Heidelberg Athletics Hall of Fame
Charles M. Prugh entered Heidelberg College the fall of 1924. During his four years on College Hill, Prugh excelled in basketball, track and tennis, which was a bit of a surprise to some. It wasn't that Charles Prugh wasn't an excellent athlete, he was. It was just that he never participated in athletics while in high school.
He made up for lost time when he got to Heidelberg, however. A three-year letter winner on the hardwood, Prugh was a constant threat. The 1929 Aurora described "Churdy" by saying, "His ability to score baskets was the big feature in Charlie's career." During his three years of varsity action, Prugh helped lead the tricolor to a 18-18 record, including back-to-back finishes of 8-4.
When basketball season ended, Prugh turned his attention to the tennis courts. Charles Prugh was consistently commended for the class that he displayed on the court, and following his senior year, Charlie was elected honorary captain for his play.
The track program at Heidelberg was very underdeveloped at this time, but Prugh spent two years on the cinders aiding Heidelberg. Athletics were not the only activities that Charles Prugh was heavily involved in, however.
During his four years at Heidelberg, "Churdy" found time for the Aptonalton Society, the Acro Club, the History Club, the Ministerial Association, the Gospel Team, and Dramatics.
Following his graduation in 1928, Prugh stayed just as busy. After graduating from the Princeton Theological Seminary in 1931, Charles served at the Zion Reformed Church in Decatur, Illinois, for ten years. A stint as U.S. Army Chaplain followed, before Prugh returned to Heidelberg College in 1946 as Dean of Men. He stayed at Heidelberg until his retirement in 1976, during which time he served as Head of the German Department and founded Heidelberg's Junior Year Abroad Program.
Deceased, Prugh's wife, the former Mary Cosner, a 1928 Heidelberg graduate, resided in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
(This profile appeared in the 1989 Hall of Fame Banquet program. Â Mr. Prugh passed away in 1981.)
