Born in Halstead, Kansas, of German emigrant parents Sept. 2, 1901, he was quite proud that he was a full-blooded German.
Rupp graduated from Halstead High School and then attended the University of Kansas where he played basketball under Coach Phog Allen. Dr. Naismith was also at K.U. at the time.
Rupp told the story that as a child he would sack sawdust into what resembled a basketball and then with a barrel hoop nailed to the side of a barn he learned to shoot baskets. Learning to dribble with that sawdust ball was out of the question.
His first coaching position was in Iowa. Next came Freeport, Illinois as a high school coach and then to the University of Kentucky in 1930. Rupp was proud of his home state of Kansas, but made it very clear that he would spend the rest of his days in Kentucky. One of his high points was to be able to defeat his old coach and alma mater.
He became the coach with the most wins in Dec. 1967 when he won his 772 game, surpassing the record held by his old coach Phog Allen of Kansas. His final record was 875 victories and 190 losses. Rupp's teams gained worldwide recognition. NCAA Champs in 1948, 49, 51 and 1958, his team also won the NIT Championship in 1946, five Sugar Bowl titles and a record 27 SEC Championships since 1949. They have been named National Champions six times by the polls.
During his tenure 25 of his Wildcats were honored 37 times as All Americans and 52 players were honored 91 times as All-SEC performers. 31 players entered the pro ranks.
Listed below are some of Rupp's accomplishments
Most successful basketball coach
He was named National Coach of the Year 4 times
In 1967 he was named Coach of the Century
He was Co-Coach of the 1948 Olympic Team
He produced more Gold Medal winners than any other cage coach
He was named to the Kentucky and Kansas Hall of Fame and to the Helms Athletic Foundation in 1944
He was named to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, Springfield, Massachusetts in 1959
Adolph Frederick Rupp enjoyed being known as the undisputed Baron of Blue Grass in his role as Coach of the University of Kentucky.
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