Under Fire, Sanderson Resigns as Alabama Coach

Wimp Sanderson, Alabama’s most successful basketball coach, quit under pressure Monday following charges he struck his secretary.

Alabama Athletic Director Hootie Ingram said he accepted Sanderson’s resignation, “given the present circumstances.”

Sanderson, 54, said: “While in no way do I feel this decision is justified or fair--and I’ll fight it to my dying day--I have a great deal of respect for the university, and I wish them success.”

He also quoted Bear Bryant, Alabama’s late football coach, saying “tough times don’t last, but tough people do.”

He refused to answer any questions and did not comment on the allegation that he gave his secretary a black eye.

Nancy Watts, longtime secretary to Sanderson, last week filed a sex discrimination suit with the U.S. Equal Opportunity Commission against the coach and the university, a step necessary before filing any lawsuit.

Neither Sanderson nor Watts has commented publicly on the matter. Watts’ lawyer claimed Sanderson struck Watts during an argument before the team played in the NCAA Southeast Regional at Cincinnati in March.

Watts has been on paid leave of absence for more than six weeks while a university committee investigated the alleged attack, an incident that friends says caused a black eye.

Sanderson’s five-year contract expires June 30, 1994. Ingram said the university will honor the remaining base salary of the contract, $115,627 annually, and an additional $163,600, which is a portion of Sanderson’s talent contract for broadcast and endorsement services.

Sanderson and his lawyer, Charles Stakely, met with Ingram and university lawyers last Wednesday to work out a settlement.

Sanderson spent 20 years as an assistant coach at Alabama under Hayden Riley and C.M. Newton before Bryant, as athletic director, made him head coach in 1980.

Sanderson, known for his scowl at courtside, became Alabama’s winningest coach, leading the Crimson Tide to a 267-119 record.

Alabama participated in 10 NCAA tournaments under his direction, six times reaching the final 16 but never further.

Alabama went 26-9 this season, beating Stanford in the NCAA tournament before losing to North Carolina.

Alabama President Roger Sayers said that although Sanderson made “outstanding contributions” to the university’s basketball program, “recent events make his decision to resign in the best interest of the university.”

Ingram said that during Sanderson’s 12 years as coach, he “kept the basketball program competitive on the national level and he deserves our thanks and credit for that.”

The athletic director refused to answer questions, citing the advice of university lawyers.

Ingram said his next step will be to consult with Sayers about searching for a new coach.