TUS ACKERMAN
ACKERMAN, ARTHUR TUSTEN 'TUS'
Hometown: Lawrence, KS
| CATEGORY | TOTAL | 1923 | 1924 | 1925 | |
| YEAR | So.* | Jr.* | Sr.* | ||
| POSITION | C | C/F | F | ||
| HEIGHT | 6'3 | ||||
| WEIGHT | 170 | ||||
| JERSEY | #7 | #7 | #7,1 | ||
| Games Played/Started | 54/ | 18/ | 18/ | 18/ | |
| Points | 498 | 162 | 152 | 184 | |
| Per Game | 9.2 | 9.0 | 8.4 | 10.2 | |
| FG: Made | 173 | 46 | 61 | 66 | |
| FT: Attempts | 72 | ||||
| Made | 152 | 70 | 30 | 52 | |
| Percent | |||||
| Production Points/Game | |||||
| Production Points/Minute |
1922-23: All-Missouri Valley 2nd Team; 5th in conference scoring
1923-24: Starter, All-Missouri Valley, 1st Team All-America; All-Western team
1924-25: Starter, Captain, MVC Scoring Champion, 1st Team All-America, All-Missouri Valley, All-Western team, National AAU All-Tournament team
1925-26: Starter, National AAU All-Tournament team
TUS ACKERMAN (Player: 1923-25)
Although born in Elk City, Oklahoma, Ackerman grew up in Lawrence, Kansas.He was a three-year starter and an All-American center for Kansas in 1924 and 1925. During his career, KU ran up a 49-5 record, won three straight Missouri Valley titles and he led the league in scoring in ’25 with a 10.3 average. He served as team captain his senior year.
Coach Phog Allen reported in his book, Better basketball, described the last game of the 1922 season against hated Missouri. Missouri had previously given the Jayhawks their lone loss earlier in the year and the Tigers were undefeated. He said that Ackerman had pledged to avenge the death of his great athletic hero, Tommy Johnson, whom he had erroneously thought was caused by a Missouri football player. “He was playing the game as if Tommy was watching. He did not miss a free throw and his field goals were the balance of power in a smashing 26-15 upset victory for Kansas.”
After leaving KU, Ackerman played for the Kansas City Athletic Club’s Blue Diamonds for three seasons, leading them to the AAU national championship game in 1926. Later he was named to the Helms Hall of Fame.
Tus began is working career as an engineer, but switched to the insurance business. He retired as a senior executive of the Equitable Life Assurance Society. He married to the daughter of W.O. Hamilton, KU’s basketball coach from 1909-19. His daughter Ann married Claude Houchin, captain of the 1950 KU basketball team. After retirement, Ackerman moved to Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Sources (Books and Articles):
Sources (Internet Biographies):