Ray Kuka

Raphael Eugene Kuka


Born:
February 17, 1922
Havre, MT

Died:
March 27, 1990
Havre, MT


Career
1937-38 Havre High School - Montana (High School)
1938-39 Havre High School - Montana (High School)
1939-40 Havre High School - Montana (High School)
1940-41 Notre Dame (College)
1941-42 Notre Dame (College)
1945-46 Montana State University (College)
1946-47 Montana State University (College)
1947-48 New York Knicks (BAA)
1948-49 New York Knicks (BAA)
1949-50 New York Knicks (BAA) Coach
1951-52 Havre Central High School - Montana (High School) Head coach
1952-53 Havre Central High School - Montana (High School) Head coach
1953-54 Havre Central High School - Montana (High School) Head coach
1954-55 Havre Central High School - Montana (High School) Head coach
1955-56 Havre Central High School - Montana (High School) Head coach
1956-57 Havre Central High School - Montana (High School) Head coach
1957-58 Havre Central High School - Montana (High School) Head coach
1958-59 Havre Central High School - Montana (High School) Head coach
1959-60 Havre Central High School - Montana (High School) Head coach
1960-61 Havre Central High School - Montana (High School) Head coach
1961-62 Havre Central High School - Montana (High School) Head coach
1962-63 Havre Central High School - Montana (High School) Head coach
1963-64 Havre Central High School - Montana (High School) Head coach
1964-65 Havre High School - Montana (High School) Head coach
1965-66 Havre High School - Montana (High School) Head coach 
1966-67 Havre High School - Montana (High School) Head coach
1967-68 Havre High School - Montana (High School) Head coach  

Kuka lead Havre HS to the state title in 1940, and then went to Notre Dame. After two years at Notre Dame, he joined the U.S. Army Air Corps and served during World War 2. After his discharge, he finished his education at Montana State, and then moved on the play for the Knicks. He suffered a back injury that ended his career, but stayed on with the Knicks for one more season as a coach and scout. In 1951, he took a job as basketball coach back home at Havre Central HS, where he stayed until 1964 when he moved to his alma mater. He coached at Havre HS until 1968, and retired from teaching in 1983.

Kuka died of a heart attack in 1990.

Source:
Great Falls Tribune, June 2, 1951
Great Falls Tribune, March 29, 1990

Stats:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/k/kukara01.html
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=kukara01