The Blair County Sports Hall Of Fame - 2010 INDUCTEE PROFILE

After signing with Penn State, Bill Huber poses with Lion coach Rip Engle (left) and fellow Blair County native . Leading the way Huber's success at PSU opened doors for other locals By Neil Rudel State, will be enshrined this weekend. Altoona Mirror “I owe my roots to the parochial school system,” Huber rom the beginning of his football playing career, Bill said. Huber was surrounded by greatness. Having grown to 5-foot-10 and 175 pounds and used F At Our Lady of Lourdes, he was in the same back - to competing against players “four and five years older,” field as Eddie Flanagan, and he was coached by Huber started at linebacker for BG as a freshman and was Flanagan’s father, Ed, a former semi-pro football player. one of two ninth-graders to earn varsity letters. Bill had a larger frame than most of his teammates — “He could stuff anything coming his way, and he could so large that he needed a special set of shoulder pads to run down anything around his side,” former BG coach Paul fit him. Bradley said, “and on offense, pretty much anything you “I ended up borrowing Steve Lach’s,” Huber said. threw up he could catch.” Flanagan and Lach — both former NFL players — were Huber attended the 1959 Liberty Bowl in Philadelphia inducted with the Blair County Sports Hall Fame's first two between Penn State and Alabama and that stoked his classes, 1987 and 1988. interest in playing . His development contin - Huber, who went from Lourdes to a standout career at ued, and by the time he graduated from BG in 1962, he Bishop Guilfoyle before earning a scholarship at Penn was considered a college prospect.

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Bill (43) was part of a 1961-62 BG basketball team that was loaded with talent. Other players included, front row, from left: Bob Iuzzolino, Dick Mauk, Bill Hoff, Dave Shannon, Gene Adams. Back row: Allan Conrad, Eddie Miller, Tom Wiley, Rick Kaiser, Len Zandy, Bill Huber, Dick Moran, Joe Durbin, Mike Irwin and coach John Hyder. A total of seven of the players went on to play Division I football or basketball. “I was thrilled about seeing com - “the doors opened to other schools the rest of the game,” Huber said. “The petition at the collegiate level,” he and they started showing up.” receiver turned out to be Paul said. “When I got home from the He visited Notre Dame, was inter - Warfield.” Liberty Bowl, a neighbor, Al Kendall, viewed by Pitt, and considered Then again, Huber joked, “but took me under his wing and showed Arizona State, which was coached by Ohio State never threw the ball, me the [PSU] campus. During that Windber native Frank Kush, before his either.” process, I didn’t have a lot of contact dad put an end to it. Huber lettered both ways in 1963, with colleges.” “My dad told me I had made my then was switched to tight end as a Huber's dad, Al, a sports official, decision,” Huber said. “He had more junior. Prior to the switch, he also assured his son “if you’re good wisdom than I did, and he felt I had played running back, guard, line - enough, they'll find you.” made the right decision.” backer and defensive end. And sure enough, thanks in part Huber did, too. He became a “I think one of the strong points of to West Branch coach Bob Forney three-year letterman and two-year the coaching staff at Penn State is providing film that was sent to Penn starter who led the team in recep - they were able to find athletes who State, that was the case. A young tions with 25 during his junior year could compete at several positions,” Nittany Lion assistant coach named (1964) and made 40 in his career as a he said. “Today it's more specialized. Dan Radakovich found Huber — tight end. Back then, they were more interested naked. Huber performed in the last era in trying to find athletes. They could “He came down to recruit me at when the players went both ways. He develop you as a player over time.” a basketball game, and he found me remembers stopping Oregon's Mel The Lions upset No. 2 Ohio State in in the shower,” Huber said. “He gave Renfro in a goal-line situation as a 1964 and went 18-12 during Huber's me a forearm shiver, and I reacted sophomore in 1963 and playing a three seasons. like he'd hoped I react — I was ready positive defensive role in a win over “My senior year was Rip's last to pounce on him.” Ohio State the same year. year,” Huber said. “Rip was a great After Huber picked Penn State, “It was late in the [Ohio State] coach but more importantly he was ballgame, one heck of a human being. I would and I could live or die for the gentleman. hear Coach “He was a great mentor. The college [Rip] Engle experience was not only great for me Huber bio along the from the win-loss column, but we rep - sidelines resented the university and more Sport: Football yelling at me importantly the university and the High school: Bishop Guilfoyle to cover the coaches truly believed we were stu - College: Penn State wide recevier dents. To this day, I truly appreciate Hall of Fame achievement: Two-year man-to-man, what that university did for me in that starter, three-year letterman (1963-65) which I did, area.” and the Huber often went up against at Penn State receiver didn't defensive end in prac - Current residence: Montoursville catch a pass tice.

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Sandusky will serve as his Hall of my wildest dreams thought it would be Fame presenter. a continual flow of athletes out of our “Bill was a nifty football player,” the region for a number of years after - Lions' former defensive coordinator ward. Did I have influence on fellows said. “He had really good hands. He going there? I hope I did.” didn't have tremendous speed or size, Irwin, who captained the 1966 but he had a great knack for getting team, felt that was the case. open. He was the same way as a “Huber could do it all,” Irwin said. blocker. He got himself in good position “He was fundamentally sound as far as so the running back could cut one blocking and tackling. He had good way or another. He hands were really hands, and he was pretty versatile ath - good, and he was always able to find lete.” an opening in the secnodary.” Huber and Irwin were teamamtes Sandusky also enjoyed Huber's at BG and fellow backfield mates Tom “dynamic” personality. Wiley (Purdue) and Bill Hoff (Buffalo) “Bill was always laughing and had also went Division I. a good time and we'd have fun in the “At that time, we had a lot of locker room,” he said. good players,” Irwin said. “The fact that said Huber, in addition he did well kept the door open for me to tangible contributions, was good for and other athletes coming out of team morale. Altoona.” "Bill was a real hustler," Paterno Today, Huber, 66, is vice president said. "He wasn't the biggest guy at his of finance for Muncy Homes, Inc., and position, but he was tough and he was lives in Montoursville. He and his wife, a lot of fun. He was a good personality Pat, have two children. and a good football player." Bill led the Nittany Lions in receptions The former Marauder and Lion is Huber's favorable impression led to as a junior in 1964. humbled by his Hall of Fame induction. the recruitment of several other “I don't think words can really Altoona players in the 1960s such as Steve Smear and Jack Ham. explain my true feelings,” he said. “It's former high school teammate Mike “I feel very honored and fortunate truly an honor for me, but more impor - Irwin, who was followed to PSU by to be maybe one of the first to venture tantly it's an honor for my family — and Gerry Sanker, Mel Frye, Mike Reid and to Happy Valley,” Huber said. “I never in that family includes all the prior ath - John Ebersole and Johnstown greats letes I competed with or against.”

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