Jack Faust
Faust was best known as a pass grabber deluxe on the Bedford football team in the mid 1940s. The speedy graceful Faust earned seven letters, four in football and three in basketball, before he graduated in 1947.
In 1943, as a freshman Jack was just learning the grid game, but he earned position as end on the varsity team. The following year as a sophomore, he was again a starting end and made the Johnstown Tribune All-Star Team honorable mention list.
But the best was just beginning. In 1945 the football team went undefeated and was ranked seventh in the state. Faust was the leading scorer on the team with 15 touchdowns. He was voted to the first team Johnstown Tribune All-Star Team. He was the first player from Bedford County to make the all-state team when he was named to the Associated Press
All-State First Team as an end. Bud Fisher, the halfback who threw the football to Jack, was named to the second team all-state team.
In 1946, Faust, Fisher and many of the other starters on the undefeated 1945 team were back. The team finished 7-2, due in part to bad luck and to injuries. Jack again was voted onto the Johnstown Tribune All-Star Team as a first team end. He also made the Associated Press third team. Jack became the first and only Bedford County player to be recognized as Associated Press All-State for two years when there was only one football classification.
Faust was also a very good basketball player. He was a three year starter and was not eligible his senior year because he reached the age of 19 before the season started. In the 1944-45 season, Bedford played Altoona for the first time in basketball. Bedford trailed Altoona 33-32 with little time to play when Bedford stole the ball. Bud Fisher hit Faust with a long pass and Faust made the shot to lift Bedford to the 34-33 win. This is Bedford's only win over Altoona in basketball.
In the 1945-46 season, Jack was a part of the "terrific trio": Faust, Bud Fisher, and Charles Watters.
They led Bedford to the District 5 championship and played Altoona in the inter-district playoffs. The game was played at the Jaffa Mosque in Altoona before over 5,000 fans. The game was close until Altoona pulled away in the fourth quarter.
According to an article in the September 9, 1960, Bedford Gazette, the same combination of Faust and Fisher were all-state in basketball in the same year (1945-46) as they were all-state in football, except in reverse roles. Fisher made the first team All-State Basketball Team and Faust was named to the second team.
On the other side, outside of sports, Jack was president of the school's student council, treasurer of the senior class, homeroom president, and head of the school chorus.
After graduating from high school, Faust played semi-pro football with the Bedford Blue Devils. He was a pitcher and outfielder for the Redbirds in the Bedford Independent Softball League (ISL). The ISL is a fast-pitch softball league established in 1953 and the league is still active today playing at Schellsburg. The Redbirds, made up mostly of football players, won six regular season or playoff titles in their six years of existence from 1953-58. Jack was in the top 10 each year in batting average.
Jack passed away on January 25, 2002. He left behind three children; Kathie, Jackie, and Andy; 11 grandchildren; and 7 great grandchildren and 2 step great grandchildren.
Faust was best known as a pass grabber deluxe on the Bedford football team in the mid 1940s. The speedy graceful Faust earned seven letters, four in football and three in basketball, before he graduated in 1947.
In 1943, as a freshman Jack was just learning the grid game, but he earned position as end on the varsity team. The following year as a sophomore, he was again a starting end and made the Johnstown Tribune All-Star Team honorable mention list.
But the best was just beginning. In 1945 the football team went undefeated and was ranked seventh in the state. Faust was the leading scorer on the team with 15 touchdowns. He was voted to the first team Johnstown Tribune All-Star Team. He was the first player from Bedford County to make the all-state team when he was named to the Associated Press
All-State First Team as an end. Bud Fisher, the halfback who threw the football to Jack, was named to the second team all-state team.
In 1946, Faust, Fisher and many of the other starters on the undefeated 1945 team were back. The team finished 7-2, due in part to bad luck and to injuries. Jack again was voted onto the Johnstown Tribune All-Star Team as a first team end. He also made the Associated Press third team. Jack became the first and only Bedford County player to be recognized as Associated Press All-State for two years when there was only one football classification.
Faust was also a very good basketball player. He was a three year starter and was not eligible his senior year because he reached the age of 19 before the season started. In the 1944-45 season, Bedford played Altoona for the first time in basketball. Bedford trailed Altoona 33-32 with little time to play when Bedford stole the ball. Bud Fisher hit Faust with a long pass and Faust made the shot to lift Bedford to the 34-33 win. This is Bedford's only win over Altoona in basketball.
In the 1945-46 season, Jack was a part of the "terrific trio": Faust, Bud Fisher, and Charles Watters.
They led Bedford to the District 5 championship and played Altoona in the inter-district playoffs. The game was played at the Jaffa Mosque in Altoona before over 5,000 fans. The game was close until Altoona pulled away in the fourth quarter.
According to an article in the September 9, 1960, Bedford Gazette, the same combination of Faust and Fisher were all-state in basketball in the same year (1945-46) as they were all-state in football, except in reverse roles. Fisher made the first team All-State Basketball Team and Faust was named to the second team.
On the other side, outside of sports, Jack was president of the school's student council, treasurer of the senior class, homeroom president, and head of the school chorus.
After graduating from high school, Faust played semi-pro football with the Bedford Blue Devils. He was a pitcher and outfielder for the Redbirds in the Bedford Independent Softball League (ISL). The ISL is a fast-pitch softball league established in 1953 and the league is still active today playing at Schellsburg. The Redbirds, made up mostly of football players, won six regular season or playoff titles in their six years of existence from 1953-58. Jack was in the top 10 each year in batting average.
Jack passed away on January 25, 2002. He left behind three children; Kathie, Jackie, and Andy; 11 grandchildren; and 7 great grandchildren and 2 step great grandchildren.
Class of 2007
Bedford County Sports Hall of Fame
Bedford County, Pennsylvania
Bedford County, Pennsylvania