Reaves H. "Ribs" Baysinger
Football, 1924
1995 Posthumous Award
1995 Posthumous Award
A 1924 Syracuse University graduate, Ribs lettered in football in 1921, 1922, and 1923. Following graduation he coaches and taught in Norwich, New York but returned to his alma mater in 1928 and stayed two decades.
From 1928 to 1948 he served the SU Athletic Department as a coach, educator, administrator and mentor. Ribs was the successful coach of numerous undefeated freshman football, basketball and baseball teams. He was director of freshman athletics under coaches Lew Andreas, Vic Hanson, Ossie Solem and Biggie Munn.
Many SU alumni and friends such as John Connor, Ken Beehner, Charlse McPhail, Ed Jontos, Geoorge Perrault Jr., John Hordines, “Bunky” Morris, Erni Alther, Toots Mirabito, Phil Johnson, Leo Canale, Phil Allen, Red Heater, Les Dye and Arnie Burdick have spken highly of Ribs, describing him as a truly outstanding coach, human being and gentleman. Ribs influenced the lives of hundreds of young Syracuse athletes in positive ways. His caring, teaching, counseling and strong character building inspired respect and admiration from student-athletes whose lives he touched.
Ribs was SU’s head football coach in 1947 and 1948. From 1950 to 1954 he worked at the University of New Mexico in similar athletic capacities. From 1955 until his retirement Ribs was director of admissions at the Bolles School in Jacksonville, Florida.
He died at the age of 92 in December 1994 and is survived by a son, Dr. Robert Baysinger of Rochester, New York.
