52 - Dundee Checks Midvale 69-55 (2-21-52)

DOVER - Last night Senior forward Loris Hostetler of the Dundee Bulldogs (3-1) (18-3) (39-44) continued his brilliant tournament performance by scoring 24 points.  His teammates, Senior guard Merlyn Immel, who was treated at Union Hospital  for stomach cramps following Wednesday night's game, began to click in the last 3 quarters and chalked up 21 points of his own, while Sophomore center Rich Slemmer turned in a bang up game under the boards and topped his performance with 12 tallies.  He was substituting for Sophomore Weldon Flynn who was on crutches today with a sprained ankle received in Wednesday night's battle.

The losing Midvale Blue Devils (2-2) (20-4) (54-27) whose ace Junior center Dick Tolloti, gave his all to keep the Blue Devils in the race, but his 16 points didn't have enough company to turn back the surging Bulldogs.  The only other Diablo to hit double figures was Junior forward Ron Harmon, an outstanding clutch-player for 2nd-Year Head Coach Chuck Stocker in the tournament, who meshed 10 markers.  It was Tolloti and Harmon who opened up fast for Midvale and racked up 8 points, while the Dogs' Hostetler twins collected 7.  Then Slemmer potted a rebound, chunky Senior guard Curt Beamer "swiped" the ball and dunked a rapid 2-pointer and Dundee was off to the races.  And they kept right on rolling.

At one point in the 4th canto the Bulldogs had a 21-point advantage, 60-39, after going  into the stretch drive with a 55-35 bulge.  The Blue Devils got plenty of chances to stir things up, but the old Diablos' fire was gone.

DUNDEE BULLDOGS - 69

Loris Hostetler (322) F 9-6-24
Louis Hostetler F 1-3-5
Rich Slemmer C 5-2-12
Curt Beamer G 3-0-6
Rich Fruchey G 0-1-1
Merlyn Immel G 8-5-21

MIDVALE BLUE DEVILS - 55

Ron Harmon F 5-0-10
Jack Davis F 0-0-0
Bill Anderson F 1-2-4
Don Graham F 3-3-9
Karl Mackey F 1-2-4
Dick Tolloti (469) C 7-2-16
John De Mattio G 3-2-8
Bill Marshall G 1-2-4


Friday, February 22, 1952
Ray Stull, Sportswriter
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

52 - Stone Creek Stuns Tusky 64-36 (2-20-52)

DOVER - A spilled bottle of pop prior to last night's stunning upsets the week before in the 30th Annual Tuscarawas County Class B Basketball Tournament at Memorial Hall continues to be symbolic.  Ray Stull took his 7-year-old son, David, along for the 1st time to a cage tilt and was just as goggle-eyed as the frenzied, hilarious and heart-broken fans who witnessed a history-making night, but that bottle of pop that was upset proved an omen of the following:

And all that adds up to pure design, because the tournament this year has spelled doom to the League stalwarts.  As a result, the annals Saturday night will pit neighbor against neighbor.  Only a mere spill or 2 separates today's proud villages of Stone Creek and Baltic.  The Dundee Bulldogs, who ran into a fistful of tough luck when their starting center, Sophomore Weldon Flynn, was carried to the dressing room with an ankle sprain just after the 3rd stanza started and will have to collide with the Midvale Blue Devils on Thursday night at 7;30 in a Consolation Division contest.  The Gnadenhutten Indians and Tuscarawas Broncos, who folded completely under the Golden Panther onslaught, will clash in the other Consolation tilt at 8:45.

Thus, for the 1st time in 8 long years neither the Blue Devils nor the Strasburg Tigers will be battling in the final round.  And that, cage fans, is history.

With Freshman forward Bill Jones collecting the hearts of fans as rapidly as he did points (31), Head Coach Ken Newlon's brilliant Stone Creek Golden Panthers (2-0) (10-11) (20-36) finally arrived...and just at the right moment.  Winding up the season in 9th place in the League with a 3-7 record, the Golden Panthers showed on numerous occasions that they had plenty of scoring potential if they could get all the gears meshing at the same time.

They did last night, surging into an 18-12 lead at the close of the 1st quarter and then coming right back to claw, cuff and clobber the Broncos right off the floor.  The struggle was figured to be a rugged battle on the basis of the Tuscarawas Broncos (2-1) (10-12) (39-38) who dropped the Panthers 59-50 late in the season, but there was no contest here last night.

And with Stone Creek leading 24-14 midway in the 2nd frame, son David began thinking about his grandma, a Tuscarawas fan, by the way.  "Tusky will catch up sometime, won't they, Dad?", he inquired a little fearfully.  Later, after the Leopards roared to a 48-25 margin going into the final frame, he merely said:  "Gosh."

