59 - SPOTLIGHT on Ron Bradley of Gnadenhutten

Senior Ron Bradley of the Gnadenhutten Indians 1959 Basketball Team.  He is a cage star as well. (Photo...Yearbook)



GNADENHUTTEN - Ron Bradley might just get through Gnadenhutten's  Fall High School Baseball Season without giving up many more hits than the number of games his team plays.  The Senior pitcher for the Tuscarawas County Class A school's League leading diamond nine State finalists last Spring, has surrendered just 11 hits in his 6 mound appearances this Fall.

Head Coach Bob Gaume's prize performer and the current talk of the town of 1,500 went into a "grudge" contest this afternoon with the Northwestern Huskies having pitched 2 no-hitters, 2 one-hitters and 1 two-hitter.  Comparatively speaking, he was clobbered when the Garaway Pirates reached him for 7 hits early in the season, but Gnaden won anyway 5-3.  His most recent no-hit effort was on Monday against the Baltic Eagles.  The Port Washington Purple Riders were the other victim.

Bradley has pitched every game the Indians have played thus far.  Gaume, apparently taking no chances on losing, has him slated to start the season's remaining 2 League games with the Purple Riders and the Pirates.  But even if Bradley wasn't around, Gaume feels coaching in the town of Gnaden wouldn't be a problem.  "It's just a natural sports town," the Canton native and Kent State graduate declared.  "These people here are interested in all kinds of sports, but there's especially a lot of interest in baseball because of last year."

LAST YEAR was the surprising push Gnadenhutten made all the way into the State Baseball Tournament finals at Columbus.  They defeated Northwestern in the semi-finals, but then lost to Goshen 3-1 in the title game.  Bradley pitched that one, giving up 4 hits and walking none.  Gaume attributes intense competitiveness and sound ball playing of Gnaden athletes to the town's excellent Little League and Pony League programs.  These, he points out, afford a boy sound baseball fundamentals with which to take on the game in the faster-moving circles of high school, college and independent ball.

Bradley has come up through the community's baseball program and as a Sophomore marked up his 1st pitching record of 5-3.  Last year he moved up to 11-1.  Gaume in anticipating similar performances by the athlete when the Indians turn in their diamond uniforms and start basketball.  Bradley will carry a reputation as one of the county's top players on the basis of his 17.1 shooting average for 462 points in 27 games last year.


Thursday, 2 October, 1958
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

58 - Basketball Snowflakes From 1958

DOVER - Basketball season has been over for a week now and the cage togs have been put into the mothballs until another season rolls around.

But at the meeting of the County Coaches and Superintendents at Tuscarawas High School, the question of rotating the District Tournament between Brilliant and Dover came up.

And according to County Superintendent W.E. Laws, schools in the Ohio River area have voiced some displeasure over playing on the Memorial Hall floor every other year.  Most of the schools in that area, as well as the schools in the Tuscarawas County system, have large floors and sometimes the jump from the small District floor at Dover to the spacious hardwoods at Canton Memorial Fieldhouse for the regionals is just too much to cope with.

An impromptu vote of the county coaches was taken at the meeting and dissatisfaction over the setup was evidenced.

The decision still is up to the District Board which will select tournament sites sometime next Fall.  But, if the subject making the tourney an annual event at Brilliant comes up, Supt. Laws no doubt will voice the opinions of County Coaches.

It is never too late to amend the present Memorial Hall's small court problem, but in the past Dover voters have said nix.  But the day may come when Dover High School will have trouble arranging home games.  Then perhaps there'll be some concerted action.

(From RIGHT DOWN THE LINE with Norm Singleton)



Friday, March 28, 1958
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

58 - Basketball Snowflakes From 1958

DOVER - A few last-minute entries before closing the 1957-58 cage record book.

Never before in the State Tournament has the 2 title winners (Class A and AA) finished unbeaten.  East Tech had 26 straight and Northwestern 29.  But Middletown, whose unbeaten skein ended at 76, was undefeated in winning the 2 previous Class AA togas.

East Tech became the 1st Cleveland city school to cop the coveted Championship and Northwestern gave Wayne County its 1st crown.

Columbus North recorded the biggest upset by ending Middletown's streak.

Dover's Al Veigel and Uhrichsville's Jordan Besozzi were among those who officiated during the playoffs.  George Ellis of Akron, who works several Dover High School tilts every season, also helped call'em.

Frank Truitt, Columbus North's Head Coach, says he'll stay there, spiking rumors he was eyeing a job at Otterbein College.

