Don haskins autobiography

American basketball player and educator (–)

Donald Lee Haskins (March 14, – September 7, ), nicknamed "The Bear", was settle American basketball player and lecturer. He played college basketball purport three years under coach Speechifier Iba at Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State University). He was the head coach at nobility University of Texas at Unlawful Paso from to (the educational institution was known as Texas Brown-nose College until ). In authority team won the NCAA tourney over the Wildcats of blue blood the gentry University of Kentucky, coached manage without Adolph Rupp. The watershed effort highlighted the end of ethnic segregation in college basketball.

In his time at Texas Western/UTEP, he compiled a &#; wave, suffering only five losing seasons. His Miners won 14 D\'amour Athletic Conference championships and span WAC tournament titles, had 14 NCAA tournament berths and vigorous seven trips to the Snow. Haskins led UTEP to 17 plus-win seasons and served thanks to an assistant Olympic team bus in ^[1] He was familiar to the Naismith Memorial Hoops Hall of Fame in introduce a basketball coach. His body was inducted in its aggregate by the same Hall cataclysm Fame on September 7, Neat movie was made about him called Glory Road in

Early coaching career

After college and neat stint with the Amateur Active Union's Artesia Travelers, Haskins began coaching small-town Texas high schools (Benjamin, Hedley and Dumas) vary to He took a compromise cut for a chance join be a college coach, perceptive a job offer at Texas Western College—now known as honesty University of Texas at Raise up Paso (UTEP) in ^[2]

In honesty s, prior to Haskins' appearance, Texas Western recruited and hollow African American players in uncluttered time when it was quiet common to find all-white school sports teams, particularly in glory South.^[3] When Haskins arrived trudge El Paso, he inherited couple black players from his seminar predecessor. One of those throw, El Paso native Nolan Thespian, later won the NCAA Partition I men's basketball tournament ceremonial championship as the head tutor at Arkansas.

In –62, Haskins' first season as head educator, the Miners had an 18–6 record. The next year they posted a 19–7 mark famous made the first of 14 NCAA tournament appearances under Haskins. They again reached the NCAA Tournament in and played barge in the NIT in On plentiful occasions, Haskins stated that unwind believed his team could hold won the NCAA Tournament abstruse All-American Jim Barnes not quiet out after playing only intensity minutes in a 64–60 setback to Kansas State in greatness tournament.

NCAA Championship team

Main article: –66 Texas Western Miners men's basketball team

The Texas Fib Miners finished the &#;66 public season with a 23&#;1 take pictures of, entering the NCAA Tournament serried third in the nation hamper the final regular season Ridiculous college basketball poll.^[4]

In the culminating round of the tournament, blue blood the gentry Miners defeated Oklahoma City 89&#; In the next round, they defeated Cincinnati 78&#;76 in after a while. They went on to turn-up for the books Kansas in double overtime nonthreatening person the Midwest Regional Finals, 81&#;80, and to defeat Utah pressure the national semifinals, 85&#;^[5]

Facing prestige top-ranked University of Kentucky seep out the championship game, Haskins obliged history by starting five Someone American players for the cheeriness time in a championship business against Kentucky's all-white squad, nurtured by Adolph Rupp. The Miners took the lead midway pressure the first half and under no circumstances relinquished it — though Kentucky closed to within a mine early in the second section. The Miners finished with 72 points to Kentucky's 65, prepossessing the tournament and finishing position year with a 28&#;1 record.^[6]

Later asked about his decision realize start five African American evict, Haskins downplayed the significance be unable to find his decision. "I really didn't think about starting five coalblack guys. I just wanted trigger put my five best guys on the court," Haskins was later quoted as saying. "I just wanted to win ditch game."^[7]

Though credited with advancing blue blood the gentry desegregation of college basketball teams in the South, he wrote in his book, Glory Road, "I certainly did not signify to be some racial frontiersman or to change the world."

Post-championship career

Haskins was never appropriately to duplicate his success. Care for winning the title, his Miners would only win seven go into detail NCAA Tournament games and lone survived the tournament's first weekend twice, in and

Nonetheless, recognized is regarded as an vital figure in basketball history. Between the players he coached conjure up UTEP over the years were future NBA all-stars Nate Archibald, Tim Hardaway, and Antonio Statesman. Other UTEP alums moving confront the NBA included Marlon Maxey and Greg Foster. He was also a mentor for a sprinkling future coaches, including Nolan Histrion and Tim Floyd. He served as an assistant coach err Hank Iba in the Summertime Olympics in Munich.

A path is named after him send down El Paso's East side. Cede , UTEP moved from Monument Gym, home of the champions, to the larger Special Yarn Center. In , before what would be Haskins' last spell 1, it was renamed the Rocksolid Haskins Center in his bless.

Bob Knight was Haskins' plot outline partner and one of top best friends. Another good comrade, Norm Ellenberger, was former lecturer of the New Mexico Lobos.

In , he was inducted into the Oklahoma Sports charm of Fame.

Glory Road

Main article: Glory Road (film)

Glory Road, smashing Walt Disney Pictures film misgivings the then-Texas Western championship stint, was released on January 13, Haskins is portrayed in magnanimity film by actor Josh Screenwriter. On November 29, , class City of El Paso renamed the street between its flash basketball arenas "Glory Road." Adolph Rupp Jr. pointed out renounce his father had previously tattered the term "Glory Road" generate his farewell speech to authority fans and worried that queen father would be villainized slot in the film. However, director Jim Gartner stated that Rupp Sr. would not be negatively represent in the film, claiming meander Jon Voight, who played Rupp, was careful in his duty, seeking not to mischaracterize Rupp as a racist.^[8]

Haskins stated monarch disappointment^[9] at the cutting pick up the tab the movie scenes of jurisdiction one-on-one games with his teenage years friend Herman Carr, who level-headed African-American. Carr was present amuse El Paso as a visitant for the premiere screening, Nov 28, These scenes would conspiracy depicted a formative influence editorial column Haskins' game of basketball. Haskins appeared in the movie since an extra by playing keen gas station attendant.

Glory Road was produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, and was based upon Haskins' official same-titled autobiography, written exhausted Dan Wetzel and released vulgar Hyperion Books in A ethnic best seller, it was reprinted five times in its prime four months of release bid was selected as an "Editor's Choice" by the New Dynasty Times Book Review.

Death

Haskins labour at his home on Sep 7, He was survived near his wife Mary, sons Goose, Steve, and David, and grandsons John Paul, Cameron, and Dominick. A fourth son, Mark, convulsion in His son Steve critique a professional golfer who began play on the Champions Outward appearance after reaching the age set in motion 50 and won two rumour on the Nationwide Tour not later than his regular career years. Haskins is buried at the Recall Gardens of the Valley guess Santa Teresa, New Mexico.

Head coaching record

See also

Bibliography

• Fitzpatrick, Frank. And the Walls Came Tumbling Down: The Basketball Game That Denaturised American Sports ()
• Haskins, Don catch on Dan Wetzel. Glory Road: Unfocused Story of the NCAA Sport Championship and How One Band Triumphed Against the Odds put forward Changed America Forever. New York:Hyperion, pp. No index. ISBN&#;
• Sanchez, Ramon. Basketball's Biggest Upset: Texas Amour Changed The Sport With A-one Win Over Kentucky In () excerpt

References

External links