| Bob Hogsett | |
| Birth Date: | 29 January 1941 |
| Death Place: | Blacksburg, Virginia, U.S. |
| Nationality: | American |
| Height Ft: | 6 |
| Height In: | 7 |
| Weight Lbs: | 230 |
| High School: | Holston Valley (Holston Valley, Tennessee) |
| College: | Tennessee (1963–1966) |
| Draft Year: | 1966 |
| Career Number: | 20, 12 |
| Career Position: | Power forward |
| Coach Start: | 1970 |
| Coach End: | 1973 |
| Years1: | 1966–1967 |
| Team1: | Lansing Capitals |
| Team2: | Detroit Pistons |
| Years3: | 1967 |
| Team3: | Pittsburgh Pipers |
| Cyears1: | 1970–1973 |
| Cteam1: | Francis Marion |
Robert L. Hogsett (January 29, 1941 – December 5, 1984) was an American professional basketball player and coach. He played college basketball for the Tennessee Volunteers and then professionally for the Detroit Pistons and Pittsburgh Pipers. After his playing career, Hogsett served as a high school and collegiate head coach including for the Francis Marion Patriots from 1970 to 1973. Hogsett was working as an administrator at Virginia Tech in 1984 when he was fatally shot on campus by a carpenter.
Hogsett was raised in Holston Valley, Tennessee, by his parents Charles and Ruth Hogsett. His father worked as a refrigeration engineer and maintenance supervisor. Hogsett attended Holston Valley High School.
Hogsett played college basketball for the Tennessee Volunteers but was kept on the bench for extended periods by head coach Ray Mears. He tried out for the Detroit Pistons of the NBA after graduation and made the team. Hogsett also played professionally for the Lansing Capitals of the North American Basketball League (NABL) and the Pittsburgh Pipers of the American Basketball Association (ABA).[1] Hogsett played professional basketball for four years.
After his playing career, Hogsett worked as a high school and college basketball coach. Hogsett served as the head coach of the Francis Marion Patriots men's basketball team from 1970 to 1973 and amassed a 10–56 record.[2] He earned a doctorate while coaching. Hogsett taught health and physical education at Radford University before he joined the Foundation for Appropriate Medical Care in Salem, Virginia, in 1980. In 1983, Hogsett was hired by Virginia Tech to work as an administrator at the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, where he was responsible for non-clinical hospital operations.[3]
On December 5, 1984, Hogsett was confronted by Virginia Tech carpenter Louis Dowdy outside the veterinary school administration building. Dowdy fired one shot into Hogsett's chest before he turned the gun on himself. Hogsett was taken to the Montgomery County Hospital where he was pronounced dead.[3] Dowdy survived and was acquitted of murder charges after he was found to be insane.[4] [5] Psychologists during the court case stated that Dowdy believed Virginia Tech administration wanted to kill him because of his disability claims for a back injury and had become paranoid due to depression and hallucinations.[5] The shooting of Hogsett was the result of a chance encounter and Dowdy thought him to be a "pretty nice fellow."[5]
Source[6]
| Year | Team | GP | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit | 7 | 3.1 | .313 | 1.000 | .4 | .1 | 2.3 | ||
| Pittsburgh (ABA) | 13 | 9.2 | .350 | - | .412 | 1.8 | .1 | 1.6 | |
| Career (overall) | 20 | 7.1 | .333 | - | .565 | 1.3 | .1 | 1.9External links | |