(From RIGHT DOWN THE LINE with Norm Singleton)



Tuesday, March 25, 1958
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

58 - Basketball Snowflakes From 1958

The Tuscarawas Broncos 6-4 Senior Terry Deems accepts the 1955 League "Most Valuable Player Award"

The Gnadenhutten Indians 5-10 Senior Forward Eldon Miller accepts the 1957 "Most Valuable Player Award."



SPRINGFIELD, OHIO - Terry Deems of Tuscarawas and Eldon Miller of Gnadenhutten closed out the basketball season as starters on the Wittenberg Tigers College Team.  The Tigers won 19 of 22 games and finished with a 14-1 Ohio Conference record.

Deems paced the squad with 428 points.  He established a 3-year Wittenberg scoring mark of 1,238 points.  Deems wound up 4th in the nation in field goal percentage, hitting 170 of 288 attempts for 59 percent.  He also paced the Conference in scoring and rebounding, finishing with averages of 19.5 and 14.7 respectively.

Miller became a starter midway in the season and held the spot the rest of the campaign.  The former All-Ohioan finished the season as the Tiger's 5th leading scorer with 110 points in 19 tilts.  Outstanding on defense, Eldon Miller picked off 79 rebounds despite his 5-10 frame.

Terry Deems, a Junior and Miller a Freshman, will be returning to Wittenberg next season to aid former Dover High School player, Head Coach Ray Mears, in his quest for an Ohio Conference Crown.  Mears has a 2-year record of 34 wins and 9 losses.  He has won 18 straight at home.



Wednesday, March 15, 1958
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

58 - Basketball Snowflakes From 1958

Tuscarawas Broncos Center Terry Deems as shown in 1955.



DOVER - Terry Deems, who played for the Tuscarawas Broncos, is Tuscarawas' contribution to college basketball and Wittenberg College in particular, continues to be one of the "hottest" cagers in Ohio.  Deems, who only Saturday was named recipient of the Ohio Conference's Mike Gregory Award as the outstanding player in the loop, was for the 2nd straight year voted by his teammates as the Most Valuable Player on the Tiger team which is mentored by Head Coach Ray Mears, former Dover High School Ace.

Deems, incidentally, is the 2nd Junior to win the award originated 2 years ago by the late Mike Gregory of Granville.  Lenny Nelson of Muskingum was last year's choice.  The personable, quiet 6-4 Forward has been the big noise in his conference and won All-Conference and Honorable Mention Little All-American Honors last year and has been placed on one news service's All-Conference Quintet.

Terry, while playing for Tuscarawas High School, twice was named to the All-County Team, sponsored by The Daily Reporter and in his Senior year reached the highest goal a county high school player can achieve when he was voted "The Most Valuable Player Award" by the coaches.  But next season, which is Deems' last in a Tiger uniform, should prove to be his best ever, for with each season he has improved over his previous year's performance.

Coach Mears also has announced the Tigers' 1957-58 All-Opponent Team:

Climon Lee (Akron) Guard
Bob Anderson (Ohio University) Guard
Mike Outcalt (Capital) Center
Bob Peters (Ohio University) Forward
Hank Morano (St. Peters) Forward

(From RIGHT DOWN THE LINE with Norm Singleton)



Tuesday, March 18, 1956
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

58 - Basketball Snowflakes From 1958

Photo of Terry Deems in 1955 from the Tuscarawas Broncos Yearbook.


DOVER - Former Tuscasrawas Basketball Ace, Terry Deems, was named the recipent of the Ohio Conference's Mike Gregory Award as the outstanding player in the Ohio Basketball Conference chosen by coaches and sports publicists.

Deems gathered twice as many votes as runner-up Mike Outcalt of Capital University.  This award is based on all-around basketball excellence, scoring, rebounding, team leadership, spirit and sportsmanship.

He scored 428 points this year for Wittenberg College for an average of 19.5 in 22 games and averaged 14.7 rebounds.  He accounted for 170 field goals in 288 attempts for a shooting average of 59 percent, 4th best in the nation among small colleges.



Monday, March 17, 1958
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

58 - Basketball Snowflakes From 1958

DOVER - The Gnadenhutten Indians, who advanced to the District Basketball Tournament before bowing out, will only have one veteran back for next season.  He is Junior Forward Ron Bradley who picked up 32 points during the tournament and of which was his 1st year on the team for a 10.7 point average.  He was also All-County.

Head Coach Dick Scott will have to go a long way to find capable replacements for Guard Ed Shull, Center Tom Roth, Guard Larry Clark (All-County) and Forward Larry Gooding.  Also graduating will be 6th man Alvin Cappell, Steve Hamilton and Tom Frank.  (From RIGHT DOWN THE LINE with Norm Singleton "Sports Editor")



Friday, March 7, 1958
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio