If you would like to submit the name, class year and date of death of loved ones or classmates, send the information to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it The names will be updated monthly.

By This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , FOR THE VALLEY NEWS DISPATCH

Unveiling the Court. Photo by Louis B. Ruediger | Leader Times

Ford City High School's basketball history was celebrated Friday night at Red Mihalik Gym. Armstrong School District officials and the Ford City Alumni Association renamed the surface Hube Rupert Court, in honor of the school's long-time coach.

The unveiling brought back a flood of memories from a time when Ford City was one of the state's top programs. Under Rupert, Ford City won 333 games and 11 section titles. It also made three WPIAL basketball title-game appearances during his 21-year tenure.

"This is the preservation of a legacy that's been a long time in coming," said master of ceremonies Ted Breuer, who played for Rupert. "He proved that successes in life are more important than successes in basketball."

Rupert died in 2006 at age 96.

"He would have been thrilled with tonight. He just loved this place," said his daughter, Judy Fink.

After he was elevated from assistant coach to head coach when Cornelius "Neenie" Campbell left for McKeesport in 1943, Rupert's first team finished one game behind New Kensington in the section race. Soon after the season, Rupert was off to the Navy, serving in the Pacific Theatre as a lieutenant junior grade. He commanded landing ship transports that carried tanks to Japan.

After the war, Rupert returned to lead the Glassers — as Ford City was nicknamed then — to the WPIAL title in 1948 and the state championship game, which Norristown won at the Palestra.

A starting guard on that team, Bill Englert of New Kensington, spoke of how Rupert got him into Penn State, where he was helped by a variety of scholarships and a summer job with the Pittsburg & Shawmut Railroad. Englert's degrees led to a 38-year career with PPG Industries.

"Hube was a stickler for fundamentals that had us prepared for every game," Englert said.

Englert and a number of players stayed close with Rupert, whose coaching career ended in 1966, through the years, gathering each Aug. 22 for his birthday.

"He was my friend, my coach, my mentor," Englert said.

Ford City Alumni Association president Linda Weller distributed $1,000 scholarships from a fund developed in Rupert's memory to recent graduate Krystal Dudas and a founder's award to Tyson Klukan for community service.

Cheerleaders unveiled a court inscription on each sideline in the gym, which was built in 1938 as a Works Progress Administration project.

"My father always credited the principal, Mr. Marsh, for spearheading the gym project," Fink said. "And he was always thankful to him."

From Right to Left: Tyson Klukan, Krystal Dudas, Brendan Ignatz

Congratulations to our scholarship winners and good luck to them at Robert Morris University and Butler Community College The FCHS class of 2010 was inducted into the Alumni Association membership at the June 11th awards assembly.