Bob Hallberg, Chicago Basketball Legend, Dies

CHICAGO — Bob Hallberg, a Chicago basketball legend who coached college and high school basketball in the city for more than 50 years, died on Tuesday. The athletic department at Saint Xavier University confirmed the passing today. He was 75.

Hallberg coached basketball from 1966 to earlier this year, when he retired as head women's basketball coach at SXU. He previously coached men's teams at Kennedy High School from 1966-1971, SXU from 1971-1977, Chicago State University from 1977-1987 and the University of Illinois-Chicago from 1987-1996. He started the women's basketball program at SXU in 2000 and led the Cougars to the national tournament 16 years in a row, winning more than 500 games in 19 years at the helm of the program.

In 2016, he became the first basketball coach at any collegiate level to lead both a men's and women's team to a No. 1 national ranking. He came oh, so close to a national title later that year when the Cougars advanced to the NAIA National Championship Game for the first time in team history.

"Saint Xavier is a better place because of his unwavering dedication to his athletes and his craft," SXU President Dr. Laurie Joyner said. "He was a man of immense knowledge and wit, who had an uncanny ability to help his athletes cultivate a deep sense of character within themselves."

Services for Hallberg will be on Sunday, Nov. 24 at Curley Funeral Home in Chicago Ridge and Monday, Nov. 25 at Our Lady of Loretto Church in Hometown.