John Kadlec, known as 'Mr. Mizzou,' dies at 86

Published Oct. 29, 2014 9:20 p.m. ET

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John Kadlec, the University of Missouri sports icon whose Tigers career spanned more than a half-century as player, coach, administrator and broadcaster, has died. He was 86.

The school said Kadlec, known as ''Mr. Mizzou,'' died early Wednesday. Football coach Gary Pinkel said in a statement that Kadlec ''was a ball coach, plain and simple.''

Kadlec played for coach Don Faurot in the 1940s and served as assistant under Dan Devine and Al Onofrio. He was a radio game analyst for 16 seasons, beginning that stint as an emergency replacement, and was also long-time director of the Tiger Scholarship Fund.

In 1996, Kadlec was inducted into the school's athletic Hall of Fame. In 2005, the grass practice fields behind the Mizzou Athletics Training Complex were named in his honor.