In addition to Jones' sensational performance, the Broncos' downfall was written when the Colts were forced to shoot over the Stone Creek zone.  They just couldn't find the rim, and that was that!  Bolstering the Golden Panther attack were Senior guard Willis Ridenour who meshed 12 and Sophomore forward Jim Lorenz who collected 10.  Sophomore center Harry Thompson, Head Coach Chuck Lorenz' jump-shot artist, paced the losers with 14 markers, while his teammate Junior forward Don Tharp was hog tide by the Panther defense.

STONE CREEK GOLDEN PANTHERS - 64

Jim Lorenz (329) F 2-6-10
David Gross C 1-3-5
Bill Jones (318) F 13-5-31
Jerry Gasser C 1-3-5
Jerry Billman C 0-1-1
Willis Ridenour G 5-2-12
Ken Heid G 0-0-0
Miller G 1-2-4

TUSCARAWAS BRONCOS - 36

Don Tharp (270) F 1-3-5
Bill Wilson F 0-0-0
Dave Myers F 0-0-0
Dick Ronald F 1-2-4
Bob Briggs F 0-1-1
Harry Thompson (279) C 6-2-14
Larry Myers G 3-0-6
Jim Henry G 0-0-0
John Adams G 1-0-2
Ralph Vesco G 0-0-0
Rich Hill G 2-0-4


Thursday, February 21, 1952
Ray Stull, Sportswriter
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

52 - Baltic Nips Dundee In OT 65-64 (2-20-52)

The 1952 Baltic Eagles Basketball Team.  FRONT:  Francis Lembright (Manager) - Paul Reidenbach - Andy Huffman - Don Farnsworth - Ron Eckert and Fred Huprich.  BACK:  Earl Wallace - Dean Huprich - Tom Ott - John Torgler - Jim Syler - John Schlegel and Head Coach Doyle Shumaker.

The Baltic Eagles Junior center Jim Syler scored 18 points in leading his team to an important overtime win over a hot Dundee Bulldog team 65-64.  Jim shows 31 points in 2 tournament games this year for an average of 15.6 points per game.  He has accumulated a total of 285 points in total for the year.


DOVER - The Baltic Eagles (2-0) (14-6) (26-44) will be making its 2nd bid for the crown.  It was back in 1938 when the Eagles were defeated in the finals by the Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates...48-25.  But last night, they truly looked like Champions because they had to beat a Champion crew in the Powerful Dundee Bulldogs (2-1) (17-3) (28-44).

Scoring into the torrid final canto trailing 48-43 after leading by 7 points at one juncture in the 2nd frame,  2nd-Year Head Coach Doyle Shumaker's Eagles, who came up with an unstoppable fast break, knotted the count at 48-48 early in the period after Big Junior center Jim Syler canned 2 set shots and Senior guard Fred Huprich netted one  from  the corner.  Fred then came right back for another 2-pointer to give the Birds a 50-48 edge.

Then the Eagles' Sophomore center Dick Slemmer, Senior guard Merlyn Immel and Senior forward Louis Hostetler combined to put the Bulldogs back in command 55-50 midway in the period.  At that point, the Dogs appeared to be invincible, but Baltic's Freshman center Errol Jacobs, substituting  for Junior guard John Torgler who was benched with 4 personal fouls, hooked in a clever shot from  the pivot to start the Eagles sky-bound again.  Syler connected from the side, Dean Huprich rimmed 2 quick action shots on the fast break and Jacobs then stepped to the free throw line and cashed a free throw to boost the Baltic margin to 59-55 with less than 2 minutes left.

At that point in time, Syler went to the showers with 5 personals and Immel and Louis Hostetler added insult to injury by quickly meshing 2 fielders before the fiery skirmish ended in a 59-59 deadlock.  It was Loris Hostetler who canned a sparkling push shot from the free throw lane to tie the score after Baltic's Dean Huprich tipped the ball out of bounds in a rebound tussle under the Dundee basket.

Dean opened the overtime  with a drive-in and then came back to give Baltic a 63-61 lead after Dundee's Loris Hostetler knotted the count at 61.  His twin, Louis, then made it 63-62 and then Sophomore center Weldon Flynn, who reentered the game, put the Bulldogs out in front 64-63 with less than a minute left.  Fred Huprich iced the tilt with a corner shot and the Eagles  stalled out the clock.  And so, that spilled bottle of pop and David's earlier prediction of Dundee's downfall said it all.

