Posted on Mar 1, 1994

Sigmund “Sig” Makofski '26, one of the outstanding athletes in the history of the College and a high school coaching legend, died January 15. He was eighty-nine.

A native of Schenectady, Makofski was a first-team All American in basketball in 1925-26 and an honorable mention in football in 1925. He was a member of Phi Sigma Kappa and also played baseball.

He began coaching basketball at Schenectady High School after his graduation, and moved to Mont Pleasant High School when it opened in 1931. By the time he retired from coaching in 1952, his teams had compiled a record of 461-35, with six undefeated seasons.

Makofski was known for his inventiveness, competitive drive, and insistence that his players conduct themselves in a sportsmanlike manner. His record and his coaching innovations earned him induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass.

He also coached Mont Pleasant football teams, leaving with a record of 418-3, and was the school's golf coach for thirty years. An avid golfer, he at one time or another held fourteen local course records and won the New York State Senior Tournament in 1961. He retired as Mont Pleasant's athletic director in 1963.

He served one term on the Schenectady City Council and also was a member of the city's Municipal Housing Authority, Recreation Commission, and Golfing Commission.

In 1981, the College awarded him the honorary degree of Doctor of Pedagogy. The Sigmund Makofski Scholarship Fund was established by friends and admirers of the renowned coach; the scholarship is presented annually to a Union student from Schenectady County who has displayed outstanding character and established a record of achievement in extracurricular activities. Contributions may be made to the scholarship fund.

He is survived by his wife, Barbara, of Clearwater, Fla.