47 - Right Down The Line

RIGHT DOWN THE LINE
With Harry Yockey
Friday, February 14, 1947
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

TOURNAMENT TOPICS:  The turnout of 1,152 fans (paid) for last night's wars at Memorial Hall indicated the event may attract a record attendance before the final shot is fired a week from tonight.  The total was only 93 under opening night, hiking the 2-night attendance to 2,397.

The other day I casually wrote that tournament play is unpredictable and seldom does the same team emerge the winner 2 consecutive years.  A "Strasburgan" (why do people hide behind such non de plumes?) resented the remark in a typewritten letter as follows, if you can follow him.

"It may surprise you to receive this letter about an article in your column, as I doubt that you expect too many people will read this part of the paper because there are so few times of anything interesting in it."

"I was wondering if you ever checked back on any of the old Class B records, evidently you haven't.  Why would you think it unusual for any team to win the Class B tournament 2 consecutive years.  If you check your records this has been done many years which only stands to reason that a team usually stays together at least 2 years."

"And if STRASBURG wins the tournament this year it won't be 2 years in a row, but the unusual 3.  If you think 2 years is so unusual what would you thank of that and it could very easily happen again as we lose only one man from our first 12.  It also runs in my mind that Strasburg did the most unusual thing in about 1937-38-39 by winning the county tournament."

"Of course I can't sign this just as a Basketball Fan, because as you know, since you were in the press box last evening that Strasburg Fans and team really has to stick together as we're quite alone."

Ignoring his ridiculously and pusillanimous introductory remarks, I must admit I didn't spend 4 hours or so leafing through past editions to obtain a tournament record.  I inquired of county officials as to past winners, but was told no record was available...strange as it may seem.

However, upon receipt of the above letter I resumed the search and finally was able to obtain, results of the last 24 years.  In that span, the same school has won the tourney 2 straight years 5 times and in addition, Strasburg captured the title 3 years in a row...1932-33-34.  Sugarcreek-Shanesville was the winner in 1925-26, Strasburg in 1927-28, Midvale in 1940-41, Gnadenhutten in 1942-43 and Strasburg in 1945-46.

Strasburg holds 10 tournament titles, Sugarcreek-Shanesville 4, Gnadenhutten and Midvale 3 each, Bolivar 2 and Tuscarawas and Dennison 1 each.

When Strasburg captured the tourney in 1932, Sugarcreek-Shanesville was the runner-up and then won the District title.  The results were just reversed in 1933.  In 1937, Strasburg defeated Tuscarawas in the finals, but Midvale, the Consolation Champion, took the District crown.  In 1938, Sugarcreek-Shanesville won over Baltic in the finals, but Strasburg's Consolation winners were the District Kings.

In 1940-41 Midvale won both the tournament and District Honors and in 1942-43 Gnadenhutten also captured both crowns.  Bolivar was runner-up to Sugarcreek-Shanesville in the 1944 county meet, but won the District.  In 1945, Strasburg whipped Sugarcreek-Shanesville in the tourney finals here, but the Pirates took District laurels.  Last year Strasburg won both the local and District meets.

Returning to this year, the program was 10 minutes late getting under way because referees Nick Frascella and Vally Dirodis got caught in a traffic jam en route here from Akron.  Incidentally, the 2 men, who turned in another good performance, will officiate at the District Tournament in Arkon.

The play of Baltic's Dean Gerber was one of last night's highlights.  He lasted less than 3 quarters, but while he was on the floor Gerber was in practically ever play, defensively and offensively.  He meshed almost every shot he took in the 1st quarter when he compiled 12 of his 18 points.

The one-handed shots of Midvale's Jack Ford also drew plenty of applause, while little Dan Carlisle of the same club also sparkled in a losing cause.  Paul Kate of Dundee netted 8 free throws without a miss, getting 7 in the 1st period.  He cashed 10 of 14 free throws and added 9 field goals to rack up his 28 points, highest of the tournament.

Bill Weiss of Sugarcreek-Shanesville missed only one free toss in 5 tries as he totaled 20 points, but the team as a whole hit on only 9 of 23...Fred Wigfield was the workhorse of the Mineral City Club.

Mineral City has the largest cheerleaders' corps in the tournament...8.  They also have the best routines, particularly that woo-woo train number.  The girls are Alice Herbert, Helen Davidson, Gladys Ewing, Joann Reidl, Gloria Reed, Orwen Weaver, Iris Steinbaugh and Betty Deubner.

The Midvale cheer specialists, Shirley Gribbte, Elenor Everhard, Bonnie Meese and Joan Truman, don't have to take a backseat from the beauty standpoint, while Virginia Harman, Lois Miller, Margaret Banks and Carol Renner of Sugarcreek-Shanesville exhibit some clever footwork and yells.