Picture of Grambling's Robinson unveiled at ceremony

GRAMBLING, Louisiana  --  When Steve Skipper was 36 years old, he made his way to Grambling State University to look into the possibility of painting a portrait of Eddie G. Robinson. Unfortunately, he missed Robison by five minutes.

Seventeen years later, Skipper unveiled what is now the official Robinson family commemorative portrait of the legendary football coach on Monday night at the Eddie G. Robinson Museum on the university's campus.

"I have three sons and four daughters, and as they celebrate the gift that God gave me, I want them to be able to celebrate the greatness of Eddie G. Robinson," said Skipper, 53, a Homewood, Ala., native and president of Anointed Homes Art.

 

Doug Williams and James Harris brought Skipper to the attention of the Robinson family. Williams, the head coach of last season's SWAC championship Grambling football team who leads his team into this weekend's Bayou Classic, and Harris, senior personnel executive for the Detroit Lions, played for Robinson, the winningest coach in NCAA Division I football history. The family commissioned him to paint the coach's portrait.
 

READ MORE