One of the most larger-than-life figures associated with the sport of college football has passed.
According to the Dallas Morning News, “T. Boone Pickens, legendary energy executive, philanthropist, ardent Oklahoma State University supporter and one of America’s most famous entrepreneurs, died peacefully Wednesday of natural causes at his home in the Vendome.” Pickens was 91.
Pickens’ family subsequently confirmed his passing.
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of T. Boone Pickens on September 11, 2019. #RIPBoone https://t.co/w6bt9d22GL pic.twitter.com/PhCvOnOpfs
— T. Boone Pickens (@boonepickens) September 11, 2019
According to the Morning News, Pickens, who was a basketball player at Texas A&M before transferring to OSU (then called Oklahoma A&M) after losing his scholarship, will be buried at Karsten Creek Golf Club, home to the OSU golf team.
During his lifetime, the billionaire donated more than $500 million to Oklahoma State University. In July of 2006, Pickens donated $165 million to OSU’s athletic department, the largest such donation ever to a university.
The football Cowboys play their games at Boone Pickens Stadium, named in Pickens’ honor in 2003.
The relationship between Pickens and head football coach Mike Gundy had in the past been contentious, to say the least. Of late, however, the two men had seemingly smoothed any issues over, with Gundy reaffirming in mid-August, after years of flirting with other jobs, that OSU is where he belongs and “there’s no reason for me to go anywhere else.”