[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 51 (Thursday, March 18, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E271-E272]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   RECOGNIZING THE 90TH BIRTHDAY OF LEGENDARY FOOTBALL COACH RICHARD 
                            ``SPARKY'' ADAMS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BRIAN HIGGINS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 18, 2021

  Mr. HIGGINS of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize a 
legendary football coach Richard ``Sparky'' Adams, Sr. Mr. Adams was 
born March 24, to Lee and Josephine Adams. The three-sport athlete 
graduated from Silver Creek High School before majoring in physical 
education at Brockport State. After securing his college degree during

[[Page E272]]

the Korean War, ``Sparky'' enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserves and was 
assigned to the USS Randolph as a signalman.
  Rising to the rank of Ensign 3rd Class, his fourteen months on the 
USS Randolph came to an end in the summer of 1954. On returning home, 
Richard Adams began teaching physical education and coaching football 
as well as basketball at Monroe High School. In 1956, he started 
teaching physical education for the Kenmore public schools, started at 
Kenmore East in 1959, totaling 30 years of teaching in the Kenmore-Town 
of Tonawanda School District.
  ``Sparky'' and Jean Rathmann met in 1955, married in 1956, and spent 
the next sixty-four years together until her passing last year. Their 
three children, Richard Jr., Penny Jo, and Amy Leigh, as always, took 
solace in their father's weirds: ``if you get knocked down, pick 
yourself up and try to do better next time.''
  ``Sparky'' and Jean had connected immediately; not only did they 
marry after ten months, but she became a frequent confidant for his 
coaching schemes. With the assistance of his wife and the legend Jules 
Yakapovich, Coach Adams became a legend in his own right when he 
concluded his high school coaching in 1977 with four consecutive league 
championships.
  His resume also includes hundreds of college athletes and college 
football coaching offers. In fact, he would go on to coach Buffalo, 
Canisius, and eventually Buffalo State, where he paired with head coach 
Jerry Boyes to end his college coaching tenure like his high school 
career; the Bengals went deep into the playoffs and ensured ``The 
Legend'' went into retirement with a bang. He retired at age 70 but 
continued his tour of local football teams as an assistant coach at 
Benjamin Franklin Middle School alongside his best friend and coach Lou 
Reuter.
  Coach Adams may have sparked many of his athletes' and students' 
careers, but the soon-to-be nonagenarian also molded their morals with 
his mentorship. The sailor from Silver Creek made such a mark that his 
name is now emblazoned on Kenmore East's football field--Coach Dick 
``Sparky'' Adams Field will remind future athletes of the coach who 
cared more for character and confidence than championships.
  Richard Towne Adams, Sr. went by many names--Ensign to the Navy; 
teacher to his students; coach to his athletes; husband to Jean; and 
father to three. But perhaps there's just one name that can encapsulate 
what he meant to everyone he met and to those who didn't get the 
pleasure: Happy 90th to ``The Legend'' Sparky Adams.

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