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Rutschman was enshrined as a coach in the College Football Hall of Fame in
1998. On 8/31/2018, JP, a friend of Wildcatville, took these photos of Coach’s.
Other photos from “Hall” website.
In 1998,
when Coach Rutschman was enshrined, the “Hall” was in South Bend, Indiana. Opened
in 1951, in 2014 it moved to Atlanta.
Says one
online source, “Instead of busts or plaques, Hall of Fame members (are) viewed
interactively.”
Only 0.02
percent of “college football’s players and coaches can claim the honor of being
named into the Hall of Fame. Meet the elite few who made the cut. These ‘0.02%-ers’
have endured the blood, sweat and tears it takes to go from college greats to
legendary sportsmen,” says the “Hall” website.
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Adolph
Rutschman, Coach
Inducted:
1998
Date of
Birth: 10/30/1931
Birthplace:
Hillsboro, Oregon
School: Linfield
College (Football coach 1968 - 1991)
Ad
Rutschman Football Coaching Stats at Linfield
Wins 183 -
Losses 48- Ties 4
Adolph
"Ad" Rutschman was head football coach at Linfield College 24 years
and won three national championships in NAIA Division II in 1982, 1984, 1986.
He was Linfield baseball coach 13 years, 1971-83, and won NAIA national
championship in 1971. He is the only coach who won national championships in
both football and baseball. He served 25 years as Linfield director of
athletics.
In 1995,
Linfield built Rutschman Field House, named for Ad and his wife, Joan, for
their service to the school.
In his
years as Linfield head coach, Rutschman never had a losing season. This helped
Linfield break the national record of producing 42 consecutive winning seasons.
Rutschman won 15 conference championships. His record was 183-48-4, a
percentage of .787.
He was in
the NAIA playoffs 12 times. In 1984, Linfield trailed Northwestern (Iowa) 22-0
in the title game and won 33-22. Linfield won in 1982 over William Jewell 33-15
and in 1986 over Baker 17-0.
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Rutschman was a three-sport star at Hillsboro High School, enrolled at Linfield
in 1950 and won 12 letters in football, basketball, and baseball. In football,
he set a school rushing record, 3,761 yards in his career, and it still stands.
He
returned to Hillsboro High School as a teacher and a coach in 1954. He won one
state championship in football, three in baseball and moved to Linfield. He was
named to the NAIA Hall of Fame in 1988, the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 1995.
He added a master's degree in 1983.
Rutschman's
philosophy is contained in his quotes: "We can teach integrity, trust,
accountability, getting along with each other, and living within a set of
rules." "I hope I've had a positive effect on people. The most
satisfying thing is to see your kids have success after they graduate."
According
to the “Hall,” the “College Football Hall of Fame is 94,000 square feet of pure
awesomeness. Upon entering, fans are greeted by a three-story wall donning 768
mounted college football helmets—one for each college football team in the
nation.”
To
clarify, that means football helmets representing every NCAA Division III,
Division II, Division I and NAIA program.
Posted
here is a photo taken 8/31/2018 by JP showing the “Hall” entry area with the
Wall of Helmets on the right.
Says an
online source, when you enter the Hall, “you can pick one (football helmet as
your favorite” and the helmet will light up.
Have you
been to the “Hall?” Or, if you go to the “Hall,” please email a photo of the
Linfield helmet to wildcatville@gmail.com.
The close-up photo of the Linfield football helmet you provide will be posted
here!
According
to an article posted at cleveland (dot) com, when the “Hall” was opened in 1951
it was “a different era for (college football) to be sure, when there were only
eight bowl games to be played and all were on Jan. 1.”
The
location of the “Hall” in Atlanta is "the Heartland of college
football," said Dennis Adamovich, “Hall” CEO.
The “Hall”
also includes a pseudo ESPN College GameDay Desk where you can “proudly belt
out your alma mater's song for a recording.”
You do
know the ‘Linfield Fight Song’ don’t you? It’s the same tune as “On, Wisconsin,”
fight song of the University of Wisconsin- Madison.
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