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Don Fambrough

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By chrishauser20

July 1, 2009

On May 15, 1967 Kansas Assistant Football Coach Don Fambrough mailed a letter of intent to play football at The University of Kansas not to be signed earlier than May 17, 1967 to a little known lineman who hailed from the small city of Ellinwood, Kansas named Niles Hauser. Hauser would not get his first start at the guard position for the University of Kansas until November 7, 1969, a contest against Colorado that Kansas lost 17-14.

The name Hauser would never be associated with that of Kansas greats such as Riggins, Sayers, Hadl, or Douglas. In fact, I would bet that 9.9 out of 10 die hard Kansas fans would not even know who Niles Hauser even was. Chuck Woodling even wrote a column titled, “On the Bench” in the Lawrence Journal World on Hauser the day before his first start saying, “For those of you who have never heard of Niles Hauser (and that should include a majority of the population), he’s going to start at guard for the Jayhawks Saturday against Colorado.” Ask Chuck, maybe he remembers!

Anyway, the point of all my rambling is that Coach Fambrough remembers. On January 12, 2001 my father, Niles Hauser passed away suddenly from a stroke that he suffered in a Fairfax, Virginia hotel room during a business trip. Not more than a week later Coach Fambrough sent my family a hand written letter expressing his sympathies. I remember thinking to myself, how can a man of Coach Fam’s age remember a player that had such little impact on the history books at The University of Kansas let alone remember the names of that players immediate family?

The only explanation that I could come up with was that the letter of intent that Coach Fambrough sent to my father meant more than just signing a piece of paper that allowed him to play football at the University of Kansas. It meant that my father had become a part of Coach’s life forever, regardless of how many downs he played or how many blocks he made, coach would always be there for him.

I write this letter because my father is unable to and I know that he would have. The University of Kansas and The City of Lawrence have an obligation to honor Coach Fambrough, not because he is a former player and coach at the University of Kansas but instead for the upstanding, honorable, and loving person that he is. I don’t think that I am going out on a limb by saying that Coach Fambrough has touched the hearts of every player that he has coached at The University of Kansas as well as those player’s families.

The University of Kansas has simply been Coach Fambrough’s canvas and he has painted a masterpiece upon that canvas. Let us not make the mistake of waiting until it is too late to honor a man that has given his life to The University of Kansas and its family and done so much to help make this University what it is today. Let us find a way to truly honor him the way that he deserves.

Sincerely,

Christopher Keith Hauser

Comments

chrishauser20 (anonymous) says...

I wrote this letter to the editor of the Lawrence Journal World a couple of months ago. They did not publish it, I went over the word limit. It is not about renaming a road. It is just about a great man that means a lot my family and I.

July 1, 2009 at 3:44 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

Yahweh (anonymous) says...

Hey, have you ever considered expanding the Don Fambrough Wikipedia page? I just looked at it, and it's really small and doesn't have some of the facts you've mentioned. Plus, you've probably done more research than the person who set the Wiki page up. I have a feeling you know a lot more than what's in your letter, as well, so you could flesh the article out.

If you're interested, it would be a nice legacy for Coach Fambrough that everyone could see.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Famb...

July 2, 2009 at 12:58 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

murph (anonymous) says...

Yahweh - That's a great suggestion. Hope he does it.

Chris - That's a wonderful letter. I can't imagine why the LJW wouldn't publish it. I agree completely that the University should honor Coach Fam while he's alive to know and enjoy it. How about "Fambrough Field" in Memorial Stadium? Sounds every bit as good as "Naismith Court".

Naming the field sounds like a much better idea than re-naming the street. The man so definitely deserves the honor. It would get more attention, too, because the media people would be talking about the Hawks' playing at "Fambrough Field" with every game's reports.

Changing the name of the street, like was floated last year, has too many problems associated with it. There is already a reason the street is named as it is - the streets are named for States in the order they joined the Union, and that's a nice thing. It would be confusing to re-name only part of the street, and would cause hardships to people. It would be hard to find an address with different parts of the street having different names. Besides, initially it would be a big bother to the people who live there now to change all the places their address is listed.

