By Paul Daquilante
McMinnville N-R/News Register 7/3/2017
with after it was published editing by Wildcatville
Ad Rutschman’s Linfield College football jersey and a 2004
NCAA national championship football ring were taken in a late Saturday or early
Sunday break-in at the college’s Health & Human Performance Building.
The initial response was issued from College Public safety,
which called in McMinnville police, according to Scott Nelson, director of
communications and marketing.
Entrance to the building was gained through an unlocked
classroom window. It occurred sometime between 6 p.m. Saturday and 7:45 a.m.
Sunday.
Athletic Director Garry Killgore discovered the burglary
when he arrived Sunday morning for a workout. He found a glass display case
smashed, furniture strewn about and the jersey and ring missing.
“Someone went to a lot of work for that jersey,” Nelson
said. “It was a two-person job.
“They brought wire cutters and they moved furniture. It was
an intentional act to get that jersey. It was personal.”
He said, “It’s not clear to me why someone would want it.
It’s strange. Really, the only people who would be impressed with an Ad
Rutschman jersey are those who would be outraged that someone took it.”
Nelson said the items have a deep emotional connection for
many Linfield alums, particularly football players and coaches, past and
present. “They are emotional keepsakes,” he said.
The 85-year-old Rutschman was a three-sport star at
Hillsboro High School and continued to pursue three sports after enrolling at
Linfield in 1950. He graduated with four letters each in football, basketball
and baseball, and remains the football team’s all-time rushing leader with
3,761 yards.
He went on to become a legendary coach.
Rutschman said, “Garry Killgore called me and let me know
there had been a break-in and what had been taken. The thing that bothers me as
much as what they took is why.
“What goes into the thinking behind it? That thinking
process is not on track for a successful life. This is not the thinking of
someone wanting to make the community proud.”
Rutschman said he has no idea what someone would want to do
with his jersey — or the championship ring, for that matter. “If they try to
sell them, people will recognize them as stolen,” he said.
Anyone who sees the jersey or ring or has information about
the burglary should contact McMinnville police at 503-434-7307 or 503-434-6500.
Sports Editor Rusty Rae and reporter Starla Pointer
contributed to this report.
Photo cutlines:
=A 2004 NCAA championship ring is among items stolen from a
display case at Linfield College.
=Thieves shattered a display case to get to Linfield Wildcat
sports memorabilia. It's a conundrum: Anyone who'd want the items would be
angry to see them stolen, college officials said.
=The No. 32 jersey Coach Ad Rutschman wore as a Wildcat
football player -- similar to this modern jersey -- was taken from Linfield's
Health & Human Performance Building Saturday or Sunday.
