This weekend, my father was inducted into the Naples (NY) Athletics Hall of Fame. I feel very blessed and proud to be his son. Heres the testimonial: Frank Reddout (by Ian Liebentritt) As a basketball player for Naples Central School, Frank Reddout’s career is unparalleled. He is the only player in Naples basketball history to make a Division I squad, as well as the only player from Naples to make the NBA. Before these accomplishments, he set many school records and was the centerpiece for arguably the greatest season in Naples basketball history. He began his varsity career as a sophomore during the 1946-47 season, in which he scored 174 points and averaged 10.4 PPG. Although the number may only seem to be good now and not spectacular, he was the first player since 1933 to average in double figures. Although the team failed to make sectionals that season, Reddout led Naples that season to their first winning season since 1942. The next season, the team made sectionals with a 17-1 record, resulting in their first Finger Lakes B-C-D title. However, the team with which they shared the title, Clifton Springs, knocked off Naples in their first sectional game. Reddout’s senior season was among the greatest individual seasons in Naples history. He scored 366 points, resulting in a 16.6 PPG average. This shattered the previous record of 10.8, and marked the first time in Naples basketball history in which a player scored over 300 points for the Naples varsity. During a late-season game at Manchester, Reddout scored 34 points, which set a new record for most points in a contest. Most importantly, however, he led Naples to their first sectional title in basketball. The Big Green finished 22-0 that season, and outscored their opponents by an average of 26 points per game – an outrageous total even by today’s standards. After Naples, Reddout moved on to Syracuse University, where he received a basketball scholarship. After serving as a key reserve during his sophomore season, he became a standout during his junior and senior seasons. During a game against Temple in 1952, he snatched 34 rebounds. This still stands as a single-game record for the Orange today, even as teams that regularly compete for the National Championship grace the floor today. Reddout was ultimately drafted by the NBA’s Rochester Royals, making him the only player from Naples to be drafted for one of the “Big Four” professional sports. After having played in eight games in the 1953-54 season, he was drafted by the military, abruptly ending his career. Reddout became a teacher at Newark High School and coached basketball as well as baseball. He was also a longtime Section V official for basketball games.
Posted on: Sun, 21 Sep 2014 23:02:00 +0000
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