Gene Bartow was born August 18, 1930 in Browning, Missouri. Head Basketball Coach University of Alabama at Birmingham. Started the UAB Athletic Program in 1977 and led the Blazers to seven consecutive NCAA Tournaments from 1981-87, two NCAA Regionals, the final eight in 1982, and averaged over 20 wins per season during this time. He coached at Central Missouri, Valparaiso, Memphis State, Illinois and UCLA before ending his coaching career at UAB (647 wins, 34 years). He was the 1973 Coach of the Year, a three time Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year and a three time District Coach of the Year by the NABC. He still ranks in the Top 20 among winningest NCAA Division I Basketball Coaches. He won his 600th game in 1993.  He died January 3, 2012.