Hubert Wiley "Cuby" Kitchens came to WT from Childress High School in the fall of 1946 and became a part of the "sizzlin' frosh" team that went 30-3. He then played three years on the varsity with a combined record of 46-31.
As a sophomore he was a teammate of Boyce Box. The WT annual describes Kitchens' junior year as being a part of the "rush `em and wreck `em" type of platoon basketball - "a tall combination plus a little fast team." He was named to the All-Star team of the Enid, Oklahoma Intercollegiate Tournament, when the Buffs won the first place trophy.
Kitchens' senior year of 1949-50 produced a 19-10 record and third place in the Border Conference, which included a three-game sweep over Texas Tech. In the regional playoffs, WT defeated Texas Wesleyan, 72-55 in the last home played at Burton Gymnasium before the Buffs moved to the new WT Field House, before losing at East Texas State, 56-53.
He was named first-team All-Border Conference and team captain as a senior, Most Valuable Player as a junior, and averaged more than 12 points per game during his WT career.
Kitchens received his Bachelor's of Science degree in physical education in May 1951, and he also received his Master's of Education from WT in August 1956. He began his coaching career at White Deer, Texas before serving in the U.S. Navy from 1952-54. After an honorable discharge he coached at Groom, Texas and then moved to Hereford, Texas, where he coached football, golf, and basketball for 30 years. Kitchens led the Whitefaces to the state finals in basketball in 1957. He then moved into junior high school administration for four years and retired in 1989.
From 1985 to 2003, he was the color commentator for Hereford football on KPAN. Kitchens also was honored by the City of Hereford on "Cuby" Kitchens Day for his years of coaching at the high school. He even played one year of baseball for the Amarillo Gold Sox.