However, it was Baltic's high percentage from the field coupled with its fast break that shoved 4 Eagles into double figure scoring.  Syler set the pace on his deadly set shots with 18, Dean Huprich netted 17, diminitive Junior forward Paul Reidenbach, lead man on the fast break,  had 14 and Fred Huprich 10.  Scoring honors; however, went to Dundee's star Loris Hostetler, who created havoc under the boards in garnering 24.  His twin, Louis and Immel had 10 points apiece and Slemmer dropped in 8.

Dundee won the regular season game 59-47

BALTIC EAGLES - 65

Paul Reidenbach F 5-4-14
Dean Huprich (364) F 8-1-17
Jim Syler (285) C 8-2-18
Errol Jacobs C 1-1-3
John Torgler G 1-1-3
Earl Wallace G 0-0-0
Fred Huprich G 5-0-10

DUNDEE BULLDOGS - 64

Loris Hostetler (298) F 10-4-24
Louis Hostetler F 4-2-10
Weldon Flynn C 2-0-4
Rich Slemmer C 3-2-8
Curt Beamer G 3-0-6
Rich Fruchey G 1-0-2
Merlyn Immel G 5-0-10


Thursday, February 21, 1952
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

52 - Gnaden Takes-Out Mineral City 48-43 (2-20-52)

The Gnadenhutten Indians 1952 Basketball Team.  FRONT:  Jim Shamel - Carl Gilmore - Ed Minteer - Carl Grosenbacher - Jerry (Ted) Martin - Ron Weston - Gary Struchen - Leo Porter - Bob Dallacheisa and  Howard Weston.  BACK:  Head Coach Fritz Jacobs - Ron Gibson (Manager) - Theodore Gram - John Frank - Gary Parrish - Del Clark - Jim Hooker - Virgil Davis - Ivan Grusenbacher - Jenkin Williams - Rich Best - Paul McMullen and Jack McKeown (Manager).

The Mineral City Tigers 1952 Basketball Team.  FRONT:  Ellsworth Tope - Gene Argento - Roger Wigfield - Bill Crilley - Bob Souers and Elmer Tope (Manager).  BACK:  Head Coach Al Prazniak - Dick McNutt - Lorin Shroyer - Frank Price and Jack Wilson (Manager).


DOVER - Second-Year Head Coach Al Prazniak's Mineral City Tigers (0-2) (2-18) (12-45) last week said they would make trouible for someone, came through with an outstanding performance and nearly eliminated the Gnadenhutten Indians (2-1) (15-9) (47-40).  The Tigers rolled to an 18-16 lead in the 1st quarter and battled the Indians neck-and-neck in the 2nd frame as the halftime buzzer saw the score tied at 26 and the Bengals still going strong.

Sparked by Junior forward Ellsworth Tope, who meshed 13 points and Senior guard Roger Wigfield, who collected 10 markers, Mineral City roared back in the 3rd stanza to grab a 38-36 lead going into the home stretch.  But, Gnaden's height advantage took  its heaviest toll in that last canto as as the Tigers netted only 5 markers, while the Indians of 2nd-Year Head Coach Fritz Jacobs were tallying 12.

Senior center Ron Weston and Sophomore forward Carl Gilmore sparked the Braves with 12 points each, while the Mineral City defense held Gnaden's ace, Porter, to just 8 points.  And that's that!  We, as well as the fans and players, had a rugged time...a lot of questions to answer for Ray Stull's son, David, you know.  But we really gained something, after all.  Last week he was talking about a $52 bicycle.  But on the way home he talked about a basketball...the $10 brand, no doubt.  Gnaden just got by Mineral City during seasonal play 41-39.  The Tigers had a strong showing in the tournament for a team that lost 18 games this year.

GNADENHUTTEN INDIANS - 48

Leo Porter (352) F 4-0-8
Carl Grosenbacher F 0-0-0
Howard Weston F 1-0-2
Carl Gilmore F 6-0-12
Ron Weston C 4-4-12
Gary Struchen G 2-3-7
Jerry Martin G 3-1-7

MINERAL CITY TIGERS - 43

Dick McNutt F 1-3-5
Ellsworth Tope F 5-3-13
Lorin Shroyer C 2-0-4
Frank Price G 1-0-2
Gene Argento G 4-1-9
Roger Wigfield G 3-4-10


Thursday, February 21, 1952
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

52 - Tusky Cans Mineral City 53-40 (2-16-52)

The Mineral City Tigers Varsity Cheerleaders for 1952.  Junior Ruth Shroyer - Freshman Jean Bartos and Junior Janice Bell.

