LaRoy Samuel Doss[1] (October 6, 1936 – September 7, 2004) was an American college basketball player and businessman. He was the first African-American player in Saint Mary's College history and their first to be named West Coast Conference player of the year.
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 6, 1936 San Francisco, California |
| Died | September 7, 2004 (aged 67) |
| Nationality | American |
| Listed height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Sacred Heart (San Francisco, California) |
| College | Saint Mary's (1956–1959) |
| NBA draft | 1959: undrafted |
| Position | Power forward |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Doss was an All-City power forward at Sacred Heart High School in San Francisco. He went to nearby Saint Mary's in Moraga, California, where he played from 1956 to 1959. Doss was a three-year starter (freshmen were not eligible to play at this time) and was named second team All-West Coast Athletic Conference (WCAC) in each of his first two years and led the team in scoring as a junior.[2]
Doss' senior season was a magical one. Doss averaged 15.8 points per game and was named the 1959 West Coast Conference co-player of the year with Pacific's Leroy Wright. Doss teamed up in the frontcourt with future NBA player Tom Meschery to lead the Gaels to an 11–1 WCAC record. In the 1959 NCAA tournament, the Gaels made it to the West Regional Final, but lost to eventual champion California.
LaRoy Doss scored 1,139 points (14.8 per game) and grabbed 712 rebounds (9.2 per game).[2]
Following the close of his college career, Doss did not play professionally. He did enjoy a long career in business, owning several automobile dealerships throughout Northern California. In 1978, Doss was honored as one of the top 100 black businessmen in America by Black Enterprise magazine. Doss died on September 7, 2004.[3]
References
edit- ^ "Leroy Samuel Doss was born on October 6, 1936 in San Francisco County, California". californiabirthindex.org. California Birth Index. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
- ^ a b St. Mary's Gaels men's basketball record book Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine, accessed November 10, 2011
- ^ In Memoriam: LaRoy Doss '59 Former Gael Basketball Player and College Trustee and Regent, accessed November 10, 2011