Bill Rankin
Former UCLA basketball player Bill Rankin has died, according to the Associated Press. He was 84. Rankin died after a lengthy battle with Parkinson's disease on Sunday. We extend our sympathies to his family.
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About Inside UCLA
This is Brian Dohn's sixth season covering UCLA after spending 4 1/2 years covering the Dodgers for the Daily News and other Los Angeles Newspaper Group papers. He graduated from Rutgers, where the first college football game was played in 1869. Sure, the Scarlet Knights suffered for a long time, but now RU is doing what Jerseyans always thought was possible. Winning at Rutgers also proves winning is possible everywhere else in the nation, so underachieving coaches better be careful. Now, if only men's hoops can turn it around.
Bill Rankin was a good guy. I used to live with he and his wife on Balboa Island. Very nice people.
I grew up across the street from Bill and his wife Betty. They are two of the best people I know. Bill will definitely be missed.
If this is the Bill Rankin who was the head basketball coach at Westchester HS in Los Angeles in 1958 (and I suspect he was), then he was my coach. But much more than that. I was a troubled teenager, battling with my father for space in this world and basketball was my retreat. I had moved (runaway) to LA from Minn; he gave me a father-figure image that helped me thru a very tough time. Once I witnessed my dad slipping into the gymn after practice to talk to Bill. Don't know what was said, but my dad gave me a little different face after that. Sorry to hear of Bill's passing; found this site by dumb accident just noodling around. But there couldn't be a more quality man for a young person to have mentoring him. And, BTW...a pretty damn good coach! Condolences to the family and friends.