59 - Inside Sports

Sports Editor
Friday, February 6, 1959
The Daily Times
New Philadelphia, Ohio

A QUESTION HAS ARISEN that can affect both the Tuscarawas Valley Trojans and the Gnadenhutten Indians on their season and scoring records.

It all comes about through their playing Alumni games.  Many different opinions have been voiced on the subject, but none seem to completely answer the question of whether or not these contests should appear on the season records.  The Ohio High School Athletic Association has made it clear the games count on the total number of games for the season...18 for those with football teams and 20 for those having no fall football program.

However, do these games count in the season record and in the scoring department?  W.E. Laws, Superintendent of the County Schools and also a member of the Eastern Ohio District Board, says he feels the games should count; although, he readily agrees with this writer that the scoring is something else again.

The games do not involve 2 school teams.  The contest is also staged between a fully amateur team (school) and a squad that many times consists of semi-pro athletes (Alumni).  The latter point is why this writer argues that the games should not count.  Some of those playing on Alumni teams also play on independent teams which play in tournaments in which cash awards are sometimes made as well as expenses being paid by the sponsor.  This is semi-pro, the way we see it.

THE TROJANS, now 15-1 for the season, won its Alumni game 55-52, while the Indians lost 55-41.  Gnaden is currently 12-5 for the season.  The question of counting the game will have no bearing on the County Tournament drawings since League games are all that count.  However, when it comes time for the Sectional Tournament and if either of these teams make it, their overall record could have a great affect on their being seeded or not.

For instance, we point to the possibility of 3 teams coming into the Sectional Tournament with perhaps 15-2 records.  Which 2 teams do you seed?  If one of them were the Spartans, by counting its Alumni game, they would be seeded.

WE DO NOT; however, think an Alumni contest should be counted in any degree, whether it be for scoring or overall record.  The Alumni is not composed of schoolboys.  It is only an exhibition in which everyone has a good time.  A firm ruling by the District or State Board would help as we have already confused many sports writers.

59 - Inside Sports

Sports Editor
Thursday, January 29, 1959
The Daily Times
New Philadelphia, Ohio

There is one thing that perturbs this writer just a bit!

TIME AND AGAIN we have heard Tuscarawas County coaches and fans in particular, state that this county has one of the toughest Leagues in the State.  They point out the county's record of having more teams advance out of the Sectional Tournament each year than any other neighboring county.  This is true.  We have never disputed the belief.  But, don't think for a second that county teams are shoo-ins.  We heard fans at Midvale, during halftime, say that in the 2nd half "our boys will walk away from the Conotton Valley Rockets."  Again they were reiterating their belief that Tuscarawas County is the best.

Well, now.  It is just about time that the local lads, coaches and fans be just a little more humble.  Other counties play the game too.  They also have big interest and large followings.

AND IF YOU HAVE ANY DOUBT about the fact that we here in Tuscarawas County are unbeatable, just look at what the Hiland Hawks did to the Garaway Pirates on Tuesday night.  The Holmes County quintet spanked the Pirates 69-27; although, The Pirates are considered one of the better teams in Tuscarawas County.  We are by no means trying to belittle our county schools.  As long ago as 5 years back we went on record stating "This county has one of the best competitive and exciting Leagues in the State of Ohio."  We still think this to be true.

However, it is just about time that the League schools face one big fact:  "They can be beaten."  And, if the local schools don't become more aware of this fact and face the revealing statistics, they needn't worry about any Sectional, District or Regional berths.  Everytime a county team takes on an out-of-the-county combine, it too often takes the contest lightly.  They figure; apparently, that it is just a matter of "time," such as the fans at Midvale reasoned on Tuesday night at halftime when their team was leading 39-36.  It is true the Midvale Blue Devils won, but only by one point 71-70.

PERHAPES THE DIABLOS were looking toward their final League game next week, which can give them the League Crown.  Or, perhaps, they did not figure the game important.  Regardless of the reasons; however, we still think they may have underrated their opponent.  When tournaments roll around in a few weeks, we sincerely hope the schools of Tuscarawas County turn over a new leaf.  We sincerely believe they should always give their opponents their due credit.  If they don't, the season will end tearfully sudden.

Other counties have good basketball teams too, just as Midvale found out against the Scio Panthers and Rockets of Conotton Valley and as; the Pirates with the Hawks; the Dover St. Joseph Ramblers with the Killbuck Bucks twice; the Stone Creek Golden Panthers and Baltic Eagles did against Fresno and Strasburg with Waynedale.