The Mineral City Tigers Varsity Basketball Team for 1952.  FRONT:  Elmer Tope (Manager) - Gene Argento - Ellsworth Tope - Roger Wigfield - Bob Souers - Bill Crilley and Jack Wilson (Manager).  BACK:  Head Coach Al Prazuiak - Dwight Ickes - Lorin Shroyer - Frank Price and Dick McNutt.


DOVER - Headache pills, nerve potions and stabilizers will loom as "ports in the storm" this week.  Cage mentors' ulcers will really begin to bark and growing anxiety among high-strung fans will see rabbits' feet, good luck charms worn and many an Amen said.  This is the week of decision, of sleepless nights and foggy mornings.  And it all adds up to either the week you have been waiting for or the one that scares you green.

Come Wednesday night the 30th Annual Tuscarawas County Class B Basketball Tournament will separate the Cadillacs from the "also rans" in the semi-final round, with the Baltic Eagles clashing with the "hot" Dundee Bulldogs at 7:45 and the Tuscarawas Broncos squaring off against the Stone Creek Golden Panthers at 9:00.  The Sectional Division Tournament aspirants will be unveiled on Saturday night when the Consolation final is staged at 7:30 and the battle for the 1952 crown at 8:45.  The Sectional Division Tournament will invade Memorial Hall next week with 4 sessions slated on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.

The Broncos gained its berth in the semi-finals Saturday night when the Colts, who would have had a rigorous time hitting the side of a barn with a truck, turned in a mediocre 53-40 decision over the Mineral City Tigers.  In the Consolation Division fight the Midvale Blue Devils were scared green by the brilliant performance of Senior center Cal Geckler and his Bolivar Cardinals before they grabbed a 59-50 triumph on their reserve strength and the Gnadenhutten Indians rolled over the Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates 62-46.

Second-Year Head Coach Chuck Lorenz' Tuscarawas Broncos (2-0) (10-11) (39-37) opened up fast, but so did diminutive Sophomore guard Gene Argento of the Mineral City Tigers (0-1) (2-17) (12-44).  Tusky's Junior forward Don Tharp broke the ice with a free throw toss, but Argento came right back to deftly dunk his 1st of 5 field goal shots in the 1st quarter to give the Tigers a 2-1 edge.  Tharp and Senior forward Dick Ronald pushed it to 4-2 before Senior center Lorin Shroyer canned 2 from the pivot to put the Bengals ahead again 6-4.

Tharp tied the count and then gave the Broncos an 8-6 edge before Argento uncorked 2 straight from the side as Mineral City grabbed a 10-8 advantage.  Tharp, Ronald and Junior guard Rich Hill ran the count to 15-10 and then Argento meshed 2 more...from the same spot...as the period ended 15-14...Tuscarawas.  In the 2nd frame Argento failed and the Tigers trailed 25-18 at the half.  He flickered in the 3rd stanza with a charity toss and potted one more fielder in the 4th for a losing cause.  But, he led the Bengals with 13 points.

Although Tusky's big steeds, Sophomore center Harry Thompson, Ronald and Tharp, garnered 16, 13 and 12 points respectively, they mis-fired on many of the shots which they canned in defeating the Midvale Blue Devils.  Coach Lorenz cleared the bench with 5 minutes left.  The Broncos had a devil of a time with the Tigers during the regular season by just nosing out a 54-53 victory.

TUSCARAWAS BRONCOS - 53

Don Tharp (265) F 4-4-12
Bill Wilson F 1-0-2
Dick Ronald F 6-1-13
John Adams F 0-0-0
Dave Myers F 0-0-0
Harry Thompson (260) C 6-4-16
Larry Myers G 0-1-1
Ralph Vesco G 2-0-4
Jim Henry G 1-1-3
Bob Briggs G 0-0-0
Jerry Briggs G 0-0-0
Rich Hill G 1-0-2

MINERAL CITY TIGERS - 40

Bob McNutt F 2-1-5
Roger Wigfield F 2-0-4
Lorin Shroyer C 4-0-8
Ellsworth Tope G 3-1-7
Bob Souers G 1-0-2
Gene Argento G 6-1-13
Frank Price G 0-1-1


Monday, February 18, 1952
Ray Stull, Sportswriter
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

NOTE:  This has nothing to do with the current tournament.  Just a great photo shot of the Mineral City Tigers gymnasium during the regular season.  Opposition unknown.

52 - Midvale Overcomes Bolivar 59-50 (2-16-52)

Junior center Dick Tolloti of the Midvale Blue Devils scored 20 points in the Blue Devil victory over stiff opposition from the Bolivar Cardinals 59-50.  Tolloti now has a total of 453 points for the season and 54 points during the tournament for an 18.0 point-per-game average in the tourney.


