Longtime Paintsville football coach Brugh remembered as 'legend in this town'

Paintsville's Walter Brugh, one of Kentucky high school football's winningest coaches, died Tuesday night. He was 87.

Mr. Brugh played for Paintsville in the 1940s, became a Tigers assistant in the early 1950s and took over as head coach in 1956. When he retired after the 1994 season, Mr. Brugh was the state's all-time wins leader with a career record of 279-136-5.

"He's a legend in this town," said Paintsville basketball coach Bill Mike Run yon, who played football for Mr. Brugh and was an assistant under him for 23 years.

"Growing up as a kid here, one thing parents required of you was to play football for Coach Brugh. Whatever he said, your parents agreed with him. There was no second-guessing him."

Mr. Brugh built Paintsville into a small-school state power.

His Tigers averaged better than seven victories a season, and he twice led them to the Class A finals.

They suffered tough losses in both title games.

In 1978, Fort Campbell beats Paintsville 15-13 thanks to a third-quarter field goal that struck the right upright and bounced through for the decisive points.

In 1985, Paintsville took an early 6-0 lead against Crittenden County but played penalty-marred football the rest of the day and lost 14-6.

Mr. Brugh never regretted staying with the Tigers for his entire career.

In a 1993 interview, he said he "never ever wanted to go anywhere else. I've had opportunities to move on, to become a college coach or go to a bigger high school. But I didn't want to.

"I wanted to stay with the people I knew, the place I grew up, the community and school I love. No, sir, there's no other place in the United States where I feel I could do more to help boys on this level."

Mr. Brugh did win a state title at Paintsville. He coached the golf team to the 1958 championship. He also had coaching stints in track, baseball and basketball.

Mr. Brugh was a World War II Army veteran.

Visitation will be Friday from noon to 9 p.m. at Phelps & Son Funeral Home in Paintsville.

Services will be Saturday at 1 p.m. in the Paintsville High School gymnasium.

This story was originally published February 12, 2014 at 6:43 PM with the headline "Longtime Paintsville football coach Brugh remembered as 'legend in this town'."