SO, A WORD TO THE WISE should be sufficient.  Humility can pay rich rewards.

59 - Physical Size Is No Handicap Here!

The 1959 Gnadenhutten Indians' shortest basketball player, at 5-4, has showerd the nets for 177 points at this point in the season.  (Photo...The Daily Times)



NEW PHILADELPHIA - TNT, they say, is small, but mighty!  Then too, many claim that "It isn't the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog."

Maybe what they say is true.  Who knows, for sure?  Napoleon was a small fellow and yet pretty powerful too.  But, in basketball more stories are written about big men than perhaps any one of the numerous and various aspects of the game.

This story is different.  For, it is hoped it will give a new twist on the cage game and perhaps place at the feet of the small guy some of the big credit.  Take for instance, Ron Clark of the Gnadenhutten Indians who has been a real standout for the Tribe this season as they rolled over 11 foes in 14 contests.

Although built much closer to the earth than the average and closer even than any other starting member of any County Basketball Team, this Clark fellow has chipped in an average of 13.3 points in every game.  Then there is a wee-bit of a guy, William (Bill) Phillips of the Port Washington Purple Riders who has done even better than Clark, as far as point producing goes, averaging 18.7 per contest.  But, Clark needn't feel bad, cause Phillips is a bigger player...heck Clark is only 5-feet, 4-inches tall and Phillips is way up there at 5-feet, 5-inches.

IT'S ALWAYS THE BIG GUY

Yep, everyday we read about big 7-foot Wilt Chamberlain or 6-10 Jerry Lucas of Ohio State, but how about these little guys who must overcome overwhelming odds and learn to arch the ball over those huge performers.  Amonng those cagers in this county who stand 5-feet, 6 inches or shorter, Phillips is the leader as the wiry Sophomore has already totaled 272 points this season, including a 30-point outburst against the Stone Creek Golden Panthers on Tuesday night for his best game of the season.

In this same category, Co-Captain Jim McAfee of the Golden Panthers is also a "big man" for his team as the 5-6 Senior leads his squad with a 17.3 average with 275 points.  Then there is 5-6 Senior Larry Yakley of the Garaway Pirates (Sugarcreek-Shanesville-Dundee) who is clipping them off at a 15 point average with 224 points.  Yakley's biggest one game outburst was a 32-point effort against the Newcomerstown Trojans this season.

Another "small but mighty" player is Dennison St. Mary Wave's Sophomore standout Sandy Bonvechio who is averaging 14 per game for the Blue Wave.  he stands 5-6.  Dick Kilpatrict of Dennison at 5-5 and a Junior, can also be listed with the small elite with his 7.3 average in 11 games with the Railroaders.

But, all-in-all, little Ron Clark of the Tribesmen stands a little above...or is it below?...by being the smallest Varsity starter in the county.

THE COUNTY'S SMALL-FRY ELITE

Phillips (Port) 5-5 Sophomore 272 18.7
McAfee (Stone Creek) 5-6 Senior 275 17.2
Yakley (Garaway) 5-6 Senior 224 15.0
Bonvechio (St. Mary's) 5-6 Sophomore 126 14.0
Clark (Gnaden) 5-4 Junior 177 13.3
Kilpatrick (Dennison) 5-5 Junior 80 7.2
Lake (TV) 5-5 Sophomore 79 6.0
Summers (Tusky) 5-6 Sophomore 66 5.5
Donehue (St. Mary's) 5-6 Sophomore 44 4.4
B. Yakley (Garaway) 5-4 Sophomore 63 4.2


Thursday, January 22, 1959
Don Wagner, Sports Editor
The Daily Times
New Philadelphia, Ohio

59 - Inside Sports

Sports Editor
Wednesday, December 31, 1958
The Daily Times
New Philadelphia, Ohio



MCMLVIII

The above year has no need to feel slighted.  He can take his bow, beard and all, with downright proudness.  For the 1-year-old grandaddy brought us many great and entertaining moments in the world of sports.  Recapitulating the year was fun.  Thumbing through the over 300 publications of the sports pages brought back fond memories.

And, in looking back, it is this writer's opinion that the golfing talents of one Dick Besst of New Philadelphia was perhaps the most astounding, taking nothing away from the great exploits of Dennison, Tuscarawas and St. Mary's in football; Midvale on the hardwood; Gnadenhutten's great diamond performances; the birth of 36 bowling alleys and a huge coaching shuffle in Tuscarawas County.  Another thrilling year of basketball was capped last spring with Midvale, Gnadenhutten and Dennison St. Mary's snagging the lions share of honors.

