Pastor Dudley Rutherford of Shepherd of the Hills Church speaks in front of a crowd at John Wooden’s memorial service, held at Pauley Pavilion June 26.
Courtesy of BRIAN VAN DER BRUG/Los Angeles Times
John Wooden would’ve wanted a simple birthday. Nothing extravagant. No need to bring out the fine China. No reason to buy expensive gifts. He might have had breakfast at Vip’s Cafe. If it were a Sunday, he would’ve gone to church. He liked to receive communion. It would’ve been a day just like any other day in his life and nothing could have been more satisfying.
“He never concerned himself with things or material possessions,” Pastor Dudley Rutherford said. “His life was always geared to relationships and meeting people and caring for those that he loved. He would’ve wanted to be with his family.”
To celebrate John Wooden’s birthday would be to celebrate people. It’s a day that goes beyond sports and the sports fan. Wooden’s influence has continued to permeate beyond the realm of potential hoop dreams and the importance of teamwork. It surpasses the 10 basketball championships, fundamentals and Pyramid of Success. Instead, the value of Wooden can be found in everyday people, by those who find love in each other. While sports may sometimes mirror society ““ exposing its hungers, excesses and competitiveness ““ there is comfort in knowing that the late coach reflected something greater.
Sixteen years ago, the one they call Coach drove out to Porter Ranch, parked outside the Shepherd of the Hills Church, and shook Pastor Rutherford’s hand, sparking a friendship that greatly impacted the father’s life.
“You don’t meet anyone like him anymore today,” Rutherford said.
However, Pastor Rutherford’s story is not new. Wooden had that effect on many individuals. His warmth was the product of his faith, love of family and his desire to give.
“So many individuals try to see what they can get out of life,” Rutherford said. “He always appeared to see how much he could give.”
“He gave us his love and his wisdom and his teaching.”
Rutherford hopes there would be more people like Coach. Much has been said about Wooden’s character and compassion, the unyielding force stored within the man from the Midwest. He has been seen on television, read about in books and discussed extensively. His name resonates and means something to people in some degree and manner. But for those who had the fortune of personally knowing Coach, it was different, and it could be sensed when listening to Rutherford speak, a slow deliberate way that made sure each word or phrase could stand alone and effectively portray the man who gave so much.
But no explanation, no mix of words or memories would be able to reach that understanding, of actually being there and sharing a part of Wooden’s world.
“He lived his life in serving others,” Rutherford finally said.
And for a moment it felt like he was gone. Not in some literal or even spiritual sense. No, there would be none of that. The pastor retreated back to the images of a coach he first saw winning basketball games, then later to a coach who became his friend. It didn’t matter if it was decades ago or last year, if it was a single day or an extended period of time, Rutherford felt that everything should’ve stopped back then. Because while Wooden was still around, he felt, the world was perfect.
“If you want to honor Coach on his birthday,” he said, “you need to express your love to your family, and you need to serve someone without expecting anything in return for it. That would be the best thing you could do for him.”