Jan. 18--Johnny Bach, the defensive-minded assistant coach under Phil Jackson during the Bulls' first three-peat, died Monday from complications of a stroke. He was 91.
The coaching veteran of 56 years had a successful career on the collegiate and NBA levels.
A decorated war veteran, Bach drew widespread attention and credit for his defensive work and unconventional motivational tactics. Known as the architect of the Bulls' "Doberman" defense, Bach would sprinkle his speeches with military references and drop the ace of spades -- the card of death -- after impressive outings.
"He encouraged me, worked with me and really helped me to mold my game," former Bull Michael Jordan said Monday. "Without him, I don't know that we would've won our first 3 championships. He was more than a coach to me. He was a great friend. I am deeply saddened to hear of his passing."
Born in Brooklyn in 1924, Bach served as a naval deck officer in World War II between stints at Fordham University in New York. He played 24 games with the Boston Celtics before Fordham hired him in 1950 as one of the nation's youngest major college head coaches.
Bach spent 18 mostly successful seasons there before moving to Penn State for 10 seasons. During this stretch, legendary coach Henry Iba tabbed Bach to assist the 1972 U.S. Olympic team, which lost that controversial gold-medal game to Russia.
The bitter experience was one reason Bach took a one-year break from coaching to fly commercial planes after returning to Penn State. From there, Bach moved to the NBA and served as head coach for Golden State from 1983-86.
That's when the Bulls' general manager Jerry Krause hired Bach to assist Collins. Bach stayed with the Bulls past Collins' firing, teaming with close friend Tex Winter during the first three-peat.
Bach moved to assistant jobs with Charlotte, Detroit and Washington before John Paxson brought him back in July 2003 as one of his first moves after succeeding Krause. Bach left the Bulls in 2006.
"He took pride in the fact that he never missed a day of work for any reason," Paxson said. "He was a product of that generation where there was personal pride in showing up and doing your job each day and he did so with energy and enthusiasm. You didn't see Coach Bach have a bad day."
Bach spent his post-NBA years pursuing his passion of painting and had a Skokie art gallery display his watercolor work in a 2007 exhibit. He also volunteer coached at local high schools and kept up his habit of penning handwritten notes to coaching colleagues around the country, sharing observations from the many games he watched.
As recently as Bulls' training camp, Bach was on the sidelines, viewing practices.
"I love Johnny Bach," said Doug Collins, the former Bulls coach whose staff Bach also worked on. "He taught me so much about the game and about life."
Bach overcame a near-death experience in 1995 when he actually flat-lined after a serious heart attack before doctors used a defibrillator to revive him.
Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at Old St. Patrick's Church, 700 W. Adams. Visitiation will be from 9-11 that morning also at the church.
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