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Published Date
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Roy Skinner, the quiet and dapper
basketball coach at Vanderbilt as the Commodores emerged as a
Southeastern Conference power to rival Kentucky, has died. He was
80.
The school said Tuesday that Skinner died at a Nashville
hospital Monday of respiratory failure.
In the mid-1960s, Skinner made the groundbreaking decision to
recruit Perry Wallace, integrating the SEC with its first black
player.
Skinner was just 28 years old when he became acting coach of the
Commodores in 1958, then took the job permanently in 1960 and
coached until 1976, compiling a 278-135 record (.673) and leading
Vanderbilt to a Top 10 ranking in eight different seasons.
His 1965 team lost to Michigan by two points in the NCAA
Tournament's regional round.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
AP-NY-10-26-10 1401EDT
