[1] Born in Wilmington and raised in New Castle, Delaware, Skinner was trained as a metalsmith and welder, as were his father and grandfather.

[3] After that he played semi-professional football with the Wilmington Clippers and trained in boxing and weightlifting before changing to javelin throw.

In 1971, his refusal to shave his mustache led to his removal from the University of Tennessee track team, an infamous incident covered by Sports Illustrated.

Later that year he received an elbow injury and was stabbed while trying to stop a bar fight in Knoxville; as a result he missed the 1972 Summer Olympics.

His likeness appears (uncredited) on the side of the original arcade version of the Konami Track & Field video game.