Former Sooner Great Jack Mildren Passes Away
Oklahoma Sooner Football Articles and Notes
Sad News... Former Oklahoma QB, Lieutenant Governor Jack Mildren passes away: He survived battles with football powerhouses like Nebraska and Texas and weathered a few political skirmishes in Oklahoma government's second-highest office, but Jack Mildren couldn't beat his toughest opponent: stomach cancer. The former lieutenant governor and pilot of the University of Oklahoma's vaunted wishbone offense died from complications of the disease at an Oklahoma City hospital on Thursday. He was 58. Mildren was diagnosed two years ago with cancer but had continued to serve as a vice chairman for Arvest Bank and host a daily sports radio show on WKY 930-AM. "It had gone into remission and then they did tests sometime in the middle of last summer, and unfortunately it came back," his brother, Richard Mildren, said by telephone early Friday. "Then they went through another round of chemotherapy and that didn't work. He went to (University of Texas) M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston and I don't know what became of that. "He kind of just didn't make through the day, you know? He was going through a bad time. It didn't look good for the home team," his brother said. Legislators at the state Capitol observed a moment of silence for Mildren, a Democrat who walked the halls there in the 1990s. (AP/SoonerSports.com)
Thulin touched by Mildren's toughness: The Oklahoman
Sad News... Former Oklahoma QB, Lieutenant Governor Jack Mildren passes away: He survived battles with football powerhouses like Nebraska and Texas and weathered a few political skirmishes in Oklahoma government's second-highest office, but Jack Mildren couldn't beat his toughest opponent: stomach cancer. The former lieutenant governor and pilot of the University of Oklahoma's vaunted wishbone offense died from complications of the disease at an Oklahoma City hospital on Thursday. He was 58. Mildren was diagnosed two years ago with cancer but had continued to serve as a vice chairman for Arvest Bank and host a daily sports radio show on WKY 930-AM. "It had gone into remission and then they did tests sometime in the middle of last summer, and unfortunately it came back," his brother, Richard Mildren, said by telephone early Friday. "Then they went through another round of chemotherapy and that didn't work. He went to (University of Texas) M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston and I don't know what became of that. "He kind of just didn't make through the day, you know? He was going through a bad time. It didn't look good for the home team," his brother said. Legislators at the state Capitol observed a moment of silence for Mildren, a Democrat who walked the halls there in the 1990s. (AP/SoonerSports.com)
Thulin touched by Mildren's toughness: The Oklahoman
Labels: Former Sooner, Oklahoma Sooners
One of the greats has left us, but the memories never will. Jack Mildren was a true champion and gentleman. He will be missed.
A Husker Fan
10:06 AM
R.I.P. Jack
You'll be missed.
2:35 PM
My dad--an intensely proud alumnus of the University of Missouri--first turned me on to Sooner football in the autumn of 1959, and I've never looked elsewhere for my Saturday afternoon college gridiron thrills. "There'll never be another college football dynasty like those put together at OU," said dad prejudicially, a witness to those halcyon early postwar years when the program was famously guided by legendary Bud Wilkinson--"and it's likely that Jack Mildren's the finest, most cerebral quarterback ever produced at Norman." Jack, as "A Husker Fan" very genially noted, was indeed "a true champion and gentleman." News of his premature passing has left our family thoroughly stunned, and I was similarly humbled recently when yet another Husker fan said, "We'll all miss Jack. After all, we're 'Big-8.'"
7:40 PM
I just heard the sad news...He was one of the all-time greats...no-one could run the wishbone like Jack...He was a magician with the wishbone...I had the honor of being on the same field in 1971. We (Iowa State) got smoked 42-13 in your house...I just remember our Mike linebacker coming off the field sooo frustrated yelling at coach Sherrill, "I don't know where the x#!! ball is!" -
Jack was indeed a true champion and gentleman and yes we are all "Big-8".
From a Cyclone
Jack...Go rest high on that mountain.
11:48 AM