50 - Right Down The Line

Thursday, February 16, 1950
Dover, Ohio

HEAD COACH WARREN CRAIGO'S BOLIVAR CARDINALS were the toast of that northern Tuscarawas County village today.  For the 2nd consecutive year the Cardinals earned their glory the hard way...by defeating the favored MIGHTY STRASBURG TIGERS.

It couldn't have happened to a nicer guy than Coach Craigo or one that is more deserving of the break.  Last year the Cardinals were toppled in the tournament opener and then Craigo entered the hopital for an appendectomy.

Principal P.O. Cochran took over the reigns and the Red Birds blazed through to the Consolation finals.  Craigo came back in time to guide his team to one victory.  This year illness in the family forced him to leave the team for one game, but last night Head Coach Craigo was on the Bolivar bench when his boys achieved their biggest triumph.

The Cardinal victory completely changes the picture in that lower bracket.  In addition to the Red Birds, the Stone Creek Golden Panthers, Gnadenhutten Indians and Mineral City Tigers remain.  Stone Creek and Gnadenhutten meet tonight and Bolivar meets Mineral City on Saturday.

Strasburg had been the favored team in the bracket.  Now that the Tigers are gone the finger points at either Stone Creek or the Cardinals.  After watching that Red Bird performance last night, you wondered if they could be halted this side of the finals.

A large share of credit for the Bolivar victory goes to blonde Senior Ed Grossenbacher, the cool, rugged Cardinal forward.  Grossenbacher was magnificent.  Time after time it was his rebounding that saved a Red Bird lead.  Out in front, he was flawless.  Not far behind Grossenbacher were Seniors 6-3 center Maurice Lundenberger and guard Carl McFeeders as well as Junior forward Bill Willard.

With Lundenberger and Grossenbacher controlling the boards and Williard and McFeeders hitting in the clutches, Bolivar had by far the outstanding opening night performance.

ONE OF OUR FAVORITES still remains...Head Coach Gerald Straley's Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates.  The Corsairs looked very smooth and polished in whipping the Dundee Bulldogs 63-39.  That upper bracket, with the Buccaneers, Tuscarawas Broncos and Midvale Blue Devils remaining, will still produce the tournament winner...we believe.  With due respect for the defending Champion Blue Devils, we still like the Pirates.

HEAD COACH KEN NEWLON OF STONE CREEK was in the press box watching the opening night action...the Bolivar-Strasburg spectacle in particular.  Coach Newlon, when asked what he thought of his chances against Gnadenhutten tonight, remarked that he had never beaten the Indians in anything for the past 3 years.

IKE HOSTETLER, Sugarcreek-Shanesville's blazing guard, posted the night's high point total.  Ike had 26 points for the night's work.

ACCORDING TO FIGURES released by Tournament Manager W.E. Laws, a total of 754 paid to see last night's opening round.  This topped last year's paid total of 711 at Dennison.