D R A F T = 7/1/2021
BASEBALL COACH AD RUTSCHMAN IN 1958 SEASON OF 1957-1958 SCHOOL YEAR AT HILLSBORO HIGH SCHOOL
So many know Ad Rutschman, it’s always a surprise when there’s a fact or two or three you didn’t know about him.
Born in Hillsboro and raised there, too, he graduated in 1950 from Hillsboro High School (Hilhi) where he was a student-athlete excelling in football, basketball and baseball.
Recruited by Linfield coaches Paul Durham and Roy Helser*, he attended Linfield College where he excelled, too, in the same three sports. He graduated from Linfield in 1954.
After Linfield graduation, Ad and wife Joan --a Hilhi grad, they married June 7, 1952 -- moved from McMinnville back to Hillsboro. On the move back the first of their children, Don – born in 1953 in McMinnville – was with them.
Ad returned to Hilhi in the fall of 1954 and eventually became head football and baseball coach winning state titles in both sports. And, he also taught XX ? (what subject ?XXphysical education?XX?.
Let’s jump ahead to the 1957-1958 school year of Hillsboro High School. That was his fifth of his 15 years coaching and teaching at Hilhi.
Neil Kunze, one of coach Rutschman’s varsity baseball players at Hilhi has fond memories of the 1958 season.
“Playing baseball for Coach Rutschman was the highlight of the 1957-58 school year for me,” said Kunze. He had a “positive effect upon a number of us who had the privilege of playing baseball for him (in 1958.) His influence continues to the present day.”
Kunze recalls that in addition to being Hillsboro High School’s head baseball coach, Ad Rutschman occasionally drove the Hilhi baseball team bus to and from ??xx road xx?? games. Why was that? Rutschman said, “XXXXX XXXXX XXXXXXX XXXXX.”
About the 1958 baseball season Ad remembers the team ended the season with an ??XX-XX ??win-loss record and finished XXth place in the ??XX Metro League.xx??
Also, he said , “XXXXXXXXXXXXXX. “
And, he recalls about the 1957-1958 Hilhi school year, “ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX.”
(These above would be quotes from you/Ad Rutschman about your recollection of the 1958 Hilhi baseball season and the team. Anything/everything you recollect is welcome. Also, please explain why at times you drove the team bus. Did you drive it occasionally? If so, why didn’t to drive it at all times? Di you drive it for road games, etc?)
AD RUTSCHMAN COACHING BASEBALL AT HILLSBORO HIGH SCHOOL
1954 Ad was assistant coach to head coach Cliff Wells
1955 Ad was assistant coach to head coach Cliff Wells
1956 Ad was head coach, succeeding Cliff Wells, who became head coach at new (opened 1954) David Douglas High School.
1957 Ad was head coach
1958 Ad was head coach
1959 Ad was head coach
1960 Ad was head coach
1961 Ad was head coach
1962 Ad was head coach - State co-Champ - 25-3. OSAA declared Hillsboro and South Eugene co-champs because the title game in which they were to play in Portland did not occur due to rain.
1963 Ad was head coach
1964 Ad was head coach
1965 Ad was head coach
1966 Ad was head coach - State Champ - 30-3 win-loss record
1967 Ad was head coach
1968 Ad was head coach - State Champ - 38-6-1 win-loss-tie record
(Ad's win-loss record in 13 seasons as Hillsboro head baseball coach: 246-116 )
Ad left Hilhi for Linfield. Starting in the 1968 season he succeeded Paul Durham as Linfield football coach. Starting with the 1971 season he was successor to Roy Helser as Linfield head coach in baseball.
.................
Ad was incorrectly identified as "Ed" in a sports column in the Oregon Journal April 26, 1955: "Cliff Wells moved from Hillsboro to David Douglas and Ed Rutschman moved up from freshman coach to head coach, and varsity assistant in football and basketball at Hilhi. Al Tarpening of Linfield college takes Rutschman's freshman job."
..................
Al Tarpening, who graduated from Linfield 1955, was best man at the Ad and Joan Rutschman wedding in 1952. "Tarp" and Ad were Linfield teammates in football and basketball.
Ad lettered playing Linfield football these seasons: 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953
Tarp lettered playing Linfield football these seasons: 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954)
.......
*Footnote: At the time Durham and Helser were recruiting Ad, Durham was Linfield head football coach and Helser was Linfield head baseball coach and (1949-1952 seasons) they were co-head coaches of Linfield men's basketball.
#
