The Dartmouth athletic family suffered two major losses this past weekend, with the passing of five-time NBA all-star Rudy LaRusso '59 and former men's baseball coach, and Major League baseball player Ulysses J. "Tony" Lupien, Jr Friday.
LaRusso, 66, died after a long fight with Parkinson's disease.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., LaRusso was a two-time All-Ivy League selection. He led Dartmouth to its last conference championships in 1958 and 1959. LaRusso also holds impressive standings in the Big Green men's basketball individual record books.
LaRusso is Dartmouth's 14th leading scorer all-time, averaging 14.6 points per game in his 80 game career, and the College's all-time leading rebounder with 1239.
The 6'7'' forward also helped the Lakers reach the NBA Finals three times in the early 1960s. LaRusso started with the Lakers in Minneapolis in 1959 and moved with the team to Los Angeles. He averaged 15.6 points and 9.4 rebounds over a 10-year career.
In an interview with the Associated Press, NBA Hall of Famer Elgin Baylor reflected on eight years spent in the Lakers' frontcourt with the former Dartmouth star.
"Rudy and I go all the way back to our days together in Minneapolis," Baylor said. "He was one of my favorite teammates ever, and we had some great times. He was a wonderful person and a good friend, respected by everyone."
Los Angeles Lakers spokesman John Black described LaRusso "as a good friend of the organization and a great guy who will be sorely missed."
Black cited that because Larusso was one of the original Los Angeles Lakers, the city and organization felt a special admiration toward the former star forward that persisted through today. Following his professional retirement in 1967, he maintained strong ties with the Lakers organization, attending games, visiting team headquarters and participating in various organization sponsored community service events until his death.
"Even though LaRusso ended his career in 1967 he remained part of the organization family," Black said.
LaRusso is survived by his wife, Roslyn, and a son, Corey
Lupien, 87, who was Dartmouth's head baseball coach from 1956 to 1977 passed away at his home in Norwich, Vt. after years of declining health.
Born in Chelmsford, Mass., on April 23, 1917, Lupien grew up in Manchester, Conn., and graduated from Harvard University in 1939.
Lupien and LaRusso both arrived at Dartmouth in 1956, and crossed paths during their time in Hanover. Lupien was the coach of LaRusso's freshman basketball squad, a job that the Norwich resident held in addition to his baseball position from 1956 to 1968.
During 21 seasons as Dartmouth's baseball coach, Lupien guided his teams to 313 wins, 305 losses and three ties. His teams won Eastern Intercollegiate League championships in 1963, 1967, 1969 and 1970.
The 1970 campaign was arguably the pinnacle of Lupien's college coaching career. That season, following a 20-game winning streak, Dartmouth qualified for its first-ever appearance in the College World Series tournament.
What his Dartmouth players remember most about Lupien was not only his baseball knowledge but also his refusal to choose favorites among his players.
"Tony was what the Marines call the 'old breed.' Teach skills and competence and a love of the game -- and to hell with people's feelings," 1966 team captain Barry Machado '66 told The Baseball Biography Project. "He never did make his peace with the athlete more interested in styling, showcasing, and showboating. For Tony, baseball was 100 percent a team sport."
A first baseman in his playing days, Lupien played with the Boston Red Sox, Philadelphia Phillies, Detroit Tigers and Chicago White Sox during a professional baseball career that spanned from 1939 to 1953. Lupien ended his major league career batting average of .268 and a .993 fielding average.
Lupien was married in 1939 to Natalie Nichols who died in 1953. In 1954, he married Mildred Robinson of Springfield, Vt.
In addition to his wife, survivors include five daughters, 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
