‘Athletic junkie’ heading to Hall
This is the 10th in a series of articles profiling the 2022 inductees into the Butler County Sports Hall of Fame
GROVE CITY — He was a standout basketball player and coach, coached football, started up teams, served as a league president and manager, along with becoming a PIAA basketball official.
“I’m a bit of an athletic junkie,” Dennis Barger said. “I’ve been into sports in just about every way possible.”
Now he will be in the Butler County Sports Hall of Fame. Barger will be one of 12 individuals inducted at the organization’s annual banquet at 6 p.m. Sept. 24 at the Lyndora American Legion hall.
He was an assistant coach on the 1972 Karns City state runner-up boys basketball team that was inducted last year. That team finished 30-2.
“I thought that’d be it for me with the Hall of Fame, going in as part of that team,” Barger said. “To go in as an individual like this is a thrill for me.”
A 1961 Karns City graduate, Barger was second in the county in scoring during his senior high school basketball season — trailing only Dick Madison of Moniteau — and set the single-game scoring record of 39 points at KC. He scored more than 400 points that season.
“That 39-point game came against East Brady,” Barger said. “We had a big lead and I was taken out with two minutes left in the third quarter. I wanted to stay in and score more, of course, but it was the right thing to do.
“You don’t want to be greedy, but scoring 50 points in s game prior to the 3-point line going in would have been something.”
Barger was recruited to play basketball at Edinboro by Coach Loyal Parks, who knew him from when Barger played against Evans City. He was also recruited to play baseball at Indiana (Pa.) University.
He didn’t accept either opportunity.
“College just wasn’t for me,” he said.
But coaching and organizing were.
After playing Butler Pony League and Prep League baseball for coach “Doggie” Cavalero — Barger pitched and Butler County Sports Hall of Famer Dave McKinnis was his catcher — Barger embarked upon a long coaching career. He also pitched for Fairview in the competitive Butler County League and won a couple of league titles during that time. He was the youngest pitcher in the league for two years.
Barger’s coaching career spanned 27 years. He was an assistant football coach at Karns City for four years and head coach for one. He was an assistant boys basketball coach with the Gremlins for six seasons.
“Wayne Greiser took the head basketball coaching job and he and I were good friends,” Barger said. “Wayne asked if I’d help him out. I loved coaching. It wasn’t the wins and losses as much as it was the friendships I made and the privilege of being able to impact young people’s lives.
“I had some great coaches when I played. I know how they impacvted my life. That’s something I always wanted to do.”
Barger went on to become Karns City's varsity girls basketball coach for 10 years, putting together eight winning seasons. He started the district’s elementary girls basketball program and midget league football in Karns City.
“We had no money, no equipment, but we did fundraisers and got midget football going,.” he said. “Petrolia and Chicora were our teams. We made it work.
“Karissa Kusick, Courtnay Rattigan, those girls who won the state basketball title in 2000, got their start in that elementary program. That meant a lot to me.”
Barger also served as president of the Petroleum Valley Little League, managed the Petrolia Valley Pony League squsd and helped get a Pony League field built in Karns City. He also managed the Heckett Prep League team for five years, winning two league championships.
He served as a PIAA basketball official from 1974 through 1984.
“I loved working with kids,” Barger said. “That was the favorite part of my career.”
Tickets for the banquet are $30 in advance and are available at Parker Appliance in Chicora, Saxonburg Drug, the Butler Radio Network, Maddalon Jewelers in Zelienople and at www.bcshof.com. Tickets will be $35 at the door.