The Blue Devils of Midvale, the only team to earn a berth in the State Tournament in recent years, making the trip 2 seasons before, wrapped up the County League and Tournament togas last spring.  In so doing the Devils halted the long string of League Championships of the Strasburg Tigers who had copped the title 5 years in a row.  In addition, Midvale tied a school mark in its 105-59 win over the Augusta Blue Devils, while posting a 19-3 season mark.

GNADEN STOPS STRASBURG SKEIN

The Gnadenhutten Indians, finishing with a 20-7 mark, won a Sectional slot and advanced to the Brilliant District with Midvale.  After losing 2 games in regular season and the tournament finals to the League Champs, Gnaden KO's Midvale in the District before being eliminated by the Powhatan Indians.  In other distinctions, Gnaden dropped the Strasburg Tigers for its 1st loss after 51 straight League triumphs as well as the 1st setback on its home floor in 44 contests.

The Dennison St. Mary Wave posted a 15-3 record on the hardwood for the school's best in history, bypassing the previous record of 17-5 established in 1954.  The Wave lost out in their only Sectional Tournament.

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

The Stone Creek Golden Panthers (13-9) set a new school record in a 105-59 triumph over the Augusta Blue Devils; the Garaway Pirates were 12-11 in their 1st year as a consolidated school (Sugarcreek-Shanesville-Dundee).  But, all was not rosy during the 1957-58 cage campaign as witness:  The Port Washington Purple Riders had one of the schools poorest records with only one win in 19 contests; the Strasburg Tigers (11-8) reign as County Champs came to an end after 5 straight years in command and the Dennison Railroaders had their poorest mark (2-17) in over a decade.

Other cage records:  Baltic 12-9, Tuscarawas 7-11, Tuscarawas Valley 11-6 and Dover St. Joseph's was 3-15.

EARLY 1958-59 HIGHLIGHTS

Although the 1958-59 season is barely underway, early season developments have been seen:  Gnaden took the County League lead with 5 straight wins, while the Tuscarawas Valley Trojans are still unbeaten in 7 starts and the Dover St. Joseph Ramblers has still yet to taste victory.  Then, there is Midvale and Tusky Valley who have yet to be beaten in League play.

59 - Inside Sports

Sports Editor
Tuesday, December 16, 1958
The Daily Times
New Philadelphia, Ohio



From all appearances there will be only 8 Class "A" County "system" schools next year due to predicted increased enrollment of Tuscarawas Valley High School at Bolivar.  Tusky Valley; although, not AA this year, went to a 3-year high school last spring to stay under the 150 boy limit.  With about 140 males enrolled in the top 3 grades, the up-county school managed to stay in the smaller ranks.  Next year, according to estimates at this time, the school will become Class AA whether it stays a 3-year high school or not.

Consequently, the County League will drop to 8 schools next fall as compared to an 11-school circuit only a few years ago.  Recent consolidations of Mineral City and Bolivar brought on the birth of Tuscarawas Valley, while Garaway was wrought by putting Sugarcreek-Shanesville and Dundee students together.  Tusky Valley, with about ninty 8th graders this year, is expected to have about 180 boys in the top 3 grades next year.  And, because of this, school officials reason that it will probably go back to the 4-year plan, giving them about 200 boys in high school when school resumes after the 1959 summer vacation.  They now have about 50 Seniors.

Garaway was also asked if it might become Class AA next year.  But, executive head C. M. Zimmerman told this writer that from all indications it will not become double-A for several years.  It has also been surmised that Garaway might soon start a football team.  Here, again, the head man at the Sugarcreek School said plans do not call for it for at least 2 years.

The School District of Garaway is expected to seek a bond next November.  From that revenue, on a long-range plan, the school then hopes to build up its athletic facilities and thereby include football by maybe 1960-61.  Despite the fact that Tuscarawas Valley is planning on the switch from A to AA, the school will remain in the Tuscarawas Valley Conference with Tuscarawas, Midvale, Malvern, West Lafayette and Strasburg next year.  Another team, Conotton Valley, (Leesville - Sherrodsville - Bowerston) will also be in the League next fall, making it a 7-team circuit...the biggest in its history.  The Tuscarawas Valley Conference has done much to add interest in football among the smaller schools in this county.  Additional schools may be seen by 1960 or 1961.

