I thought your readers would like to hear a few thoughts about Theartis Wallace, who recently died. I was his coach at Columbia Basin College. He was on our history-making 1964 basketball team that went undefeated, and he was a mainstay with Byron Beck in 1965 when we again won the NWACC championship for the fifth straight year.

Both years he was outstanding. In 1964 he was named the Outstanding Player of the Championship playoffs, scoring a tournament high of 49 points in the two games.

In his second season he was named All Conference with Beck. He was the finest pure shooter I coached and he could run the floor like a gazelle. He was loved by all of his teammates, and was one of the finest young men I had the pleasure of coaching while at Columbia Basin.

His teammates called him "T-Bird," because of the way he could fly down the floor. I join with every one of his family and friends and those who knew him to cherish those fond memories of him.

My life was much better from have known Theartis.

Jim Rodgers, Westminster, Colorado