Leonard Skinner
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Leonard Skinner | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 11, 1933 |
| Died | September 20, 2010 (aged 77) |
| Nationality | American |
Forby Leonard Skinner (January 11, 1933 – September 20, 2010) was an American high school gym teacher who was the namesake for the rock band, Lynyrd Skynyrd. The New York Times called him "arguably the most influential high school gym teacher in American popular culture."[1]
Biography
Skinner was born in Jacksonville, Florida in 1933 and graduated from Robert E. Lee High School in 1951. He attended Jacksonville Junior College on a basketball scholarship before being drafted into the U.S. Army. After his discharge from the Army, Skinner attended Florida State University, graduating in 1957.[2]
For many years, Skinner was a gym teacher at his alma mater, Robert E. Lee High School in Jacksonville. Several members of the band Lynyrd Skynyrd, including Ronnie Van Zant, Gary Rossington and Bob Burns, were students at the school. Skinner's strict enforcement of a policy against long hair inspired the members to name their band after him. The group reportedly changed their name after Skinner sent Rossington to the principal's office for wearing his hair too long.[1]
Interviewed in January 2009, Skinner said he was just following the rules about hair length. It bothered him that the legend had grown that he was particularly tough on the band members or that he had them kicked them out of school. He said, "It was against the school rules. I don't particularly like long hair on men, but again, it wasn't my rule."[2] At the same time, Skinner told The Times-Union of Jacksonville, "They were good, talented, hard-working boys. They worked hard, lived hard and boozed hard."[1] Skinner's son said, "I think he kind of ate it up. He didn’t like it at first, he had mixed emotions later, but I think he kind of liked it eventually."[1]
Skinner later taught at Jacksonville Technical High School, and retired from coaching entirely in 1970. After coaching high school, Skinner worked in the real estate business. He is still referred to by friends and family as "Coach Skinner".
Skinner later became friends with some members of the band, and they played at a bar that Skinner opened in Jacksonville called "The Still." Skinner also named a couple of bars after himself, capitalizing on the fame of the name.[2]
Coincidentially Leonard Skinner is also the name of a fictitious camper in the Allan Sherman song Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh introduced with the line "You remember Leonard Skinner... he got ptomaine poisoning last night after dinner."
In September 2010, Skinner died at a nursing home in Riverside, Florida at age 77. At the time of his death, The New York Times called him "arguably the most influential high school gym teacher in American popular culture."[1]
External links
References
- ^ a b c d e Dave Itzkoff (September 20, 2010). "Leonard Skinner, Namesake of Rock Band, Dies".
- ^ a b c Matt Soergel (September 20, 2010). "Leonard Skinner, Lynyrd Skynyrd inspiration, dies at 77". The Times-Union, Jacksonville, Florida.