HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 52

49th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2009

INTRODUCED BY

Antonio "Moe" Maestas

A JOINT MEMORIAL

RECOGNIZING THE LIFE OF DON HASKINS AND HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO COLLEGE BASKETBALL.

     WHEREAS, Don "the Bear" Haskins coached the university of Texas at El Paso basketball team from 1961 to 1999; and

     WHEREAS, Coach Haskins has been praised for opening the doors for African-American basketball players throughout the college ranks by starting and playing only African-American players in a stunning defeat of the then top-ranked and all-white university of Kentucky basketball team for the national collegiate athletic association championship in 1966; and

     WHEREAS, Coach Haskins' basketball roots included playing in New Mexico with the amateur athletic union's Artesia Travelers after playing college basketball under legendary coach Hank Iba at Oklahoma A&M, now Oklahoma state; and

     WHEREAS, Coach Haskins' Miners developed unrivaled rivalries with the university of New Mexico Lobos and the New Mexico state university Aggies, bringing fans some of the most memorable college basketball games ever; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico college basketball teams were aided in their recruiting efforts by providing players an opportunity to raise their level of play by going up against Coach Haskins' teams and possibly, but not always, defeating Coach Haskins' teams; and

     WHEREAS, no opposing coach was ever more vociferously booed than Coach Haskins at the university of New Mexico Pit arena or the New Mexico state university Pan American center nor any opposing coach more respected at those venues than "the Bear"; and

     WHEREAS, Coach Haskins amassed seven hundred nineteen victories and three hundred fifty-four defeats, fourteen national collegiate athletic association tournament appearances, seven national invitational tournament appearances and seven western athletic conference championships; and

     WHEREAS, Don Haskins was less known for but just as committed to helping struggling students, families down on their luck and common hard-working people; and

     WHEREAS, Don Haskins enjoyed riding in his truck throughout the back roads of west Texas and southern New Mexico as well as hunting and fishing in many parts of New Mexico;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that it recognize the contributions of Coach Don Haskins' life and the respect of basketball fans and people everywhere, but especially throughout New Mexico; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to Coach Haskins' wife, Mary; their sons; the president of the athletic department at the university of Texas at El Paso; the El Paso, Texas, city council; the Texas sports hall of fame; the Naismith memorial basketball hall of fame; and the Texas state legislature.

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