Bob MacKinnon, a former Canisius College student-athlete, coach and athletic director, passed away Tuesday afternoon at the age of 87. A member of the first induction class to Canisius' Sports Hall of Fame in 1963 and a member of the Canisius graduating Class of 1950, MacKinnon was the head coach and led the Golden Griffin men's basketball program from 1959-72, where he posted 142 career wins, ranking second all-time in program history.

MacKinnon enrolled at Canisius in 1946 after being a three-sport standout at McKinley High School in Buffalo, where he lettered in baseball, basketball and football. He played four seasons of varsity basketball at the College from 1946-50, where he tallied 591 career points in 103 career games. In 1949-50, the Buffalo native scored a team and career-high 228 points in 25 games and helped lead the Blue and Gold to 17-8 record, highlighted by victories over schools such as Notre Dame, Georgetown, Syracuse and CCNY. For his efforts in his senior season, MacKinnon was honored as a second-team All-American by Sporting News.

While going to school on Main Street, MacKinnon was also a member of the Canisius baseball team, where he played third base and served as a team captain. After he graduated from Canisius with his undergraduate degree, MacKinnon went on to play professional baseball in the Brooklyn Dodgers organization and he also played one season for the Syracuse Nationals in the National Basketball Association.

After retiring from his professional sports playing career, MacKinnon returned to Buffalo and took over as the head basketball coach at Canisius High School, where in two seasons he posted a 36-2 overall record. In 1953, he accepted a position with Canisius College as the school's head baseball coach, intramural director, freshman basketball coach and varsity basketball assistant coach. He was promoted to head basketball coach and athletic director in 1959 at the age of 32, making him the youngest college basketball coach in the country at the time. MacKinnon won 142 career games as the Griffs' head coach, highlighted by the 1963 season where the Blue and Gold went 19-7 overall before eventually falling to Providence in the NIT Championship game in Madison Square Garden. His 305 career games coached as the men's basketball bench boss still stands as the program record to this day. He also earned his master's degree from the College in 1960.

“This is a great loss to so many of us because he was an instrumental part of our lives and he was a great, trusted friend,” former Canisius men's basketball player and former Mayor of Buffalo Anthony Masiello said. “He was the premier athlete of his time, a true athletic phenom. As a coach, he always showed great confidence, great poise. As players, we loved playing for him and we played to win. He always put us in a position to win games. We won a lot of games against great teams that had All-American players. We didn't have any All-Americans, but we did have coach Bob MacKinnon, who was the great equalizer.”

“The lessons [MacKinnon] taught us went far beyond basketball,” said Terrence M. Connors, a founding partner in the law firm Connors & Vilardo and former Canisius men's basketball player. “He prepared us for life. He made us men.”

“When I played for coach MacKinnon, he taught me the game of basketball,” Dennis Misko, Canisius Director of External Projects and Major Gifts and a former Canisius men's basketball player, said. “Later, I came to realize that he taught me the valuable aspects of life. He lived and taught that success in life can be accomplished without sacrificing personal values.”

During his time as the Griffs' head coach and athletic director, MacKinnon also served on the selection committee for the NIT, the NCAA All-American Selection Committee and he was also an NCAA Rules Committee member. MacKinnon left Canisius in 1972 when he joined the coaching staff for the Buffalo Braves as an assistant coach and team scout. He was as the head coach of the Spirits of St. Louis in the American Basketball Association (ABA) in 1974-75, a team that defeated the defending ABA champion New York Nets (and future Basketball Hall of Famer Julius Erving) in the ABA Eastern Divisional semifinals.

In January 1977, he was appointed head coach of the Buffalo Braves for seven games, and then he went on to serve various roles, including general manager, head coach and head scout for the New Jersey Nets from 1979-95. For his career as an athlete, coach and administrator, MacKinnon was enshrined into the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame in 1995.

“Bob MacKinnon will forever be known as one of the greatest coaches in Canisius history,” Canisius head coach Jim Baron said. “He won a lot of games in 13 seasons at Canisius, and then he went on to have a long career as a coach and general manager in the professional game. His former players have often told me how great he was as a coach, but how he was an even better man off the floor.” 

Calling hours are scheduled for Thursday, July 9 from 2-8 p.m., at Perna Funeral Home, located at 1671 Maple Road in Williamsville, N.Y. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Friday, July 10 at St. Gregory the Great Roman Catholic Church, which is located at 200 St. Gregory Court, Williamsville. The Mass will start at 9 a.m.

Expressions of Sympathy and Thoughts on Bob MacKinnon

"Bob MacKinnon - a wonderful gentleman and arguably the best schoolboy-athlete during his days at McKinley. Bob was a long-time friend, and he launched me into my athletic career at Canisius.

When the KAC was opened in 1970 and Bob now had his own office, etc., he gave me a part time job as a basketball promotion man, primarily working on the Memorial Auditorium doubleheader program.

When he left for the pro job in St. Louis, as he left the KAC to go down to see Ray Ryan at the Courier to let him know he was resigning, I was with him as he left the KAC, and he said, 'ok Dan, you will be taken care of'.

I have been pleased to call Bob my friend for all these years." - Dr. Dan Starr '58

"Bob MacKinnon was truly a "man for all seasons". He set a stellar example for all of us from Buffalo - especially from Riverside and Block Rock - to follow, not only in athletics, but in all facets of life. His commitment to family and friends was always present during his superb career and wonderful, rewarding life. He will always be remembered and missed." - Hon. Henry "Hank" Nowak '57

"I had the chance to meet coach MacKinnon when I was a student at Canisius. Dr. Starr introduced me to him one afternoon at Koessler.

At the time I was a senior and wanted to work for a professional sports franchise, and he was the general manager for the New Jersey Nets. What I remember the most from that meeting was how he took the time to listen and was interested in what I had to say. I was very nervous since I knew his stature and legacy at Canisius.

He immediately made me feel comfortable and put me at ease. Coach provided me with some terrific early career guidance as well as a few tickets for the Nets exhibition game at the Aud.

I still remember that moment today and appreciate the time he took with me.

Thanks Coach, RIP." - Mark G. Evans '83

"My father, Dr. Joseph P. Lovering, was a longtime Professor of English at Canisius. Most importantly to his four sons was that he was also the official scorekeeper of the Canisius College men's basketball team for many years. My brothers and I attended each home game with our dad. We sat directly behind him in the first row behind the scorer's table at the Aud. Before every game, coach MacKinnon would walk over to us and say "Hello, boys". That I still remember this fifty years later tells you how much it meant to me. RIP coach MacKinnon. Thank you for making an eight-year old boy feel special." - Dave Lovering '78