Hall of Fame basketball coach. Adolph Rupp was born September 2, 1901, in Halstead, Kansas, the son of Mennonite German-American farmers, Heinrich and Anna Rupp. Poor as a boy, Rupp used a college education in history and economics and success in basketball as a means of leveraging himself out of poverty. Rupp honed his hoop skills under the tutelage of famed coach Forrest "Phog" Allen, at the University of Kansas. Rupp was a member of Allen's 1923 Helms Foundation national championship team. After college, Rupp went on to teach and coach high school teams. After much success at the high school level, he moved on to coach college ball, eventually becoming one of the most respected coaches in American college basketball history. Nicknamed the Baron of the Bluegrass, Rupp made the University of Kentucky Wildcats one of the most successful college basketball teams in history. He arrived in Lexington, Kentucky, in 1930 and coached the U.K. ŒCats from the 1930-31 season to the 1971-72 season. During his 41-year reign as their coach, the ŒCats built a record of 879 game wins to 150 losses, played in 20 NCAA tournaments, won 27 SEC (Southeastern Conference) titles, and brought four NCAA championships to the Bluegrass, in 1948, 1949, 1951, and 1958. Rupp won the hearts of Kentuckians because he tended to draw talent from a state pool, picking approximately 80% of his new recruits from Kentucky high schools. Rupp did not recruit Black or Jewish athletes. He retired in 1972 at age 70. He died five years later at the University of Kentucky Medical Center from cancer of the spine at age 76. At the time of his death, Rupp was the winningest coach in the history of American college basketball. Rupp Arena in downtown Lexington, Kentucky, is named for him.
Hall of Fame basketball coach. Adolph Rupp was born September 2, 1901, in Halstead, Kansas, the son of Mennonite German-American farmers, Heinrich and Anna Rupp. Poor as a boy, Rupp used a college education in history and economics and success in basketball as a means of leveraging himself out of poverty. Rupp honed his hoop skills under the tutelage of famed coach Forrest "Phog" Allen, at the University of Kansas. Rupp was a member of Allen's 1923 Helms Foundation national championship team. After college, Rupp went on to teach and coach high school teams. After much success at the high school level, he moved on to coach college ball, eventually becoming one of the most respected coaches in American college basketball history. Nicknamed the Baron of the Bluegrass, Rupp made the University of Kentucky Wildcats one of the most successful college basketball teams in history. He arrived in Lexington, Kentucky, in 1930 and coached the U.K. ŒCats from the 1930-31 season to the 1971-72 season. During his 41-year reign as their coach, the ŒCats built a record of 879 game wins to 150 losses, played in 20 NCAA tournaments, won 27 SEC (Southeastern Conference) titles, and brought four NCAA championships to the Bluegrass, in 1948, 1949, 1951, and 1958. Rupp won the hearts of Kentuckians because he tended to draw talent from a state pool, picking approximately 80% of his new recruits from Kentucky high schools. Rupp did not recruit Black or Jewish athletes. He retired in 1972 at age 70. He died five years later at the University of Kentucky Medical Center from cancer of the spine at age 76. At the time of his death, Rupp was the winningest coach in the history of American college basketball. Rupp Arena in downtown Lexington, Kentucky, is named for him.
Bio by: Kathy Riley Williams
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