Norm Stewart (ca. 2015) Missouri Aide Is New Teachers Cage Coach (The Register's Iowa News Service)
CEDAR FALLS, IA.--Norman Stewart, assistant coach at the University of Missouri, Friday was named basketball coach at Iowa State Teachers College. Stewart, 26, has been a basketball and baseball aide the past four years at Missouri where he was a star athlete as an undergraduate. All-American He was an all-America basketball player and an outstanding baseball pitcher. He also played professionally in both sports. Stewart succeeds Jim Witham, who has been the school's director of athletics and men's physical education since last August. Witham coached Panther basketball five years. The appointment is effective June 19.
Stewart also will serve as assistant baseball coach. Stewart has been called "one of the greatest basketball players ever produced at the University of Missouri" by his coach, Wilbur (Sparky) Stalcup. A 6-foot 4-inch, 200-pounder, Stewart played guard for the Tigers and at one time held most of the school's scoring records. He scored 1,112 points during his career and 506 as a senior. He was also a star baseball pitcher, and was on Missouri's National Collegiate championship team of 1954. After graduation, he signed professional contracts with the St. Louis Hawks and the Baltimore baseball organization. He spent one season in each professional sport, then returned to Missouri to join the coaching staff. The past two years he has also officiated basketball in the Missouri Valley Conference. A native of Shelbyville, Missouri, Stewart and his wife, Virginia, have two young sons.
Copyright Des Moines Register, April 1, 1961
Norm Stewart Is New Cage Coach by Sandy Phillips
Norm Stewart, assistant basketball coach at the University of Missouri, was named last week to pilot the first cage teams of the State College of Iowa. Stewart, 26, has served as assistant in basketball and baseball at Missouri for the past four years, where he starred as an All-American basketball player and outstanding pitcher during his undergraduate days. After graduation, Stewart signed professional contracts with the St. Louis Hawks and the Baltimore baseball organization, pitching for Aberdeen, So. Dakota of the Northern League. After spending one season in each professional sport, which he likes to refer to as "an instant cup of coffee," the 6'4", 200 pounder returned to his alma mater for his Master's Degree in physical education. In a telephone call Tuesday night, Stewart said that he and his wife, Virginia, plan to come to Cedar Falls around the first week in May "to do some house hunting and some more exploring in regard to my job." His first visit to the campus was on Tuesday, March 27. "I was greatly impressed," he commented. "I had heard a lot about the college, for it's nationally recognized. "The facilities were very satisfactory, and I was very impressed by the people in the department, those men I'll be working with, and by the administration."
Although he has officiated two games for Drake University this year, Stewart's only chance to view ISTC's team was via film. Speaking of the available material, he remarked, "After seeing the film, I was very well pleased. I saw a good game. According to the statistics, we should have a fine nucleus to begin with next year." What type of material does Stewart, who has been called "one of the greatest basketball players ever produced at the University of Missouri" by his coach, Wilbur ( Sparky) Stalcup, look for? "First of all, everyone's eyes are opened by a score," he replied. "It's important to get the ball in." "Next I look for strong kids; if a boy has strength, he usually has the other qualities that go along with it. Jumping ability, coordination, and ability to handle the ball are also necessary." Stewart claims that the offensive tactics he follows are primarily geared to the personnel. "Secondly," he went on, "each game is a separate challenge; there is always a different game situation. "If you think you can beat a fast break team by using a fast break, that's fine; if not, slow it down. Myself, however, I prefer wide-open attack." The basic difference Stewart finds in changing from assistant to head coach is that "the head coach must make all the decisions, and must stay awake at night second-guessing himself." The new coach has been married five years and is the father of two sons, three year old Jeffrey, and eight month old Lindsey Scott. Stewart and his wife are avid sports fans, also enjoying games, such as bridge, he said "We like to swim and stay around the water and the sun," he added.