Photo: Ancheta Wis / CC BY-SA 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Don Haskins was born on March 14, 1930 in Enid, Oklahoma, United States. Don Haskins was listed as a basketball coach and basketball player. Death is recorded on September 7, 2008, at the age of 78. Education on record includes Enid High School and Oklahoma State University.
My Take
For me, Don Haskins is one of those coaches whose legacy outgrew the box score. A small-town Oklahoma man who spent nearly four decades at one school, he is remembered above all for fielding an all-Black starting five and winning the 1966 national title in a deeply segregated era. I find his story moving precisely because he never framed it as activism; he simply played his best men. That quiet, stubborn fairness, paired with the gruff persona that earned him the nickname the Bear, makes him far more interesting to me than his impressive win total alone.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Don Haskins
- Name (Japanese)
- ドン・ハスキンス
- Reading
- どん・はすきんす
- Born
- March 14, 1930 – September 7, 2008
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Pisces / Horse
- Origin
- Enid, Oklahoma, United States
- Occupation
- basketball coach / basketball player
2. Background
- High school
- Enid High School
- University
- Oklahoma State University
3. Links
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don%20Haskins
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q716284
4. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Don Haskins born?
Born March 14, 1930.
When did Don Haskins die?
Died September 7, 2008, aged 78.
Where was Don Haskins from?
Don Haskins was from Enid, Oklahoma, United States.
What did Don Haskins do?
Don Haskins worked as basketball coach, basketball player.
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