By Mickey Furfari
MORGANTOWN — The late Adolph Rupp, legendary basketball coach at Kentucky, told West Virginia University superstar Jerry West “son, you’re one in a million,” some years ago.
That was after wonderful West had led the Mountaineers to the school’s best back-to-back basketball victories in history. Those wins were over No. 5-ranked Kentucky and No. 1 North Carolina to capture the Kentucky Invitational Tournament Championship.
Two days later, West Virginia was voted No. 1 in both major polls. It also finished the season at No. 1.
Fred Schaus was WVU’s head coach and he went on to become the most successful coach in school history. His six-year record of 146-37 remains the highest percentage ever at WVU.
Since that golden era in Mountaineer men’s basketball, I thought that Schaus, West’s mentor, also merited the tag “you’re one in a million.”
Not only as a great coach in major college competition but in the National Basketball Association as well.
The Newark, Ohio, native had chosen WVU over Ohio State and other colleges, to become an All-America player. He played professional basketball five years before beginning his coaching career at WVU in 1955.
Family and friends packed Morgantown’s Suncrest United Methodist Church Sunday afternoon to honor Schaus at his funeral. Burial was to follow in Ohio on Monday.
As one who reported on his numerous achievements, I believe Schaus was among the chief contributors to his alma mater athletically over the years.
That included not only his three-year playing stint, but also his six years as coach and his time as athletic director from 1981-1989. He had answered a call to clean up a financial mess in the athletic department.
It was in the red and he had the know-how to turn the red ink into black. He could be tight-fisted when necessary.
Schaus was a member of the WVU Distinguished Alumni Society. He also belonged to the Order of Vandalia.
No one could have been more deserving of such tremendous tributes.
Fred brought class, respect and distinction not only to West Virginia University, but also to the Mountain State. He never had to apologize for anything he said or did.
Schaus and wife Barbara have been married for almost 60 years, they were college sweethearts and classmates in several classes.
Her maiden name was Scherr, a daughter of prominent Morgantown doctor, so they sat together in classes where seating was alphabetical.
The Schauses have been a wonderful couple and Barbara was always interested and helpful throughout her husband’s athletic career. She is a jewel.
A Pittsburgh writer once asked Schaus what he considered his greatest achievement in Morgantown.
He replied, “Finding the woman I married.”
After retiring in 1989, Fred told me: “Barbara and I were very fortunate in our careers. At every turn, we were in the right place at the right time.
“It couldn’t have been better.”