DOVER - With Senior center Cal Geckler turning in a brilliant job in controlling the boards at both ends of the floor and sparking the Bolivar Cardinals (1-2) (9-13) (47-41) whose valiant bid in netting 17 points, the Cardinals completely outclassed Head Coach Chuck Stocker's Midvale Blue Devils (2-1) (20-3) (54-26) until Junior guard Del Haut was forced to the bench in the 2nd frame after he had collected his 3rd personal foul.

Leading throughout the 1st half and until the Diablos' scoring ace, Junior center Dick Tolloti, broke a 33-33 deadlock on a free throw toss early in the 3rd stanza.  The Red Birds began to fade.  Del Haut's absence in that 3rd period made it a big chore for Bolivar to break through Midvale's pressing defense.  Del Haut reentered the fray late in the frame, but the Blue Devils had already raced to a 42-37 margin, a lead which the Diablos maintained the rest of the route.

With Geckler setting the pace, Bolivar led 12-11 at the 1st quarter's close and increased the gap to 5 points, 30-25, by intermission.  At one point in the 2nd frame the Cardinals led 29-21.  Tolloti, Juniors forward Ron Harmon, forward Bill Anderson and forward Don Graham led the Devils with 20, 12,11 and 10 markers respectively.

Harmon and Anderson were in and out of the game at various times, but always managed to hit the floor with a 2-pointer waiting to be unleased. and after it was all over and Coach Stocker relaxed in the press box, a colleague seated next door said:  "Boy, are you lucky.  You have horseshoes in every pocket."

Geckler's teammate, Senior forward Bill Rex, also hit double figures for the Red Birds with 12 points.

MIDVALE BLUE DEVILS - 59

Don Graham F 5-0-10
Bill Anderson F 4-3-11
Karl Mackey F 0-0-0
Ron Harmon F 6-0-12
Dick Tolloti (453) C 7-6-20
John De Mattio G 2-2-6
Bill Marshall G 0-0-0

BOLIVAR - 50

Charles Geers F 1-1-3
Bill Rex F 5-2-12
Calvin Geckler C 7-3-17
Wayne Kromi G 3-2-8
Melvin Haut G 0-1-1
Del Haut (318) G 4-1-9
Bob Cramer G 0-0-0


Monday, February 18, 1952
Ray Stull, Sports Writer
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

52 - Indians Scalp Sugarcreek-Shanesville 62-46 (2-16-52)

Junior Forward Leonard (Leo) Porter of the 1952 Gnadenhutten Indians led his team to their 1st tournament victory with a win over the Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates 62-46 last night in a Consolation Division contest, after losing to the Dundee Bulldogs 63-47 earlier in the tourney.  Porter crashed the nets for 18 points (9 field goals) for the Indians in their quest to stay alive.  He now has an average of 15 points per game in 2 tournament games for a total of 30 points.  This moves his season total to 344 markers.

Gnadenhutten players are unidentified!


DOVER - Although the Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates (1-2) (3-19) (55-36) came up with 3 players scoring in double figures in a Consolation Division game, the Pirates were unable to cope with the rangy Gnadenhutten Indians (1-1) (14-9) (46-40) as Senior center Ron Weston and Junior forward Leo Porter controlled the boards.  Head Coach Fritz Jacob's Indians jumped off to a slim 15-9 margin in the 1st quarter, but were out-scored 12 to 10 in the 2nd frame 25-19.  After that the Corsairs faded.  At the end of the 3rd they had trailed 46-37.

Pacing the losers were Sophomores forward Max Miller and center Bill Ray with 12 points each and Senior guard Roger Immel with 10 markers.  Porter, a dead shot when he's right, collected 18 points and Senior Gary Struchen, who turned in an outstanding performance at the guard post, netted 17 markers for the Tribe.  Gnaden whipped the Buccaneers 56-40 during seasonal play.

GNADENHUTTEN INDIANS - 62

Leo Porter (344) F 9-0-18
Jim Shamel F 1-1-3
Carl Gilmore F 1-0-2
Howard Weston G 0-2-2
Ron Weston C 4-3-11
Carl Grossenbacher G 0-1-1
Jerry (Ted) Martin G 3-2-8
Gary Struchen G 7-3-17

SUGARCREEK-SHANESVILLE PIRATES - 46

Bill Pfister F 4-1-9
Max Miller (316) F 5-2-12
Bill Ray C 5-2-12
Wayne Arnold C 0-2-2
Keith Miller G 0-1-1
Roger Immel G 4-2-10
Jim Spahr G 0-0-0
Snyder G 0-0-0


Monday, February 18, 1952
Ray Stull, Sports Writer
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio