Conversations with Coach Wooden
On Baseball, Heroes, and Life
From legendary basketball coach John Wooden’s life lessons and “pyramid of success” philosophy to musings on his favorite sport—baseball—this engaging account chronicles the friendship between Wooden and fellow University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) head coach Gary Adams. For nearly a decade, the two celebrated coaches shared an office and developed a close friendship that lasted 35 years until Wooden’s passing. Adams’s heartwarming narrative details discussions they shared about heroes, history, life, and their mutual favorite pastime—baseball. The book also reflects on Wooden’s core philosophies and the guiding principles behind his numerous basketball successes, including his election into two halls of fame as a player and a coach, winning 10 National College Athletic Association (NCAA) National Championships in a 12-year period, and being named NCAA College Basketball Coach of the Year six times. Recollections from Major League Baseball stars Eric Karros, David Roberts, and Chase Utley are also included, along with quotes from other athletes and associates of UCLA.
Gary Adams was the head coach of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) baseball team for 30 years. He is the school's all-time winningest baseball coach and led the team to conference titles and five second-place finishes. He lives in Bear Valley Springs, California. Eric Karros is a UCLA alumnus and a retired Major League Baseball (MLB) player who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers for 12 seasons. He was named National League Rookie of the Year in 1992 and is a color commentator for baseball on Fox. Karros also hosts a local Los Angeles Dodgers pregame show. He lives in Los Angeles.