I hope they'll do something to honor him, and soon.

July 2, 2009 at 4:36 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

chrishauser20 (anonymous) says...

murph- I agree that the street renaming was not a good idea, I hate Missouri as much as the next but the streets in Lawrence are named that way for a reason like you said. I checked out the Wiki page and it is lacking Yahweh and it is definitely lacking in information. I may see what I can do with it but I am pretty busy. Have any of you read the book Deaner? He was another amazing figure at the University of Kansas. Was athletic trainer for decades and also went to school at KU. On another note, I love the idea of naming the field after Coach Fam.

July 2, 2009 at 5:23 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

jayhawk02 (anonymous) says...

Excellent idea Murph............Fambrough Field............that sounds catchy :)
I was an equipment manager for 3 years and I had the great privelage of being around Coach Fam. He truly was Mr. Jayhawk!!!!!! I will never forget listening to him the week of Misery, not only his pregame speeches, but out on the practice field. Talk about motivating! He will truly be missed. Chris, I hope your dad will make a full recovery.

July 2, 2009 at 9:25 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

jkealing (Jonathan Kealing) says...

Just so you know, the letter wasn't published because it was too long. But once Chris posted it, I wanted to make sure it got before everyone. Nice sentiment.

Jonathan Kealing
Online editor

July 2, 2009 at 9:49 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

chrishauser20 (anonymous) says...

jayhawk02-my father passed away a day after he suffered the stroke, it was massive.

July 2, 2009 at 10:21 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

chrishauser20 (anonymous) says...

Jonathan- I had assumed that the letter was too long. I have the newspaper cut out of the article that I quoted in the letter that Chuck Woodling wrote, it has a great picture of him with a flat top 60's hair cut.

July 2, 2009 at 10:25 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

Maxhawk (anonymous) says...

Fambrough has done 100 times more for KU football than Naismith ever did for KU basketball.
Naismith just happens to have name recognition.
Almost every coach who has coached football at KU has shunned KU after leaving as coach.
Not coach Fam, he has endured with KU football as it's biggest supporter.
I don't know how much Phog Allen loved KU basketball but it couldn't be more than Fambrough loves KU football. Heck he just loves KU in general.
This man has sacrificed much for the university and the community, it's time they did so for him.

July 3, 2009 at 8:40 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

klong (anonymous) says...

Don is one of my all time favorites! That guy hates MU more than anyone alive and it's great. Honor the man.

July 3, 2009 at 9 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

jross1972 (Joe Ross) says...

Chris....

This is fanhood at its best. Well-written letter and a great sentiment on behalf of Coach Fam. I salute both your father (may he rest in peace) and you personally with a very hearty rock chalk!

July 3, 2009 at 9:33 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

JJHawq (anonymous) says...

Find another street on campus and name it after him... Do something!

July 3, 2009 at 10:04 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

bg_duck1 (anonymous) says...

Good idea on naming it Fambrough field....except its already called Kivisto Field

July 3, 2009 at 10:17 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

KU1979 (anonymous) says...

I've thought that Maine Street, after it crosses 11th and runs behind the press box leading to the new football facilty, could and should be named Fambrough Drive. It's on university property and no residential addresses would have to be changed. It's not much, really, but it's something enduring. And the football facility could have a "Fambrough Drive" address.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on Fam and your father, Chris.

July 3, 2009 at 1:42 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

chrishauser20 (anonymous) says...

The more ideas the better, some thoughts I had were a statue on the North side (outside) of the stadium that pays tribute or can we have a coach in the ring of honor, I dont see why not.

July 3, 2009 at 3:02 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

JJHawq (anonymous) says...

The statue is a great idea... Shouldn't be too tough to raise the money.

July 4, 2009 at 1:50 p.m. ( | suggest removal )