BALTIMORE, MD - Robert H. "Bob" Scott, who served as the men's lacrosse coach and Director of Athletics at Johns Hopkins in a career that spanned 40 years, passed away on September 15 at the age of 86. He served as the Blue Jay lacrosse coach for 20 seasons and as the Director of Athletics at Johns Hopkins for 22 years.

A memorial service will be held on the Johns Hopkins Homewood Campus; details for the service will be distributed in the near future.

"Bob Scott represented all that is good about coaching and athletics," stated Johns Hopkins men's lacrosse coach Dave Pietramala. "Few others have touched the lives of so many and Johns Hopkins would not be the place it is today without Bob Scott; we've lost one of the truly special ones."

During his tenure as lacrosse coach he guided Hopkins to seven national championships, including the school's first NCAA Championship in his final season on the sideline in 1974, and 42 times his players earned first-team All-America recognition. At various points during his career at Hopkins he also coached football, basketball, wrestling and soccer.

During his career, Scott acted as an educator, historian and ambassador of lacrosse. He traveled extensively throughout the United States, and the world, promoting and teaching America's first sport. Lacrosse: Technique and Tradition, a book he wrote in 1976, is still considered the premier lacrosse guide; it later became the first work on the sport to be published in Japanese.

Scott transitioned to a role as Johns Hopkins' Director of Athletics in 1973 and served in that role until he retired in 1995 - more than 46 years after first arriving on the Homewood campus as an undergraduate.

Scott's mark on the lacrosse field, with his seven national championships and 158-55-1 overall record, is impressive and easily quantifiable. His accomplishments as Director of Athletics are no less impressive and continue to be the foundation of Johns Hopkins' highly successful athletics program today.

The swimming, baseball, basketball and fencing programs all achieved national prominence under his direction, while he also oversaw the addition of the entire women's athletics program at Johns Hopkins during his tenure as Director of Athletics. The women's lacrosse and swimming programs quickly emerged as national title contenders and the women's athletics program grew to 12 teams before he retired.

Perhaps Scott's greatest attribute, however, was his ability to bring together good people. The success of the coaching staff, some of which remains intact from his time as the Director of Athletics, stands as evidence of his judgment and leadership. Under his direction, Hopkins assembled one of the finest coaching staffs in the nation. Seven full-time head coaches who were hired by Scott remain in their position to this day - all seven rank as the winningest coach in their sport's history at Johns Hopkins.

"One cannot join the Johns Hopkins community, as I so recently have, without hearing from everyone you meet about the miracle that was Bob Scott, as an athlete, as a coach, as a teacher, as a son of this university and, most importantly, as a man," stated Alanna Shanahan, who took over as the Director of Athletics at Johns Hopkins in July. "His legacy as a coach, administrator and leader continue to be the foundation of Johns Hopkins Athletics and we will honor that legacy by representing the University with the same passion he demonstrated for more than 40 years."

Scott first came to Homewood in the fall of 1948, following an outstanding athletic career at Baltimore's Forest Park High School. He excelled in football and lacrosse at Homewood, and served as the captain for both sports.

In 1952, he earned honorable mention All-America honors and was chosen captain of the South All-Stars in that year's North-South Lacrosse Classic. As an undergraduate, he was president of the H-club, the lettermen's organization; was elected to membership in Omicron Delta Kappa, an honorary leadership fraternity, and received the Penniman Award for outstanding play as a midfielder. In recognition of his outstanding student leadership, the University presented him the Barton Cup.

After graduating from Johns Hopkins, Scott entered the U.S. Army, and was stationed in Fort Benning, Georgia. He rose to the position of instructor in the Ranger Department. After serving for two years, Scott returned to Homewood as the men's lacrosse coach - and didn't leave until retiring four decades later.

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