Chuck Fairbanks

The football coach who installed the wishbone at the University of Oklahoma, a former OU quarterback, an Oklahoma State basketball legend and one of America's first great ballerinas were among those with ties to Oklahoma who died during 2013.

Chuck Fairbanks installed the wishbone in 1970 and the offense helped OU to national titles in 1974 and 1975 after Fairbanks left for the NFL. Fairbanks died in April at age 79.

Former University of Oklahoma football coach Chuck Fairbanks, who led the Sooners for six seasons during the resurgent 1970's, coaching a Heisman Trophy winner and installing the legendary Wishbone offense, has died after battling brain cancer. He was 79.

"It was a big gamble, a tremendous gamble," Fairbanks told author J. Brent Clark about installing the Wishbone three games into the 1970 season. "I wouldn't advise anyone to do it."