| Wins against Kentucky - 0 | Losses against Kentucky - 1 |
Alma Mater: Morehead [1937]
Hometown: Mt. Sterling, KY
Date Born: September 15, 1910
Date Died: August 8, 1985
Overall Record: 166-119 [12 Seasons]
Date | Matchup | UK Result | Score | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
3/17/1961 | Kentucky vs. Morehead | W | 71 - 64 | NCAA Mideast Regional Semifinals (at Louisville, KY) |
Obituary - Lexington Herald-Leader (August 9, 1985)
Robert G. Laughlin, ex-Basketball Coach at Morehead, Dies
by Jennifer Hewlett
Robert G. Laughlin, 74, a former Morehead State College basketball coach and athletic director, died yesterday at St. Claire Medical Center in Morehead, apparently of a heart ailment.
Laughlin was Morehead's head basketball coach from 1953 to 1965. During his tenure, the team's record was 166-120. He took three teams to the NCAA tournament, and four of his teams, the 1955-56, 1956-57, 1960-61 and 1962-63 teams, tied for the Ohio Valley Conference championship.
His 1955-56 team held the school record for the most lopsided win, a 138-70 victory over Centre College. That team also was Morehead's highest-scoring squad, averaging 95.9 points a game. His 1956-57 team had 1,735 rebounds, the most in the nation that year.
He was to be inducted into the Morehead State University Hall of Fame on Sept. 7. He now will be honored posthumously.
The Laughlin Health Building on the Morehead campus, which was named in his honor.
Laughlin, who also had taught health, physical education and recreation at Morehead, stepped down as head basketball coach in 1965 but continued as director of the school's athletic program - a position he had held since 1952 - until about 1972.
"Bob Laughlin served Morehead State University extremely well for a number of years, both as a coach and as an administrator. I think he had without a doubt quite a lot of influence," Morehead athletic director Sonny Moran said.
Moran said Laughlin "built an outstanding basketball tradition" at the university.
"He probably deserves as much credit as anyone for building that. We'll miss his presence a great deal," Moran said.
Laughlin, of 302 Wilson Avenue in Morehead and a Montgomery County native, moved to Morehead in 1935 and became the basketball coach at the old Breckinridge Training School. He guided Breckinridge to a state basketball championship in 1946.
He was a graduate of Mount Sterling High School, attended Xavier University in Cincinnati and received a bachelor's degree from Morehead State College and a master's degree from the University of Kentucky. He also had done graduate work at Indiana University in Bloomington.
Laughlin served in the Army during World War II.
He had belong to the Morehead Kiwanis Club, Morehead Investors Club and Maysville Country Club.
Surviving are his wife, Frances Flood Laughlin; a son, Dr. J.R. Laughlin of Beaumont, Texas; a brother; and two step-granddaughters.
Services will be at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Jesus Our Savior Catholic Church, Morehead Visitation will be after 4 p.m. today at Northcutt & Son Home for Funerals in Morehead.
Contributions are suggested to St. Claire Medical Center.