Rulli’s career, life fondly remembered
The short obituary notice said only that George Henry (Bubba) Rulli had died in Reno, Nevada, then listed his family, and that was it. But those of us who knew George can recall more than a couple paragraphs of the fun he had playing basketball for Ken Misiak at the former Immaculate Conception High in Connellsville, now known as Geibel Catholic.
I don’t recall one time ever seeing George that he didn’t have a smile on his face, and some funny remark to make. He was a good, steady player for Ken and the old Owls in the backcourt with a pretty good shot.
Probably the wildest night in my memory for George came in a holiday tournament at Redstone, with IC playing the host team. Back then, Ken’s teams had some long nights, and being on the long end of the score was all too often the exception rather than the rule.
When George was playing, he was a little bit on the, shall we say chubby side, and let it go at that. Anyway, on this night, when George started to bring the ball up court, some of the home students (in keeping with the holiday time of the year) would start singing “here comes Santy Claus, here comes Santy Claus….” and then they would holler “shoot, Santy Claus!” Or if he missed a shot they would holler “way to go, Santy Claus.”
It was all good-natured agitation, to be sure, but it irritated George just a bit, and during halftime he told coach Misiak in the locker room that the fans were yelling “Santy Claus” at him. Ken, who has always had the greatest sense of humor, no matter what the occasion, walked over to him, put his arm around him, and said in a very fatherly voice, “George, why don’t you just go out there and go ‘ho, ho, ho’ at them.”
Well, George did better than that. For unknown to his jibers, but known to the rest of us, if you got George mad enough, he didn’t try to get back at you verbally, he would take his irritation out on the basket. George proceeded to ‘ho, ho, ho’ into a 30-point night, and led IC to the win.
There were many times over the years when we would be gathered at dinners, etc., and this incident would be recalled, with Ken being jokingly accused of planting people in the stands to agitate George into big nights.
Many times I would see George and ask “how you doing,’ Santy Claus?” He always had a big laugh.
My sympathies to his family. May God grant him eternal rest and let perpetual light shine upon him.
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-How about Franklin winning the Class AAA boys state basketball championship! The Knights have two local residents happy with their achievement, yours truly and my Franklin High classmate, Rev. Jim Seefried of Uniontown, who was a player away back then. We can remember some longgggg seasons. Right, Jim?