Bob Frederick, former athletic director at the University of Kansas and longtime participant in the Cottonwood 200 bicycle ride, died Friday June 12, 2009, just a few weeks after completing the 2009 Cottonwood. He had suffered injuries while bicycling in Lawrence. Bob was a fine man, a true gentleman, and an incredible cyclist. We feel honored and blessed to have known him.
Bob has been lauded by many important people across the nation, but The Cottonwood 200 wanted to honor him as well, if only in a our small way. Therefore, $5 of each full entry to the 2010 ride will go to scholarships in Bob Frederick’s memory, as designated by the Frederick family.
Leonard “Kris” Krishtalka wrote a great piece about Bob for the Lawrence Bicycle Club listserve, shortly before Bob’s funeral:
“According to this morning’s LJW, the memorial service for Bob will be held at the Lied Center at 1p on Wed. Unfortunately, I will be in Canada and will miss it.
Two weeks ago I caught up with Bob on the first leg of the Cottonwood 200 in the middle of the Flint Hills, about 5 miles before sag 4. As usual, he was cycling like a fiend, leading the ride, a ceaseless, tireless motor.
He told me he wanted to be first into Council Grove to ensure a good spot in the gym, and smiled the smile of the veteran, the one that speaks of quiet, determined competition matured by humility. We rode together for the next 30 miles, alternating pulls, stopping only briefly at the last sag stop on Rt 177. We talked about the subtle beauty of the Flint Hills and the whispering of the bikes across the still terrain. We talked about KU and, without judgment, bemoaned the arms race in collegiate athletics across the country—a different world than when he as AD. He talked of his love for the students, that every year we got to transform their lives—and the responsibility that warranted.
He was first into Council Grove, got his spot in the gym, parked his bike beside the big yellow truck at the high school, opened the rear door, climbed into the furnace of bags and began unloading the riders’ luggage. Quiet. Selfless.”
Another friend of Bob’s, Arika Sprecker, wrote the following:
Cal Melick wrote the following:
“I too saw Bob several times on the Cottonwood. He had a great time even though he blew a tire on the second day. I talked to him as he was working at fixing it sitting in the hot sun at one of the sags. He was always smiling even with a blown tire. Later he borrowed a fresh tire from Jake and continued the ride. I saw him in the parking lot at the end of the final day. He said he rode mostly alone all day and was one of the first ones to get back. He said he wanted to get Jake’s address so he could pay him back for the tire. He loved biking and I will miss him greatly.”
Cal M.
An obituary from the Lawrence Journal World is available at http://www2.ljworld.com/obits/2009/jun/14/robert/
There is an article in the Kansas City Star about Bob at this link. The ride mentioned in the last paragraphs of the article (page 2) is the Cottonwood 200: http://www.kansascity.com/180/story/1250833.html
If you did not know Bob, I hope the stories and information above give you at least a small sense of what a great man he was.
Mark Kossler
