Great American Don Haskins dies
September 7, 2008 by Ryan Pravato
Filed under Basketball
From the New York Times, via The Associated Press.
Don Haskins, credited with helping break color barriers in college sports in 1966 when he used five black starters to win a national basketball title for Texas Western, died Sunday. He was 78.
Haskins was an old-time coach who believed in hard work and was known for his gruff demeanor. That attitude was portrayed in the 2006 movie ”Glory Road,” the Disney film that chronicled Haskins’ improbable rise to national fame in the 1966 championship game against Kentucky. The movie, which was preceded by a book of the same title, also sparked renewed interest in Haskins’ career.
As a coach, Haskins became a star early in his career by leading his Miners to the 1966 NCAA championship game, then making the controversial decision to start five blacks against all-white, heavily favored Kentucky, coached by Adolph Rupp. The Miners won, and shortly after that many schools began recruiting black players.
Haskins said he wasn’t trying to make a social statement with his lineup; he was simply starting his best players. The move, however, raised the ire of some who sent Haskins hate mail and even death threats during the racially charged era.
The coach always was focused on the game of basketball. He had a reputation for working his players hard.
”Our practices wore us out so much that we’d have to rest up before the games,” said Harry Floury, a starter in the 1966 championship. ”If you work hard all the time and if you go after every loose ball, you see things like that (championship) happen.”
Haskins is credited with helping Nate Archibald, Tim Hardaway and Antonio Davis, among others, make it to the NBA.
In November 2000, Haskins was awarded the John Thompson Foundation’s Outstanding Achievement Award during a tournament hosted by Arkansas.
”We couldn’t think of anyone that deserves this recognition more than coach Haskins,” said Nolan Richardson, the former Arkansas coach who played under Haskins for two years. ”He opened the door for African-American players to play basketball.”
Black History Fact
From the movie
Link to pieces of actual footage of the 1966 championship game, Texas Western vs. Kentucky.
