NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – A Vanderbilt basketball legend has died at the age of 95, according to the university’s athletic director.
Bob Dudley Smith, a Nashville native, died on Oct. 21, 2025.
Athletic Director Candice Storey Lee shared a message on Smith’s death on Thursday:
“My condolences to the family and friends of one of our beloved Commodore basketball legends, Bob Dudley Smith. A standout player in the 1950s and a passionate, lifelong fan, Bob Dudley’s competitive and joyful spirit will be missed by all who knew him,” she said.
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My condolences to the family and friends of one of our beloved Commodore basketball legends, Bob Dudley Smith. A standout player in the 1950s and a passionate, lifelong fan, Bob Dudley’s competitive and joyful spirit will be missed by all who knew him.
— Candice Storey Lee (@VandyAD) October 30, 2025
Smith was inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2011. The Hall of Fame reports that he made the All-Tournament State Basketball Team in his junior year while attending West End High School.
Later, he attended Vanderbilt University as the school’s second basketball scholarship recipient ever. He decided to turn down a contract with the Boston Red Sox in order to be a Commodore, the Hall of Fame said.
He helped Vandy win the SEC Basketball Tournament in the 1951-52 season. After college, the HOF reports Smith was activated by the U.S. Naval Reserve and served during the Korean War until March 1954.
Services to celebrate his life have yet to be announced.
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