Harold F. "Sleepy Hal" Haskins (October 29, 1924 – May 31, 2003) was an American professional

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...

player and coach. He was an

All-American The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed on outstanding athletes in the United States who are considered to be among the best athletes in their respective sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an Al ...

player for the

Hamline Pipers Hamline University ( ) is a private university in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States. Founded in 1854, Hamline is the oldest university in Minnesota, the first coeducational university in the state, and is one of five Associated Colleges of ...

who led the team to the 1949 NAIA National Championship. Haskins played professionally in the upstart National Professional Basketball League. He coached high school basketball in his native Minnesota for five years.

Playing career

Haskins was a standout player at Alexandria Area High School. As a senior in 1943, Haskins led Alexandria to a state runner-up finish as Haskins led the tournament in scoring. He was the first ever Minnesota high school player to score 1,000 points in his career. Haskins earned the nickname "Sleepy Hal" while playing at Alexandria as his friends said his eyes drooped when he played. Following his graduation, he joined the Navy for three years. After his stint was up in 1946, Haskins enrolled at Hamline University in

St. Paul, Minnesota Saint Paul (often abbreviated St. Paul) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Ramsey County. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 311,527, making it Minnesota's second-most populous city a ...

. Haskins became a key player for a dominant run by the Pipers. Haskins led the team to a four straight NAIA Tournament appearances, including a third-place finish in 1948 and a national championship in

1949 Events January * January 1 – A United Nations-sponsored ceasefire brings an end to the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947. The war results in a stalemate and the division of Kashmir, which still continues as of 2025 * January 2 – Luis ...

, with Haskins named the Tournament MVP. Haskins was named a consensus second team All-American in 1948. Haskins graduated as Hamline's all-time leading scorer with 1,985 points – a record that still stands. Haskins' teammate,

Vern Mikkelsen Arild Verner Agerskov Mikkelsen (October 21, 1928 – November 21, 2013) was an American professional basketball player. One of the National Basketball Association's first power forwards in the 1950s, he was known for his tenacious defense and ...

, called Haskins "the best all-around player" he had ever played with. After Hamline, Haskins was drafted in 1950 by the

Minneapolis Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers franchise has a long and storied history, having played and won championships in both the National Basketball League (United States), National Basketball League (NBL) and the Basketball Association of America (BAA) prior to ...

. He played for the Saint Paul Lights in the National Professional Basketball League. However, the team folded mid season and Haskins played the last three games of the season for the

Waterloo Hawks The Waterloo Hawks were a National Basketball League and National Basketball Association team based in Waterloo, Iowa. The Hawks remain the only sports franchise ever based in Iowa from any of the current Big Four Leagues. They are not affili ...

. He was recalled to the Navy in 1951. Haskins was named to the NAIA Hall of Fame in 1960.

Coaching career

Haskins coached varsity basketball at Crosby-Ironton High School in

Crosby, Minnesota Crosby is a city in Crow Wing County, Minnesota, Crow Wing County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 2,386 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census. It is part of the Brainerd, Minnesota, Brainerd Brainerd micropolitan area, Micr ...

, from 1952 to 1955, and at

Forest Lake Area High School Forest Lake Area High School, also known as Forest Lake High School, is a public four-year high school in Forest Lake, Minnesota, United States, founded in 1909. The school is a member of Minnesota Independent School District 831 (Forest Lake Are ...

Forest Lake, Minnesota Forest Lake is a city in Washington County, Minnesota, Washington County, Minnesota, United States, located 27 miles northeast of Saint Paul, Minnesota, Saint Paul. The population was 20,611 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Histor ...

, from 1955 through 1957. His 1955–56 Forest Lake team had an impressive 20–3 record (including a streak of 19 consecutive wins). Following his basketball career, Haskins was a teacher in the St. Paul school system and was active as a basketball referee.

Personal life

Haskins suffered from

Alzheimer's disease Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease and the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia. The most common early symptom is difficulty in remembering recent events. As the disease advances, symptoms can include problems wit ...

during the final years of his life. He died on May 31, 2003, in

Arden Hills, Minnesota Arden Hills ( ) is a city in Ramsey County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 9,939 at the 2020 census. Bethel University and its seminary is located in the city. Also, the campus of University of Northwestern – St. Paul straddl ...

, after he had recently stopped eating.

References

External links

Hal Haskins
at TheDraftReview.com {{DEFAULTSORT:Haskins, Hal 1924 births 2003 deaths All-American college men's basketball players American men's basketball coaches American men's basketball players Basketball coaches from Minnesota Basketball players from Minnesota Deaths from Alzheimer's disease in Minnesota Forwards (basketball) Hamline Pipers men's basketball players High school basketball coaches in Minnesota Minneapolis Lakers draft picks People from Alexandria, Minnesota Waterloo Hawks players United States Navy personnel of World War II