Coach Don Haskins "The Bear"
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He was born on March 14, 1930 in Enid, Oklahoma. Haskins' coaching career began at Benjamin High School in Benjamin, Texas in 1955. He was a teacher and coach of both boys and girls teams at Benjamin High from
1955-56. Haskins also headed the basketball programs at Hedley (Texas) High School from 1956-60 and Dumas (Texas) High School from 1960-61. The Miners captured the NCAA title on March 19, 1966, shocking heavily favored Kentucky, 72-65, for the championship. That year Haskins became the first coach ever to start a lineup of five black players at the major college level. The achievement was documented, in the 2006 motion picture Glory Road. Haskins’ last Miner team notched a 16-12 record during the 1998-99 season, his 32nd winning season in 38 years as head coach. Don Haskins, one of the greatest coaches in college basketball history, passed away on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2008. He was 78.
1955-56. Haskins also headed the basketball programs at Hedley (Texas) High School from 1956-60 and Dumas (Texas) High School from 1960-61. The Miners captured the NCAA title on March 19, 1966, shocking heavily favored Kentucky, 72-65, for the championship. That year Haskins became the first coach ever to start a lineup of five black players at the major college level. The achievement was documented, in the 2006 motion picture Glory Road. Haskins’ last Miner team notched a 16-12 record during the 1998-99 season, his 32nd winning season in 38 years as head coach. Don Haskins, one of the greatest coaches in college basketball history, passed away on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2008. He was 78.
Dick Myers
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Dick Myers played in 14 games during the Miners' championship season. After graduating from Texas Western, he spent 20 years in El Paso, working for Farah Manufacturing. He retired as the vice president for planning and logistics for Coach Leather Inc. in New York. He is married to Elsie Myers. They have three children and four grandchildren and reside in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
Louis Baudoin
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Baudoin lives with his wife, Patricia, in Corrales, New Mexico. He retired in 2000 after 33 years as a teacher, and coach at Albuquerque Academy. Baudoin enjoys creating sculptures and furniture at his home studio. His other passion is on the water: he and his wife have taken their 27 foot sailboat through the Sea of Cortez and the Inside Passage of British Columbia. The Baudoins have two daughters and three grandsons.
David Lattin
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Lattin was born in Houston, Texas on December 23, 1943.With a thunderous dunk, 6-foot-6, 240-pound Lattin set the tone for the 1966 championship game. He scored 16 points and pulled down nine rebounds, living up to his two nicknames: "Big Daddy" and "Daddy D". Lattin lives in Houston, Texas and is keeping busy with a number of business projects, including buying and selling homes. He recently published a book about his life, Slam Dunk to Glory. Lattin says he stays in shape by riding about 100 miles a week on his Cannondale road bike.
Nevil Shed
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Shed was born in Bronx, New York. At 6 foot 8, Nevil Shed was the tallest of the '65-66 Miners. A native New Yorker used to an East Coast run-and-gun style of play, Shed had to make some major adjustments under Haskins' methodical dribbling and passing system. Shed now lives in San Antonio, working as coordinator for student programs at the University of Texas-San Antonio's University Center. He is married to Melba Shed. They have seven children and six grandchildren.
Harry Flournoy
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Flournoy was born on Gary, Indiana in 1943. He played college ball for Texas Western College, later called the University at Texas of El Paso, or UTEP; he made history when his team won an NCAA Division I National Championship with the first ever all African-American starting lineup under Hall of Fame coach Don Haskins in 1966. He only played for six minutes in the championship game before twisting his knee, but following the victory he was on the cover of Sports Illustrated rebounding a ball over Pat Riley.After his career at Texas Western, Flournoy became a teacher and basketball coach at an elementary school in El Paso, Texas. Harry has 6 children; 1 daughter from his first marriage, and 3 daughters and 2 sons from his second marriage. Harry and his current wife reside in McDonough, GA a suburb of Atlanta. In the 2006 film Glory Road about the 1966 Championship team, Flournoy was portrayed by Mehacad Brooks.
Jerry Armstrong
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A tough defender at 6 foot 4 and 195 pounds, Jerry Armstrong was a very valuable player for the Miners. He played in 24 games in the 1966 season as a senior. Armstrong retired in 1996 after 30 years in education. He was a basketball coach at four schools in Missouri over 21 years, compiling a 329-195 record. Armstrong also taught high school biology and physical education. Armstrong and his wife, Mary, make their home in Mountain Grove, Mo. They have two sons and four grandchildren.
Willie Cager
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Willie Cager, a skilled low-post player, scored eight points and grabbed six rebounds in the championship game against Kentucky. Cager has made his home in El Paso, dedicating his life to educating children. He is the coordinator of the Ysleta Independent School District's After School Basketball Program. He has launched the Willie Cager Foundation to raise money to build his dream of several multi-purpose athletic and academic complexes for El Paso's youngsters.
Togo Railey
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Railey graduated in 1962 from El Paso's Austin High School and earned a spot on the Haskins Texas Western team.Railey retired from teaching in the Port Neches, Texas school district and moved back to El Paso. He and his wife, Mary, are completing the requirements for their real estate licenses. They have two daughters.
David Palacio
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A graduate of Austin High School in El Paso, Palacio was a two-year letter winner for the Miners. He played in 15 games during the championship season. Palacio is currently the executive vice president and chief financial officer of Univision Music Group, based in Los Angeles.
Orsten Artis
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Orsten Artis is a retired American basketball player. He started at guard for the 1965-66 Texas Western Miners basketball team, the first team in history to win an NCAA championship with five African-American players in the starting lineup. Artis, a 6-foot-1, 175-pound senior from Gary, Indiana, scored 15 points and pulled down eight rebounds in the championship game. Artis retired after a long career as a detective with the Gary, Indiana police department. Artis will be one of thirteen inductees in the Indiana Hall of Fame 2014 induction class.
Bobby Joe Hill
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Bobby Joe Hill was the 5 foot 10 point guard from Michigan on the Texas Western College basketball team. Hill was one of the most prominent players on the court. In the first half of the NCAA Championship game, he stole the ball from both Louie Dampier and Tommy Kron twice within the span of a minute and converted both steals into easy layups. He led all scorers with twenty points. Hill stayed in El Paso after his Texas Western career, married his college sweetheart and retired as an executive with El Paso Natural Gas. He died in 2002 of a myocardial infarction at age 59. Hill's death was deeply mourned by his family and teammates, Coach Haskins and the sports world. Hill is interred at Restlawn Memorial Park in El Paso, Texas.
Willie Worsley
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Worsley was born in New York City, New York. Though he was just 5 feet 6 inches tall, Worsley was a big help for the Miners, scoring eight points and pulling down four rebounds in the championship game. Today, Worsley is the head coach of Spring Valley High School's basketball team in Spring Valley, New York. He and his wife Claudia have two daughters and six grandchildren. In the 2006 film about the 1966 championship team, Worsley was portrayed by Sam Jones III.