Denny - Glory Days Indiana

Copyright 2006, 2011 by Dick Denny

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file

ISBN: 978-1-61321-121-2

To my late wife Arlene, who grew to love Indiana high school basketball as much as I do. She enjoyed sitting in Hinkle Fieldhouse during the state tournament finals with the other wives of the Indianapolis News sports staff members. Arlene was my constant support throughout a long and rewarding journey through Hoosier Hysteria, which is without equal anywhere in the country.

And to the rest of my family: Chris, who cherishes the letter he received from Bob Knight after expressing disappointment that his favorite coach was no longer at his alma materIndiana University; Sean, who learned so many valuable lessons through his association with the staff and membership at Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel; Tim, a far better catcher than his dad ever was while at North Central High School and IUPUI; and Shannon, who thrilled her mother as a North Central Panther guard for basketball coach Chuck Boehlke.

Thanks kids. You made it easy for your father to complete this tribute to the Glory Days of some of Indianas finest all-time high school stars.

Respectfully, Dick Denny

I have been to the National Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts; the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York; and the National Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. To say that the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in New Castle compares favorably to these three is an enormous understatement. It is a gem at any level, high school, college or the pros.

Executive Director of the Indiana Hall of Fame Roger Dickinson, his fine staff, and the Halls many volunteers made me feel at home the minute I stepped into the facility. I owe them a huge debt of gratitude for assisting in my research for this book.

For answering all of my questions I owe special thanks to Pat Aikman, Indiana All-Star game director for the series with Kentucky, and to Joe Gentry, public relations director for the Indiana High School Athletic Association.

Herb Schwomeyers Hoosier Hysteria book and Total Basketball: The Ultimate Basketball Encyclopedia were vitally important sources of information. I thank the sports information offices at Indiana State University, the University of Evansville, Purdue University, Indiana University, the University of Louisville, North Carolina State University, and the University of North Carolina. And a special thank you to Susan Davis, university archivist at Indiana State.

Bob Hammel, a former colleague of mine at the Indianapolis News sports department before he became the sports editor of the Bloomington Herald- Telephone, has always been someone I go to for advice about journalistic matters. He read several of my chapters and advised me to go forward as swiftly as possible with Glory Days. I thank him for his valued friendship and encouragement.

And to David Woods of the Indianapolis Star, also a former colleague of mine at the News. Thanks for encouraging me to tackle this project back in the fall of 2004. It has been a challenge and a joy.

Indiana high school basketball is by far the states most productive source of legends. Since the statewide tournament began nearly a full century ago, players from all parts of Hoosierland have been showing off their best. In the decade that started with the selection of the first Indiana high school basketball champion (1911), the tournament spotlighted the sports first truly great big man, Homer Stonebraker of Wingates back-to-back champions in 1913 and 1914; and another name never removed from all-time-best consideration, Fuzzy Vandivier of Franklins three-time-champion Wonder Five. Star production never slowed in Indiana high school basketball.

This book introduces some of those more modern legendary stars to a new generation of readership, while allowing some of those other generations to renew their familiarity with stars of their own day. It even gives those who thought they knew about some of them a look at their lives that isnt so generally familiar.

You know, for example, of Carl Erskine, Indianas contribution to the pitching staff of the 1940s and 50s Brooklyn Dodgers teams given their own niche of immortality by Roger Kahns all-time bestseller, The Boys of Summer. You know of his world series-record 13-strikeout game13 Mickey Mantle-era Yankees in 1953and of the man Brooklyn lovingly called Oiskin who pitched two no-hit games. Read inside these pages and youll know much more about the basketball Carl Erskine, from Anderson High, and the post-baseball Carl, a growingly more admirable man as he advances in years.

Therell be no cherry-picking here, no more picking out of a choice name or two. There are nuggets for you to find in every onetime Hoosier star whom Dick has brought back here for an encore.

The neat thing is we poets of the press box will never run out of personalities to introduce and re-introduce to you. But few will ever do it with the entertaining touch and the grace of Dick Denny, in the stories he gives you here.

I dont have to say, Enjoy!

You will.

Year graduated
1969

Major accomplishments
Scored a record 148 points in the final four games of the 69 state tournament; First Indiana high school player to score more than 1,000 points (1,019) in a season; Set the record of 53 points and 31 rebounds in the second game of the Indiana-Kentucky All-Star series; Mr. Basketball; Named one of Indianas all-time 50 best players in 1999; Named a Living Legend by the Indiana Historical Society; Indiana Basketball Hall of Famer

G eorge McGinnis, whose retired No. 30 Indiana Pacers jersey hangs from the Conseco Fieldhouse rafters in Indianapolis, vividly remembers looking up at his 6-foot-7 father, Burnie, as a young boy, and listening to him talk about the Attucks High School team that won successive state championships in 1955 and 56.

I didnt really understand the implications of what it all meant, admits the 6-foot-8, 235-pounder who became Indiana Mr. Basketball in 1969 after helping Washington High School become the third team to win the state championship with an unbeaten record.