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Vanderbilt University and the Vanderbilt basketball family is grieving with the loss of Coach Roy Skinner. If you have some favorite memories of Coach Skinner or a great game during his era that you would like to share with our readers, please feel free to do so. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to submit your thoughts. Comments will be posted after approval from staff. |
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| Daniel Gray: Part 1 — he had a voice which sounded like it originated in a western gulch, and he tended to speak in a monotone when Paul Eels would interview him. The players all respected him, but nicknamed him “Thin” among themselves, the way today’s players call Kevin Stallings “Stalls” internally. He would force them to shoot FTs at McGugin every day during offseason until they hit 85 out of 100, or some ratio like that. Skinner amused them, but they ALWAYS respected him, and Skinner seemed to be always pleasantly surprised how the fans kept supporting his teams, despite a couple of lean years (there weren’t many) in the Sixties. | |||||||||
| Daniel Gray: Part 2 – We students did not seem him around campus often, but everyone could see the team made minimal mistakes, played with enthusiasm, and seemed to reflect his calm. The whole bench would be going nuts on a good run, and he would sit their calmly on that bench with those horn rims throughout the bedlam. He suffered more from the pressure than he let on, and I will never forget his comment after that last great effort against Bama in March ’76 which I witnessed: “I just never wanted to get old coaching basketball”. | |||||||||
| Daniel Gray: Part 3 – C.M. Newton’s Bama team was the only one to really challenge Indiana during that undefeated season, losing by six, and leading the mighty Hoosiers several times during that game, but Newton always has said his ’76 team played their best game beating the Dores in OT that night in March. It was the last game for Fosnes, Feher, Joe Ford and Mike Moore, and even though they had already lost the SEC title with two brutally close road losses at Ole Miss and LSU, the team gave a great effort against a great team that night. | |||||||||
| MaryHelen Maupin: I grew up with VU Men’s Basketball and Roy Skinner. My best friend and I prized their autographs. VU always had the Christmas tournament. One year Coach Skinner was reviewing the stats from the first half–just sitting on the bench–even before the team came out to practice. . .we asked him for his autograph to which he graciously complied. It was a moment that I’ll always remember. What a great man and great coach!!! | |||||||||
| Lisa Harris Bridges: Our great loss is Heaven’s gain!!!!! | |||||||||
| Joe (Decatur,Al.): My roomate at Vandy was the basketball team’s student manager, and many of the players were good friends. Coach Skinner let me hang around and do odd jobs occasionally. He trusted me enough to send me to pick up his daughter after a Hillsboro High school game once. One day he needed me to run the clock for practice. I was stopping the clock after every basket, and the players were yelling to let it run. Coach Skinner walked slowly over and quietly said keep doing what your doing, but he never asked me to run the clock again. I’ll miss him. | |||||||||
| Lee (Goodlettsville): Grew up following Vanderbilt basketball during the Coach Skinner era. What a great coach and ambassador for he school. We will miss him greatly. | |||||||||
| Edie Williams (Hilham): When I was 4 years old I began listening to Vandy basketball games with my father. I loved Coach Skinner; he became my hero and has remained so all these years. He was a gentleman and a role model for his players. He will live forever in my memories. | |||||||||
| Billy/ madison: Mears vs. Skinner, need I say more. I will miss you coach. | |||||||||
| Jackie/Murfreesboro: Great coach. I loved his teams and his mannerisms. Truly saddened by his passing | |||||||||
| Jackie/Murfreesboro: Loved coach Skinner and all of his teams. Great chilhood memories of those teams and our coach.R.I.P. | |||||||||
| Meg (Nicholasville, Ky.): I grew up in Nashville watching Vanderbilt basketball, and the main reason I wanted to go to Vanderbilt was Roy Skinner’s team. He was a true gentleman, a great, quiet leader, and he will be sorely missed. | |||||||||
| WD Leip: Roy was my cousin, but more like a brother. He taught me how to swim, how to play ball. He watched out for me at school in in the 1930s. | |||||||||
| kevin wilson: Roy skinner lead me into my support for Vandy.He may have been lean but he made all players stand tall.Being young,I thought Clyde Lee was his son. Can you not see the resemblance? | |||||||||
| Paul (Donelson): In my 54th year as a season ticket holder, and I will always remember Coach Skinner and his mild mannered coaching without the stomping, whistling, and hollering we witness today. | |||||||||
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Share Your Roy Skinner Memories