By Jim Raykie

Editor, The Herald

MOON TOWNSHIP — Legendary Farrell High basketball coach Edward J. McCluskey was inducted posthumously into the WPIAL Hall of Fame during a ceremony that attracted more than 500 guests Friday night near Pittsburgh.

In addition to McCluskey, who died in January 1987, former Duke University and Pittsburgh Pirates’ standout Dick Groat, Wampum High and University of Pittsburgh basketball star Don Hennon, and former Midland High and three-time NBA All-Star Norm Van Lier were among the honorees at The Embassy Suites Hotel.

While introducing the 2008 group of inductees, toastmaster Paul Alexander, a veteran Pittsburgh area TV sports announcer, told the large crowd, many of whom were basketball coaches, “With all due respect to all, Ed McCluskey forgot more basketball than any of you may know ... He was one of the great basketball minds of our time ... Any coach, at any time, would marvel at how his teams played.”

He was described in the banquet program by the WPIAL as “the John Wooden of WPIAL basketball coaches,” an extraordinary comparison to the former UCLA and NCAA coaching giant.

Wayne McCluskey, the late coach’s nephew who lives in Pittsburgh, accepted the award for him. “He was the most inspiring human being I’ve ever met ... Growing up I thought there were Three Wise Men. I then realized that there were four.”

“He respected his players, and was the most strict disciplinarian who I ever knew ... God bless you Uncle Ed,” he added.

The night included a great deal of reminiscing at the table from Farrell High School, which included school board member and ex-athletic director Chuck Branca; Col. Donald Jones, who led Farrell to its 1956 state championship; Gene Sarazen, coach of the Sharon High School Lady Tigers; Jim Tamber; Vince Cardamon; Dr. James Kollar, a leader of the 1954 state championship team; Frank Sincek, a key member of the 1959 state championship team, a longtime McCluskey assistant and ex-Farrell High coach; Marc Knezevich of Pittsburgh, a member of the 1970 team; and Louis Paris, athletic director at Farrell High.

McCluskey, who began coaching at Farrell in 1948, won 590 games in 29 seasons while losing only 153, a winning percentage of more than 80. His 11 WPIAL championships and 7 PIAA state Big School crowns are still tops in state basketball history.

McCluskey was named one of Western Pennsylvania’s Top 100 Sports Figures of the 20th Century by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in January 2000, joining an elite list of area college and professional celebrities. In addition, he was the recipient of the prestigious Coach of the Year Award from the National High School Coaches Association.

After a 6-16 season in his first year in 1948-49, McCluskey’s teams went a remarkable 181-17 in the next seven seasons, culminating in three state championships and a handful of near-misses.

Of McCluskey’s 29 seasons at the helm, his Steelers won at least 20 games in 16 seasons, and a career high of 30 in the 1959-60 season. While he never had an undefeated campaign, his teams lost one game in each of three seasons — 1951-52, 1959-60 and 1968-69.

During a stretch of five seasons from 1967 through 1972, McCluskey’s teams lost only 18 games while winning 113 games and two PIAA state crowns in 1969 and 1972.