Tabor City tribune. (Tabor City, N.C.) 1946-1991, 1954-02-03

Oh the local SCHOOL.
The amiable coach with the b
and lost record since taking over
the cage duties in 1916. His teams
have won lib while losing only 80.
Coach Caruso points with pride
to the 1948-l949 season when his
boys completed their regular play
with an undefeated season which
included 26 game win streak.
Their only loss of the year came at
the hands of Laurinburg in the
first tilt of the AA Conference
Tournament. 1t was a defeat that
brought about changes in the
young coach's outlook with the
net result being progress in the
entire athletic schedule.
when Laurinburg dropped us
out of the IA Tournament it
made me realize that our sched-
ule would have to include sitter
competition if athletics were to
prosper in our school," said Car
uSO.
Since that time the Tabor City
teams have won more than their
share from all corners and have
established a reputation for them
selves in all phases of athletics.
Caruso's Red Devils are present.
ly posting another highly respect
able record-they have met defeat
only one time i'll the past l3 cage
titltS. 1t is Il record that justifies
the change brought about when
the lone defeat in 1948-l949 came
at the hands of larger school.
While the Caruso-coached teams
were anneXing SIX county trophies
they also added three AA Confer
ence titles in 1913, 1949, and 1850.
The only feat not accomplished
has been the capturing of a AA
Tournament; however, this years
team may be the answer to the
unSolved problem.
Every coach has his choice"
victory and Coach Caruso is no
exception to the rule. 1t is natural
that the most personal satisfaction
derived would be from a victory
over the arch rivals from White
vile.
Two years ago the Whiteville
cagers were crushing everything
on its schedule and my boys
weren't given a chance against the
However, my faith in the Red
Devils paid dividends as the in
vading Whiteville Wolfpack made
the return trip home nursing a 80
25 licking"
II was ironic that such S;tua-
ton existed since the Wolfpack Of
Whiteville reversed the tables this
season by handing Caruso'S Red
Devils their only defeat-ending
a 10 game winning streak.
Even the bad seasons are good
ones for Coach Caruso. His poorest
season since taking the helm has
been an I'LL record posted in
195O-l951. 1t marked the only year
in which the Red Devils returned
from the County Tournament
without the trophy.
Despite the statistics Coach Car
uSo has but one goal as a head
mentor.
I'm more interested in build
ing character than any other one
thing. The won and lost records
are soon forgotten; however, the
athletic product is a constant re-
minder of a cOach's success" said
the man who has achieved high
accomplishments in both phases.
Records posted by his cage teams
are as follows: 1946-47 QC-O;
l947-48 G9-4); 1948-49 (26-D;
l949-50 Q7-5); l950-51 (l;-1D;
1882 Q7-5); 1928 U8-6).
The victorious coach who takes
personal interest in each mem
Der of his squid came to Tabor
City in 1916 after completing
tour of service with the Armed
Forces. He is a native of Riverside,
New Jersey but attended Elon
College where he received his de-
gree in l94l. He is married 10 the
former Geraldine Kelly Of Tabor
City. They have five-year-old
daughter, Josephine.