after he had not
missed a home meet
in 60 years.
Loken also was a
frequent visitor to
workouts. “Every
Prior to his death, Loken, who was
described as “The Gentleman of Gymnas-
tics,” requested a small memorial service
for immediate family.
In an email, Loken's son, Newt Jr., wrote
that his father had also requested “a huge
celebration of life in Ann Arbor, mid-late July
within the Athletic Department.”
Loken is survived by his wife, Dorothy Ann,
and four children. —Dwight Normile
DON Robinson, often described as the “Father of Arizona Gymnastics,” passed away on July 4. He was 80.
Robinson (pictured here in 1978) grew up
in Colorado and joined the Air Force, where
he developed a hand-balancing act. As a
gymnast at Northern Colorado, he won the
Rocky Mountain AAU all-around titles in 1957
and ’58.
He later coached at Aurora (Colo.) High
School, Eastern New Mexico and Arizona
State. He coached at the latter from 1969
until ’93, when the program was cut as a varsity sport. (The club team still exists). Robinson’s Sun Devils won the NCAA title in 1986.
“He was like the dad of gymnastics for Ari-
zona,” said ASU club
coach Scott Barclay,
who competed for ASU
under Robinson. “Both
men and women
looked up to him as
their coach. He influ-
enced me all the way
through, from the time
he recruited me to
today.”
Robinson was inducted into the ASU Ath-
letic Hall of Distinction in 1993, and in 2000
he was the first recipient of the USA Gymnas-
tics Lifetime Achievement Award.
