Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-14
SPOTLIGHT
SPORTS
Man in the Brown Suit
" MERRElL WHlTTLESEY

COACH oF-THE-YEAR honors were voted by the Amer
lean Football Coaches Association to Duffy Daugherty Of
Michigan State who unquestonaby deserved the accolade
But If the voting had been strictly on popularity basis
wouldn't it been deadheat between Steve seoo Of
Penn and Ears Whitworth Of Alabama?
For who could be more popular in the coaching pro-
fesson than two obgng fellows who lost all their games2
BY the same token there's fellow coming to town
tonight bringing his basketball team in by chartered Plane
who Is mite unpopular among the basketball coaches Tns
fellow wins almost all of his games 80 per cent OF them 70 pe
exact 26 years at Kentucky sSs
That of course would be Adolph Rupp the Bluegrass
Baron the MAN In the Brown Suit cattle raiser tobacco
grower and Bible quoter Of note There are other names
including the used by sporswring critic In Louisville
who calls him 1.-THE Big Blew" Rupp also Is Kentucky
colonel and five voted one OF the 10
Shrners IN the Nation ~-.$ III
PROBABLY THE ONLY basketball coach the country
who gets as much publicity as Rupp Kansas Phog Allen
who coached Rupp when Adolph was Jayhawker Rupps
ffst coaching Job at Marshaltown Iowa. ~ 1913 ne
thought was being hired to coach basketball but learned
on arrival that he TO coach wrestnng AIS wrestling
team won the State title.
What kentucky fondy calls the Adoph Rupp Era began
In the Of 1901 and 10 years later Adophs Wildcats
the poorest Of his teams have known Tney
won II and lost 8. That's bad?
The first year at Kentucky his team lost the champion
ship Of the old Southern Conference to Coach Burt Shpeys
Maryland team 2725 Tomorrow night in Marylands new
nehouse the Wildcats and Terps renew relations after rs
years.
LIKE THE EXPLOSIVE, ast-talkng Allen, q man Of
considerable seesteem Rupp has been in many hassles
Is generally understood that the big Paul Bryant left
Kentucky for Texas AM that Athletic Director Bryant
and Basketball Coach Rupp did not see eye to eye
Three years ago, Rupp sued national magazine for
$250000, dismissed in Kentucky court last year
Last year Southeastern Conference coach quoted
saying he thinking quitting the profession because
he had to associate with like Rupp Later the coach
apozed to Rupp and to Kentucky saying his words were
In personal telegram that should not have been quoted
Tho tho&h nck Rrad
were those Of few after the basketball scandals
broke and before players involved
Piousy seemed at the time he said my boys couldn't be
touched with l0-foot pole"
RuPP USED TO SAVE his Bible quotations for the
Eastern sports writer's He'd roll them In the his
visits to New York. etc. When asked about his talent
would they were Just big mountain boys II lift mine
eyes into the hills whence cometh my strength" he
would say.
And about officials who had called what he believed to
be undeserved fouls his Wildcats Rupp would quote II
was a stranger and you took me in"
But Rupp not character to most Of the folks who
pack Kentuckys 1S000capacty heldhouse At the close
Of his silver anniversary last year. his supporters
gave him Cadillac.
That was partial appreciation for IS Southeastern Con-
ference titles, NCAA championships, in the National
Invitation Tournament three in the Sugar Tournament
two the Kentucky invitation plus Olympic partci-
patton.
WHILE RUPP'S CRITICS make cracks about his re-
crung methods the Kentucky brochure shows Is of the
10 players the current Wildcat Kentucky boys
North Carolina State kngpin Of the Atlantic Coast Con-
ference not have player from south Philadelphia
the IL Kentucky freshmen Kentucans although
comes from California.
The critics also Rupp lodges Of the real good
teams IN c. State for nstance) he feasts on the
relatively competition Of the Southeastern Conference
But the quickwitted outspoken Rupp wins most of the
bouts with his critics He's still there wearing his brown
suits for good luck winning nine every TO- and
ing his Herefords and his tobacco sheds He's repeatedly
worth $250,00O With that cushion he afford to
be q character.