Les Kuplic

James Leslie "Les" Kuplic


Born:
September 23, 1911   
Manitowoc, WI 

Died:
July 22, 1968
Sheboygan Falls, WI    

Career
1926-27 Lincoln High School - Mantiwoc, WI (High School)
1927-28 Lincoln High School - Mantiwoc, WI (High School)
1928-29 Lincoln High School - Mantiwoc, WI (High School)
1931-32 Beloit College (College)
1932-33 Beloit College (College)
1933-34 Beloit College (College)
1934-35 St Norbert College - Head Coach
1936-37 Sheboygan Imigs (Independent)
1937-38 Sheboygan Enzo Jels (Independent)
1938-39 Sheboygan Redskins (NBL)
1939-40 Sheboygan Redskins (NBL)

Kuplic was the son of a fire and police chief. He graduated from Lincoln High School, and attended the University of Wisconsin before transferring to Beloit College after one semester. Kuplic was the captain of the basketball team at Beloit, as well as lettering in football and tennis. He then spent a year at St. Norbert's college, coaching as well as teaching Japanese history. He left to partner up with Sheboygan sporting goods retailer (and former Major League slugger) Joe Hauser. He had no affection for coaching or teaching, so in 1943, he got a job as a milling machine operator at the Kohler Company, and in 1962, he became the company's president. He also officiated high school basketball and football games in the Midwest.
Died of a heart attack after leaving for work on the morning of July 22, 1968.
Kuplic married Nancy Tyrrell (1914-2004) on February 4, 1935, and the pair had five children; sons Jim (who also was a sports star at Beloit) and Bradley (c.1956-    ), daughters Linda Moore (1944-2006), Nancy Ann Gehrke and Kathryn Carmen. The couple also raised three children of Nancy's sister after her sister and brother-in-law's deaths in 1957 (Sally, Robert and Michael Welsh).

Source:
Milwaukee Journal, August 5, 1962

Stats:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/nbl/players/k/kuplija01n.html
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=kuplile01

Special thanks to John Grasso for some biographical help.