Red Oberbruner Explained

Red Oberbruner
Birth Date:5 October 1918
Birth Place:Ashland, Wisconsin, U.S.
Death Place:Burlington, Wisconsin, U.S.
Player Sport1:Basketball
Player Years2:1938–1940
Player Team2:Notre Dame
Player Years3:1941–1942
Player Team3:Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons
Player Sport4:Baseball
Player Years5:1939–1940
Player Team5:Notre Dame
Player Positions:Forward, guard (basketball)
Catcher (baseball)
Coach Sport1:Football
Coach Years2:1948–1961
Coach Team2:Milton
Coach Sport3:Basketball
Coach Years4:1948–1970
Coach Team4:Milton
Coach Sport5:Baseball
Coach Years6:1948–1970
Coach Team6:Milton
Coach Years7:1970–1991
Coach Team7:Wisconsin–Parkside
Overall Record:257–198 (basketball)
Championships:Football
1 Badger-Illini (1956)

Kenneth Lewis "Red" Oberbruner (October 5, 1918 – September 6, 1991) was an American basketball and baseball player and college sports coach and administrator. He served as the head football coach at Milton College in Milton, Wisconsin from 1948 to 1961. Oberbruner was also the head baseball coach at the University of Wisconsin–Parkside in Kenosha, Wisconsin from 1970 to 1991.

Oberbruner played professional basketball for the Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons for two seasons—the first while it was an independent team and the next in the National Basketball League (NBL) during 1941–42.[1] [2] [3] He averaged 2.2 points per game in the NBL.[1]

Oberbruner was appointed head coach and director of physical education at Milton in 1948 after working as an assistant coach under Elmer Fenton the previous year.[4] He remained athletic director and head coach of Milton's basketball and baseball teams until resigning in 1970. His basketball teams had a record of 257–198 and his baseball teams were 237–82.[5]

After his days at Milton, Oberbruner was named the first coach in the history of the University of Wisconsin–Parkside baseball program in 1970. His teams were perennial All-District Tournament contenders, and he ended his career among the top-five NCAA Division II coaches in victories (254). He was inducted to the Wisconsin High School Baseball Coaches Association and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics District 14 Hall of Fame. After stepping down, the school named their baseball field in his honor on April 11, 1992. The Rangers played their home games at Oberbruner Field until moving to Simmons Field in 2019.[6]

Oberbruner died on September 6, 1991, at his home in Burlington, Wisconsin.[7]

Head coaching record

Football

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Kenneth Oberbruner NBL stats. basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. April 28, 2019.
  2. Web site: Red Oberbruner . Peach Basket Society. December 9, 2015 . April 28, 2019.
  3. Web site: Red Oberbruner Statistics. Just Sports Stats. April 28, 2019.
  4. News: . Oberbruner New Coach For Milton . . . August 6, 1948 . 10 . November 23, 2020 . .
  5. News: . Oberbruner to Leave Milton College in June . . . April 24, 1970 . 43 . November 23, 2020 . .
  6. News: Marran . David . Ken "Red Oberbruner Closed Out His Career 30 Year Ago . Kenosha.com . . May 10, 2021 . May 19, 2021 .
  7. News: . Parkside's Oberbruner dies at 72 . . . September 7, 1991 . 12 . October 29, 2018 . .