It's Ad Rutschman baseball stadium in Hillsboro

It's Ad Rutschman baseball stadium in Hillsboro

http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/argus/ron_forbes/index.ssf?/base/columnist/121070462691190.xml&coll=6

Ad Rutschman joins Hare Field 'legends list'

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

The Hillsboro Argus
Hillsboro, Ore.

First it was Elden Kellar Track, then it was Craig Ruecker Stadium andnow it's Ad Rutschman Baseball Stadium at Hare Field.

The sports facilities at Hare Field have now been named in honor ofthree of the most influential coaches in Hillsboro School Districthistory.

Track - The track was officially named Elden Kellar Track in 1991 inhonor of the long-time Hilhi and Glencoe coach.

Kellar was a state track coaching legend prior to retiring followingthe 1991 season. After starting his coaching career at Madison, S.D.,Kellar came to Oregon and coached five years at Rainier, before takingthe Hilhi job in 1959.

Kellar's boys teams enjoyed dual meet winning streaks of 50 and 49,and between 1963 and 1980, the Spartans posted a boys dual meet recordof 126-10. His 1975 boys team was second (by six points) to SouthEugene at the state meet. Kellar's 1989 Glencoe squad won the boys state title.

Football - Hare Field became the first all-weather field in Oregon,thanks to Craig Ruecker's fundraising for the $2.5 million renovationin 1997.

Ruecker was more than a fundraiser, as he posted a 157-81 recordduring his 22 years of coaching Glencoe football teams from 1982-2003.

His 1986 and 1994 teams finished 14-0 en route to winning the 4A statefootball championships.
Ruecker's Crimson Tide teams reached the playoffs 17 times and won 25of the 39 games.
He coached 11 years at Reynolds before coming to Glencoe, and he'sbeen coaching at Redmond since 2004.

Baseball - Several of his former players have been lobbying for morethan a year to get the job done, but the official request to name thefield in Ad Rutschman's honor came from Hilhi, and it was endorsed byGlencoe.

Hilhi intends to install a new scoreboard for the baseball field withthe wording, "Rutschman Stadium."

Signs at Hare Field's entrances will also be revised to reflect thenaming of the baseball stadium.
Rutschman's accomplishments certainly merit the honor.

Ad was an outstanding four-year varsity player prior to his graduationfrom Hilhi in 1950.
Then following an outstanding career at Linfield College, Rutschman returned to coach Hilhi to state championships in baseball andfootball.

His baseball teams posted a record of 246-79-1, and his football teamswere 58-30-8. He won two baseball state titles and a footballchampionship.

Rutschman became a coaching legend in baseball and football atLinfield after leaving Hilhi. Rutschman was later named the Wildcats'athletic director.

Hare Field opened in 1965 and was named for civic leader and formerstate legislator William G. Hare.

Hilhi's baseball team played the first games at Hare in 1965, and thefirst football game was held Sept. 9, 1966, with the Spartans beatingGresham, 7-0.

Hare Field future signs will note: "Welcome to Elden Kellar Track,Craig Ruecker Stadium and Ad Rutschman Baseball Stadium."

Readers can reach Ron Forbes at 503-214-1110, or e-mail at Sports@hillsboroargus.com.

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Ad Rutschman to be honored on scoreboard

Posted by The Oregonian March 05, 2007 15:29PM
Categories: Breaking News

Hillsboro High School alumni are gathering for a meeting Saturday at 7 p.m. to discuss selecting a baseball scoreboard in honor of Ad Rutschman. Greg Lord, who is heading up the effort, said he wants to gather as many people as possible who were associated with Rutschman from 1955-68, his time at Hillsboro High. He also wants to discuss naming the baseball complex at Hare Field in honor of Rutschman, who later went on to coach at Linfield College in McMinnville. The meeting will be at Hillsboro High School, 3285 SE Rood Bridge Road, Hillsboro. Lord said participants will be asked for a $6 donation to cover the cost of a meal. Those interested may contact Lord a gregl@brandathletics.net or at 503-880-5377.