The coach of Aliquippa High School’s
first state basketball team,
Sam Milanovich was inducted into the Beaver County Sports Hall of Fame with one of his stars,
Dr James Frank.
Sam himself
starred in both basketball and baseball at Aliquippa High and helped
the Quips reach the WPIAL basketball finals during his senior season
in 1937. He was a varsity star under Coach
Nate Lippe for four years
and served as team captain in 1937. Sam played his college
basketball at the University of Pittsburgh under the famed Coach HC
(Doc) Carlson and captained the Panthers for three years, leading
them to the 1941 NCAA semifinals as a senior. After graduating from
Pitt, Sam coached basketball at both Beaver and Aliquippa High
Schools, capping his career by leading the Quips to their first state title in
1949. He left coaching and entered the administrative field
in 1954 as principal of Aliquippa High School and became
superintendent of Aliquippa Schools. Sam was named
supervising principal of Coraopolis schools in 1966 and
superintendent of Cornell School District in 1972 before
retiring in 1981. His son,
Sam Jr,
and his brother,
Fred,
are also members of the Beaver County Sports Hall of Fame.
The coach of Aliquippa High School’s
first state basketball team,
Sam Milanovich was inducted into the Beaver County Sports Hall of Fame with one of his stars,