Bob Calihan

Bob Calihan (1918-1989)

Teams coached: Detroit Mercy Titans
Detroit Mercy record: 306-241 (.559)
Overall record: 306-241 (.559)

Career Accomplishments:

• NCAA National Championships:  0
• NCAA Tournament Appearances:  1  (1962)
• NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen:  0
• NIT Championships:  0
• NIT Appearances:  3  (1960, 1961, 1965)

Coaching Career (head coach, unless noted):

1948-1969

Detroit Mercy

Bob Calihan Facts

• Robert James Calihan
• Born August 2, 1918
• Died September 22, 1989
• Hometown: Evanston, Illinois
• Alma Mater: University of Detroit Mercy (BA, 1940)
• Born in Iowa, Calihan later starred at and graduated from St. George HS in Evanston, Illinois
• Spent three years playing at Detroit Mercy for head coach Lloyd Brazil, leading the team in scoring each season
  • Became the school’s first-ever All-American as a junior in 1939; his jersey #17 was later retired by the schooll
• Played professionally in the NBL (precursor to the NBA) for a variety of teams over nine years, including stints with the Detroit Eagles, Chicago American Gears and the Syracuse Nationals
  • Was a NBL Champion in 1947 with the Gears and earned four All-NBL Second Team honors (1941, 1946, 1947, 1948)
  • Also spent four years enlisted in the United States Navy during World War II
• Returned to his alma mater in 1948 to coach and would lead the program for the next 21 seasons
  • Went 306-241 overall, finishing above .500 sixteen times and recording three 20-win seasons
  • Led the Titans to three NITs and one NCAA Tournament (1962), a first for the program; is the school’s all-time winningest coach
  • Coached several future NBA players, including Hall of Famers Dave DeBusschere (1959-62) and Spencer Haywood (1968-69)
• Calihan became the school’s athletic director in 1964 and in 1969 stepped away from coaching to focus solely on administration, which he did until his final retirement in 1977
  • As AD, he would hire a then-unknown Dick Vitale to be the Titans’ head coach and later succeed him as AD for one year
  • Inducted into the UDM Athletic Hall of Fame in 1977 and the team’s home arena, formerly known as the Memorial Building, was renamed Calihan Hall in his honor that same year

Bob Calihan Coaching Tree

• Dave DeBusschere (Detroit Pistons)