Zanesville native Fred Taylor will have a gymnasium on Ohio University’s Zanesville campus named in his memory. Taylor coached Ohio State University’s basketball team to a national championship in 1960.(Photo: Submitted photo) ZANESVILLE – Fred Taylor was many things: professional baseball player, college basketball player, U.S. Air Force veteran and Zanesville native. But what he is perhaps best known for is leading the Ohio State Buckeyes to a national basketball championship in 1960 as head coach. It was part of a 17-year head coaching career with the Big Ten School that had an influence on many of his players, not least of all Bobby Knight, who credits Taylor with imparting many lessons that aided him in his own Hall of Fame coaching career. “I was really lucky to be in a situation over that period of time where the coaching and the preparation was really good,” Knight said in a phone interview with the Times Recorder. “It enabled me to get off to a great start.” Now, Taylor will be memorialized Aug. 27 with a Zanesville gymnasium dedicated in his name. Called the Fred Taylor Memorial Gymnasium, the basketball court is on Ohio University’s Zanesville campus. The gym is attached to the Muskingum Recreation Center, which was renovated as part of a multimillion-dollar project. …
Continue Reading: Bobby Knight reflects on Zanesville coach
