Leonard C. (Doc) Labine was born in 1920 in Nashua NH. His father left him as an infant. He never new him and his mother raised him. He was very close to her.
He wanted to come West to go into Forestry at the UI. In 1938 he moved to Moscow with his mother and spent his first year in forestry. He played football and basketball while earning the nickname “Lightning Len”. He did not like being in the woods so he enrolled in pre-dentistry. While he didn’t become a great athlete his love for the Vandals only increased. He joined the Army with his mother. He attended the University of Louisville as a dental student.
After the war dad was an avid fan. He donated money every year until he passed in 2011. He was a charter member of the North Idaho Sports HOF and a board member until he died. He was very proud. He simply loved sports. The local radio station named him the sports director in 1963. He did 2 radio shows M-F for about 20 years, all while being dentist in Moscow. At the same time for the next 37 years he broadcast all the Moscow High football and basketball games home and away.
He broadcast some games for Troy and Kendrick as well. He also broadcast UI freshman basketball and when Bob Curtis had to broadcast the UI football playoffs dad did the UI basketball games. He lived and lived sports. When he was living in a senior center and was wheelchair bound he would call me and I would take him to the UI football games. He literally lived and died a Vandal.
-biography written by Len's son Chuck.