One of Philip Barbour High School’s most fondly remembered staff members, Russell Wagner joined the PB faculty in 1973. Previously, after earning his Education degree in the late 1940’s, he taught at one-room schools such as Mt. Beulah, Mt. Liberty and East Bend. Russ went on to serve as principal/teacher at Pt. Pleasant Grade School until 1960, when he moved on to Belington Junior High through 1973, where he was a math and social studies instructor and coached both football and basketball.
Mr. Wagner moved on to PBHS in the fall of 1973, anchoring the social studies department and assisted as coach in the Colt football and baseball programs, along with freshman basketball. He was named head basketball coach in 1975 and remained in that post until 1983, when he assumed the duties of athletic director until his retirement from four decades of service to local youth in 1989. Russell Wagner was later honored as West Virginia’s Retired Coach of the Year in 1999.
On the way to his career as an educator, Russ enrolled at Alderson-Broaddus College at the young age of 16 and played basketball under the legendary coach, Rex Pyles. A year later, he was eligible to join the Army Air Force, where he served as a corporal from 1944-46 on a crew that brought WWII soldiers home while being stationed in India, Egypt, France and Germany.
Following his service, Russell returned to his studies at AB, playing baseball this time for Coach Pyles. During the 1950’s he played baseball for Mt. Liberty and the well-known Philippi Red Sox in the Tri-State League. He was known as “Kiner” during this period in tribute to the Pirate slugger and his long, majestic home runs.
A farmer who raised Hereford cattle, Russell Wagner was also active in the community throughout adulthood, helping organize the area’s first Little League program in 1967, serving on the Barbour County Fair Board and presiding as President of the Mt. Liberty Community Improvement Association. He was an elder at the Barbour Church of Christ and led in the formation of its youth camp in 1981.
A patriarch in a family of educators, Russ married Mary Lou Stalnaker in 1946, and during their 53 years of marriage, the couple had six children, three of whom have entered the field of education, in addition to two grandchildren.
Mr. Wagner moved on to PBHS in the fall of 1973, anchoring the social studies department and assisted as coach in the Colt football and baseball programs, along with freshman basketball. He was named head basketball coach in 1975 and remained in that post until 1983, when he assumed the duties of athletic director until his retirement from four decades of service to local youth in 1989. Russell Wagner was later honored as West Virginia’s Retired Coach of the Year in 1999.
On the way to his career as an educator, Russ enrolled at Alderson-Broaddus College at the young age of 16 and played basketball under the legendary coach, Rex Pyles. A year later, he was eligible to join the Army Air Force, where he served as a corporal from 1944-46 on a crew that brought WWII soldiers home while being stationed in India, Egypt, France and Germany.
Following his service, Russell returned to his studies at AB, playing baseball this time for Coach Pyles. During the 1950’s he played baseball for Mt. Liberty and the well-known Philippi Red Sox in the Tri-State League. He was known as “Kiner” during this period in tribute to the Pirate slugger and his long, majestic home runs.
A farmer who raised Hereford cattle, Russell Wagner was also active in the community throughout adulthood, helping organize the area’s first Little League program in 1967, serving on the Barbour County Fair Board and presiding as President of the Mt. Liberty Community Improvement Association. He was an elder at the Barbour Church of Christ and led in the formation of its youth camp in 1981.
A patriarch in a family of educators, Russ married Mary Lou Stalnaker in 1946, and during their 53 years of marriage, the couple had six children, three of whom have entered the field of education, in addition to two grandchildren.