60 - Inside Sports

Tuesday, February 23, 1960
Sports Editor
The Daily Times
New Philadelphia, Ohio



THE TOURNAMENT TRAIL has been an exciting one thus far, while other indications are that more of the same is set in stone.  The semi-final rounds in the county event on Friday night will feature the Tuscarawas Broncos and the Tuscarawas Valley Trojans squaring off, while the Garaway Pirates and Strasburg Tigers clash in the other bracket.  Although the Trojans and the Pirates are the favorites, having whipped both foes in regular season, the aroused play of the underdogs this far point to top notch contests.

Following the opening round in the non-county event tonight, in which the Dennison Railroaders and Dover St. Joseph Ramblers clash, the winner is set to clash with the Dennison St. Mary Blue Waves on Thursday.  St. Mary is the favorite, having ended regular season with a 16-1 record and the best in school history.  The finals could nevertheless be a thrilling one on Thursday, especially if Dennison  should come through tonight, pitting the 2 village rivals.

INSIDE BASKETBALL - Two Tuscarawas County Tournament scoring records appear pretty safe for another year.  The 50-point spree by Ed Bates of the Port Washington Purple Riders in 1957 and Port Washington's 108 points the same year against the Baltic Eagles are the standing marks.  Jim Bender, who burned the nets for Port last Friday night for 37 points offered a great bid; however, the 120 points registered by the Conotton Valley Saturday night in its season finale against the Hopedale Comets is believed to be the 2nd best team effort in history for this area.  The all-time high is 123 points chalked up by the Baltic Eagles against the Dundee Bulldogs in 1956.

THE FALL OF THE MIDVALE BLUE DEVILS from county play last Friday resulted in our stating it was the 1st time they had been eliminated in the 1st game of tournament play in 17 years.  Some disputed this by stating they had lost the 1st game only a couple of years ago.  This is true.  But, it should be noted we said "eliminated", not beaten.  According to our records, which go back through the 1938 season, Midvale has lost only 7 times in the last 23 seasons in the very 1st tournament game.  And only in the 1943 season, when they lost the opener, was there no Consolation bracket to go into.

It was also revealed, in the research that in those 23 seasons, Midvale has made it to the State finals 3 times, as far as the Regionals 6 times and out of county play into the Sectional 15 times.  It will be odd indeed this week-end when the Blue Devils of Midvale are not represented at the Sectional pairings.  But, it was still a very successful campaign for the Diablos, considering their inexperience at the beginning of the campaign when only one veteran was in the fold.

The Strasburg Tigers probably has the next best mark over the years, advancing from the county tournament 13 times in the last 23 years.