Fred Snowden
Encyclopedia
Frederick Snowden was an American
businessman and men's basketball
coach
at the University of Arizona
. Nicknamed "The Fox" for his cool demeanor, he was the first African-American head coach at a major university. Following his coaching career Snowden became an executive with Baskin Robbins and the Food 4 Less foundation.
, Alabama
, the son of a sharecropper. At age 6 he moved to Detroit
, Michigan
with his mother and two brothers while his father remained in Alabama. He graduated from Detroit's Northwestern High School. Snowden met his wife, Maya, at Wayne State University
and was married in 1962. The couple had two children: a son, Charles Anthony, and a daughter, Stacey Shannon.
Following college, Snowden worked as a basketball coach at his old high school. During his five year tenure, the school's junior varsity team compiled a record of 90 wins to no losses while the varsity squad
had a record of 87 wins and 7 losses. Snowden then worked as a sportscaster
on local radio and television before becoming an assistant coach at the University of Michigan
under Dave Strack
and Johnny Orr
.
, when he accepted a position at the University of Arizona
.
The year before Snowden's arrival, the school had a 6-20 record and drew about 1,000 fans to each game. In his first year as coach, he achieved a 16-12 records and increased attendance to 5,000 and following the opening of McKale Center
attracted crowds of 14,000 to the Wildcat's home games. Following his first season he was also named Western Athletic Conference
Coach of the Year, Tucson's Man of the Year and hosted two television shows. Under Snowden's tutelage the Arizona program continued to succeed for several years, making the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament twice and reaching the Elite Eight
in 1976.
Arizona's success under Snowden faded following their move to the Pacific-10 Conference in 1978, with his final three seasons resulting in losing records. In January 1982, the coach announced his resignation at the end of the season. At the time of the announcement there were allegations that he had been involved with the improper use of a university slush fund
, a charge that Snowden denied. A later NCAA investigation found no evidence Snowden had acted improperly. He was inducted into the University of Arizona hall of fame
in 1988.
of the Food 4 Less foundation.
Snowden's death came on January 17, 1994. While traveling to Washington D.C. to attend a White House
ceremony, he suffered a heart attack
while at a convenience store
and died at George Washington Hospital.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
businessman and men's basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
coach
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
at the University of Arizona
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
. Nicknamed "The Fox" for his cool demeanor, he was the first African-American head coach at a major university. Following his coaching career Snowden became an executive with Baskin Robbins and the Food 4 Less foundation.
Background
Snowden was born in BrewtonBrewton, Alabama
Brewton is a city in Escambia County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 5,498. The city is the county seat of Escambia County.-History:...
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, the son of a sharecropper. At age 6 he moved to Detroit
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
with his mother and two brothers while his father remained in Alabama. He graduated from Detroit's Northwestern High School. Snowden met his wife, Maya, at Wayne State University
Wayne State University
Wayne State University is a public research university located in Detroit, Michigan, United States, in the city's Midtown Cultural Center Historic District. Founded in 1868, WSU consists of 13 schools and colleges offering more than 400 major subject areas to over 32,000 graduate and...
and was married in 1962. The couple had two children: a son, Charles Anthony, and a daughter, Stacey Shannon.
Following college, Snowden worked as a basketball coach at his old high school. During his five year tenure, the school's junior varsity team compiled a record of 90 wins to no losses while the varsity squad
Varsity team
In the United States and Canada, varsity sports teams are the principal athletic teams representing a college, university, high school or other secondary school. Such teams compete against the principal athletic teams at other colleges/universities, or in the case of secondary schools, against...
had a record of 87 wins and 7 losses. Snowden then worked as a sportscaster
Sportscaster
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
on local radio and television before becoming an assistant coach at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
under Dave Strack
Dave Strack
Dave Strack is a former university athletic director for the University of Arizona and and head basketball coach of the University of Michigan. He is an inductee of the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame.-Early life:Strack grew up in Indiana...
and Johnny Orr
Johnny Orr
John M. "Johnny" Orr is a retired American basketball player and coach, best known as the head coach of men's basketball at the University of Michigan and at Iowa State University.-Life as a player:...
.
University of Arizona
In 1972, Snowden became the first African-American head coach at a major university and the second black head coach at a Division I school, following Illinois State's Will RobinsonWill Robinson (basketball)
Will Robinson was an American college basketball coach and scout. Robinson became the first African-American head coach in Division I history when he accepted the position at Illinois State University in 1970.-Early life:...
, when he accepted a position at the University of Arizona
Arizona Wildcats men's basketball
The Arizona Wildcats basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The team competes in the Pacific-12 Conference of NCAA Division I. They are currently coached by Sean Miller.Arizona has a long and rich...
.
The year before Snowden's arrival, the school had a 6-20 record and drew about 1,000 fans to each game. In his first year as coach, he achieved a 16-12 records and increased attendance to 5,000 and following the opening of McKale Center
McKale Center
McKale Memorial Center is an athletic arena located at 1756 E University Blvd on the campus of the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona. It is primarily used for basketball, but also features state-of-the-art physical training and therapy facilities. Its construction is marked with a large...
attracted crowds of 14,000 to the Wildcat's home games. Following his first season he was also named Western Athletic Conference
Western Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...
Coach of the Year, Tucson's Man of the Year and hosted two television shows. Under Snowden's tutelage the Arizona program continued to succeed for several years, making the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament twice and reaching the Elite Eight
Elite Eight
The term Elite Eight, or less commonly called "Great Eight", refers to the final eight teams in the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship or the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship; and, thus, represents the national quarterfinals. In Division I, the Elite Eight consists of the...
in 1976.
Arizona's success under Snowden faded following their move to the Pacific-10 Conference in 1978, with his final three seasons resulting in losing records. In January 1982, the coach announced his resignation at the end of the season. At the time of the announcement there were allegations that he had been involved with the improper use of a university slush fund
Slush fund
A slush fund, colloquially, is an auxiliary monetary account or a reserve fund. However, in the context of corrupt dealings, such as those by governments or large corporations, a slush fund can have particular connotations of illegality, illegitimacy, or secrecy in regard to the use of this money...
, a charge that Snowden denied. A later NCAA investigation found no evidence Snowden had acted improperly. He was inducted into the University of Arizona hall of fame
Hall of Fame
A hall of fame, wall of fame, walk of fame, walk of stars or avenue of stars is a type of attraction established for any field of endeavor to honor individuals of noteworthy achievement in that field...
in 1988.
Post-coaching career
Following the end of his coaching career, Snowden became a management consultant and operated his own business. In 1985 he was hired by Baskin Robbins as vice president overseeing the company's National Metropolitan Franchise Expansion Program. Snowden later left Baskin Robbins and became executive directorExecutive director
Executive director is a term sometimes applied to the chief executive officer or managing director of an organization, company, or corporation. It is widely used in North American non-profit organizations, though in recent decades many U.S. nonprofits have adopted the title "President/CEO"...
of the Food 4 Less foundation.
Snowden's death came on January 17, 1994. While traveling to Washington D.C. to attend a White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
ceremony, he suffered a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
while at a convenience store
Convenience store
A convenience store, corner store, corner shop, commonly called a bodega in Spanish-speaking areas of the United States, is a small store or shop in a built up area that stocks a range of everyday items such as groceries, toiletries, alcoholic and soft drinks, and may also offer money order and...
and died at George Washington Hospital.