Temple’s Fran Dunphy To Shave 40-Year-Old Mustache In Honor Of Player’s Graduation

The most famous mustache in Philadelphia sports will soon meet it demise.

Temple University announced Tuesday that basketball coach Fran Dunphy will shave his mustache in honor of former player Dionte Christmas’ graduation. The historic trim will take place Thursday, with Christmas in attendance.

According to Temple’s release, Dunphy hasn’t had a clean upper lip in 40 years, when his coaching career first began as an assistant at West Point. Since then, Dunphy’s facial hair has been held in high regard, and was arguably the key ingredient to all his coaching success at Penn from 1989-2006 and then at Temple. (Don’t try to argue it, though.)

In 2002, while Dunphy was at Penn, several men (and women) donned fake mustaches and posed as the head coach on the Palestra court during a break in the game. Dunphy said afterwards it was a very handsome group.

Dunphy (see photo) did not have a mustache as player with La Salle. He helped lead the Explorers to a 23-1 record as a junior and was a co-captain as a senior, when he averaged 18.6 points per game and led the team in assists.

He graduated La Salle in 1970 and began his coaching career as an assistant at Army in 1971.

Sadly, Dunphy’s mustache will soon no longer be with us. But it will certainly go down in history as one of the best in Philly sports, alongside Mike Schmidt, Sal Fasano and whoever else we forgot. One can only hope Dunph’s mustache is destined for its own display at the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Temple’s Fran Dunphy To Shave 40-Year-Old Mustache In Honor Of Player’s Graduation

CSNPhilly.com, Dave Zeitlin

http://www.csnphilly.com/ncaa/news/Dunphy-to-shave-Phillys-most-famous-stac?blockID=572070&feedID=704

The most famous mustache in Philadelphia sports will soon meet it demise. Temple University announced Tuesday that basketball coach Fran Dunphy will shave his mustache in honor of former player Dionte Christmas’ graduation. The historic trim will take place Thursday, with Christmas in attendance. According to Temple’s release, Dunphy hasn’t had a clean upper lip in 40 years, when his coaching career first began as an assistant at West Point. Since then, Dunphy’s facial hair has been held in high regard, and was arguably the key ingredient to all his coaching success at Penn from 1989-2006 and then at Temple. (Don’t try to argue it, though.) In 2002, while Dunphy was at Penn, several men (and women) donned fake mustaches and posed as the head coach on the Palestra court during a break in the game. Dunphy said afterwards it was a very handsome group. Dunphy (see photo) did not have a mustache as player with La Salle. He helped lead the Explorers to a 23-1 record as a junior and was a co-captain as a senior, when he averaged 18.6 points per game and led the team in assists. He graduated La Salle in 1970 and began his coaching career as an assistant at Army in 1971. Sadly, Dunphy’s mustache will soon no longer be with us. But it will certainly go down in history as one of the best in Philly sports, alongside Mike Schmidt, Sal Fasano and whoever else we forgot. One can only hope Dunph’s mustache is destined for its own display at the Basketball Hall of Fame.