About Coach Adolph F. Rupp

Adolph Rupp was born in Halstead, Kansas just two years after the game of basketball was invented. As a player, he was a member of the 1922 and 1923 teams at Kansas that won Helms Foundation National Championships under Coach  Forrest “Phog” Allen.  He began his coaching career at Burr Oak, Kansas, and later coached at Marshalltown, Iowa, and Freeport, Illinois, prior to becoming head coach at the University of Kentucky in 1930. Coach Rupp remained at Kentucky for 42 seasons and compiled a record of 879 wins and 190 losses – a winning percentage of 82.2%.

One of sports most recognized venues…RUPP ARENA in Lexington, Kentucky is named in honor of Coach Adolph Rupp.  Ironically, the arena was dedicated in 1975 with the “Baron of the Bluegrass” in attendance as the Kentucky Wildcats defeated his alma mater, the Kansas Jayhawks.  He died on December 10, 1977, in Lexington, Kentucky.

 

“He was a brilliant recruiter, teacher, motivator, and innovator… as former coaches Frank McGuire…and Whack Hyder have said in interviews, Rupp deserves most of the credit for popularizing basketball in the South.”

                                                                                                       

 

Billy Reed

National Sportswriter

Member U.S. Basketball Writers Hall of Fame

Member Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame

Click HERE to

watch a movie about Coach Rupp’s career