HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Dick Strano was a great athlete, coach and businessman who touched many lives in the sports world. It was little surprise Wednesday when the old Sport Shack business on Main Street, which he owned and ran for 38 years, was filled to capacity as friends, family, coaches and players took time to remember him.

Dick Westphal and his jewelry store were just a few doors down from the Sport Shack. Westphal talked about how people came from all over to buy sporting goods from the Sport Shack:

 

 

Family friend and longtime Sport Shack employee Greg Munds shared the immense respect coaches, players, and customers had for Strano.

 

 

Strano was a successful coach and businessman, but he was also a great athlete in his hometown of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. Longtime area basketball coach Phil Anderson recalled the time former Detroit Pistons hall of fame coach Chuck Daly — during an interview on ESPN — talked about one of the toughest players he ever coached:

 

 

Pastor Matt Stafford, who was coached by Strano, officiated the ceremony and also took time to sing the popular sports song “Put Me In Coach”. Dick Strano died March 8 at the age of 73. Memorials may be made to the Dick Strano Fund, which will be used to benefit a variety of youth athletic programs throughout Reno County.