity of sitting in a conference room at the Gordon B. Hinckley Alumni Building on campus with a dozen of Stan Watts’ players, including Larsen. They spoke of their playing days, their beloved coach, the friendship they’d kept with each other for six decades.
Larsen joined others with unique memories.
At one point, BYU beat the celebrated K.C. Jones and Bill Russell of the University of San Francisco and defeated UCLA in back-to-back games in 1952. Sixty-five years later, Larsen remembers beating San Francisco that season as his personal highlight. “We were tied, and I was fouled as the game buzzer went off,” he says. “I was allowed two foul shots and said, ‘No sweat.’ Well, I missed the shot, and then it was sweat. I made the second shot, which gave us the game.”
Larsen was drafted by the Detroit Pistons but chose instead to serve a mission to Argentina for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
His obituary recounts that his mission service was tied to the use of the Spanish language. In addition to his mission to Argentina, he served as a mission president in Venezuela, Mission Training Center president in the Dominican Republic, temple president in Lima Peru, and executive secretary in the Area Presidency in Chile.
The remarkable thing about Larsen, Pedersen, and all the men in that room that day was the success they’d enjoyed off the court in just being good men, husbands, fathers, grandfathers, top businessmen and leaders of their faith.
It was a remarkable run by these men, these Larsen-like fellows.
It’s tough to start losing them.
It’s been a very tough 2020, indeed.