Of the total 12 single A schools in Tuscarawas County, only 4 do not play football...Gnadenhutten, which once played 6-man football, Stone Creek, Port Washington and Baltic.  None have announced any plans for the gridiron sport; although, the possibility has been toyed with on several occasions.  In addition to the 9 single A schools already mentioned as having football, Dennison, Dennison St. Mary's and Dover St. Joseph's also field gridiron squads in this county.

As far as the loss of TV next year is concerned in basketball, the county will still be authorized to send 2 teams from its League Tournament into Sectional Tournament play.  The county would have to drop to 5 teams before the 2 teams were not eligible.

NOTE:  Right Down The Line With Norm Singleton

Sports Editor
Monday, December 15, 1958
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

Terry Deems of Tuscarawas and Eldon Miller of Gnadenhutten were leading point-getters in Wittenberg College's 64-51 victory over Mount Union Saturday night.  Deems, the Ohio Conference's Most Valuable Player last year, hit for 17 points and Miller had 14.

Larry Clark, another former Gnadenhutten cager, is a member of the Junior Varsity at Wilmington College.  Rod Reinhart, who played at Stone Creek, is playing at West Virginia Wesleyan.

59 - SPOTLIGHT on Mrs. Ethel Haswell of Strasburg

STRASBURG - It's an accepted fact now in Strasburg, but nevertheless, we'd like to pass on the following account for the benefit of other area athletic fans.  The fact is that Mrs. Ethel Haswell, a name that has been prominent in Strasburg High School athletics for more than 2 decades, was recently named "Parent Of The Year" by the high school and presented a Gold Pass which will entitle her to "free" admission to Strasburg athletic events the rest of her life.

The mother of 16 children, Mrs. Haswell has followed intently the exploits of 13 in some type of Orange and Black uniforms.  The 13th, son Ron (Nick), is a Senior this year.  It all began in 1934 when Pete started a 4-year career in baseball and basketball.  He was a member of the Strasburg cage squad that gained the State Tournament in 1938.

Then came Eddie (1939-43), Tom (1944-48), John (1946-50), Jerry (1950-55), Robert (Bob) (1954-58) and Nick.  All were active in football, baseball, basketball and track.  The Haswell boys, in addition to having both of their parents on the sidelines spurring them on until 1950 when the father, Arthur, died of a heart attack, didn't lack for other vocal support.  Five Haswell girls were active as cheerleaders and a 6th participated in track.

Sister Beverly (Freshwater) was a cheerleader in 1938-40, Kathryn (Minnich) in 1941-45, Doris (Minor) in 1942-46, Nancy (Beichel) in 1947-51 and Georgean (Lutz) in 1949-53, Harriet (Duvall) was a track "veteran" in 1940-44.  The 3 other Haswell children are Mrs. James Dreher, a beauty shop operator in Strasburg, Mrs. James Weber, also of Strasburg and Mrs. Ronald Gray of Columbus.

Tom Haswell is now coaching the 7th and 8th Graders at Middlebranch and Georgean is a nurse at Massillon City Hospital.  A total of 23 grandchildren are numbered in the new flock.  Mrs. Haswell is the former Ethel Hinig of New Philadelphia.  Her father, Frank, now 87, is still a resident there.

Incidentally, the Haswell name isn't expected to be missing too long from the Strasburg scene.  Her eldest grandson, Tommy, was a member of the Tuscarawas County Little League Baseball Champions last Summer and now is active in Grade School Basketball.

FROM:  RIGHT DOWN THE LINE with Norm Singleton (Sports Editor)


Friday, December 5, 1958
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

NOTE:  County Cage Stars

Three former basketball stars from Tuscarawas County are expected to well represent our area around Springfield this season.  Head coach Ray Mears (center), a native of Dover, is shown here with 2 former winners of The Daily Times high school Most Valuable Player Award.  They are Terry Deems of Tuscarawas (left) and Eldon Miller of Gnadenhutten who are this year's starting forwards for Wittenberg College.  Deems, who has been one of the to rebounders and scorers in the nation's ranks of small colleges for 2 year, helped Wittenberg to a 19-3 record last season.  He is a Senior.  Miller is a Sophomore.  (Photo...The Daily Times)


Friday, December 5, 1958
The Daily Times
New Philadelphia, Ohio

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