'Pappy' Boulton built successful career as a coach

Before Oakmont High School football standout Don “Pappy” Boulton knew he had a future in coaching, he spent his youth idolizing coaches that he one day would model himself after.

“I looked up to coaches that took a total interest in the players,” he said. “That's the way (I) coached, and that was the influence that we had.”

Boulton will share the stage with seven other former local standout athletes as the 48th class of the Alle-Kiski Valley Sports Hall of Fame will be inducted May 20 at New Kensington's Quality Inn.

“It's one of the greatest honors that I've received,” Boulton said. “I've been honored before, and, to me, joining people that I have so much respect for in my high school coach Elmer “Tuggles” Gross and my friend Chuck Wagner is a highlight of my career.”

Boulton's post-high school plans nearly were cemented in the ninth grade — only Boulton wouldn't know it until three years later. In an effort to gain an extra year of high school football eligibility, Boulton and Wagner conspired to fail ninth-grade.

The plan sounded great but failed when they showed up to the first day of practice their senior year at Oakmont and were told they were ineligible.

While the scheme to extend their high school careers by one season failed, Boulton and Wagner moved on to The Kiski School where they starred as football captains. After one season, Boulton left to play college football for Louisville as a tackle on the same team as Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback and fellow Western Pennsylvania native Johnny Unitas. It was Unitas who convinced Boulton, who was home sick, to stay and play for the Cardinals.

“We had a heck of a bond,” Boulton said about his relationship with Unitas. “It was a great experience, and for that reason alone I wanted to go back but got in trouble with the (Army) reserves.

Uncle Sam came calling during the height of the Korean conflict, and Boulton enlisted in the Air Force, brining an abrupt halt to his college football aspirations — for the moment.

“It's funny how life comes about,” Boulton said.

It was at an air base in South Korea where Boulton began to shape himself into a coach. Boulton put together a football team and acted as a player/coach. He led his team against other military units and came posted a 12-0 record. It was Boulton's first taste of success as a coach, and he was hooked.

“It turned out to be one of the greatest things I ever did,” he said. “It was the beginning of my coaching career.”

His coaching career would have to wait. After three-and-half years in the Air Force, Boulton was released from his military commitment and enrolled at Slippery Rock, where he starred at offensive and defensive tackle. That is where he earned the nickname “Pappy.”

Showing up at SRU as hardened war veteran, Boulton was the “old guy” on the team, and when his first child, Donald, was born the team rallied to support their teammate.”

“All the players received two pints of milk in the chow hall for lunch, and they would save a pint for ‘Pappy's kids,' ” said Boulton. “It stuck, and I had a lot nicknames.”

After graduating from college, Boulton taught at East Deer High School. In his second year there, Boulton took over as the varsity football coach and eventually started a varsity volleyball program.

“I was gung ho,” Boulton said. “I made the football players play. It was good for the kids and turned out to be great because we had a lot of success.”

Boulton moved on to West Deer High School to coach varsity football and start another volleyball program. It was at West Deer where Boulton earned one of his most memorable wins against his longtime friend Wagner. Wagner led his undefeated Oakmont team to West Deer for a nonconference game but lost 12-6.

Boulton and Wagner came together as coaches to lead an underdog Springdale team over Sto-Rox, 30-13, to win the 2003 WPIAL Class A championship.

“It was a dream, and it was one of the biggest thrills that we ever had,” Boulton said. “We looked at one another at Heinz Field, and without saying a word we said we did it.”

William Whalen is a freelance writer.