Tuesday, August 24, 2010
1960-61 basketball team
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Keith Greve, shown at far left, coached basketball at New Ross for four years in the early 60's. The Blue Jays won the County, Sectional, and Regional in 1960-61 and the Sectional in 1961-62. His career record at New Ross was 67-2 in his four year tenure. Keith Greve became the second person with a New Ross connection to be inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame. He joined Howie Williams in the prestigious HOF in 2001. Keith Greve Keith Greve…Three year starter for Waveland…leading scorer and MVP junior and senior year…four year starter for Hall of Famer Tony Hinkle…leading scorer sophomore and junior years…MVP 1953…All Indiana Collegiate Conference First Team three times...received Hilton U. Brown Mental Attitude Award senior year…All Decade Team 1950’s…inducted into Butler Athletic Hall of Fame 1999…Head coach for 15 years at New Ross, Danville, and Greensburg…Athletic Director at Greensburg for 27 years. |
1955-56 basketball team and cheerleaders plus Glen Harper and Mr. Purdue add another trophy
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| Corky Shelley won the shot put at the County Track Meet four years in a row. Here he is in action his senior year |
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| Corky Shelley of New Ross and Jerry Jeffries, a high jumper from Ladoga, get ready to go to the State Meet |
1944-45 basketball team
Hall of Fame bio
Howard Williams
High School New Ross 1945
College Purdue 1950
Inducted 1989
A graduate of New Ross High School, ‘Howie’ was a four- year varsity starter at New Ross. He was named to the All-County and All-Sectional teams in his junior and senior years. Howie held an excellent scoring record with a high game of 28 points in his senior year. He attended Purdue where he played all four years. Was named the Most Valuable Player in his senior year. Howie was also captain of the team in his senior year. He held a number of scoring records in the Big Ten. Was one of two Hoosiers selected to play in the 1952 Olympics in Finland. He is associated with the Caterpillar Company in Indianapolis.
A short history of Bluejay basketball
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| New Ross license plate |
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| Display at the 100 year celebration |
History of New Ross Basketball
In his book entitled Big Foot and Other New Ross Stories, Bob Whitecotton (Class of 1934) recalls that he saw his first basketball game in New Ross at the New Ross schoolyard in a game between Mace High and New Ross High School. The year would have been 1923. New Ross, like many other schools in the early days, did not have a gymnasium and played outdoors or anyplace indoors where there was a large open space. Bob recalls, “I saw my first indoor game in the Odd Fellow’s Lodge hall above Everman’s grocery store. In the 1930’s when my brother Pat and I were in high school, we practiced and played our games in the Jamestown Methodist Church annex. This was a small place, but as good as most places.” Bob also recalled that his mother was the driving force behind the movement to build a gymnasium for the New Ross basketball team. Her influence resulted in the construction of the gymnasium that served New Ross from 1934 to consolidation in 1971.
The Bluejays had some outstanding teams throughout the 40’s, led by the legendary Howie Williams who had the misfortune to come along at the same time that the Waynetown Gladiators were taking on all comers and shaping their place in Montgomery County basketball history in the middle 40’s. Ralph Capehart’s charges were undefeated in the regular season in 1943-44 and won the County, sectional and regional. They were undefeated again in the regular season in 1944-45 as they were in the midst of a 51 game regular season winning streak. Once again the Gladiators won the County and sectional but lost to a great Covington team in the regional final. Howie Williams led the Bluejays to a 32-9 record for his junior and senior years, but could never beat Waynetown, regular season or tournament. Williams moved on to Purdue University after graduation where he also starred leading the Boilermakers in scoring his junior and senior years. An All-Big Ten performer his junior and senior years, he is still remembered for his famous “sit-down” shot in 1948 which beat Indiana University 51-49. He remarked after that, “Purdue can beat Indiana sitting on our butts.” After graduating from Purdue, Howie was drafted by the Minneapolis Lakers in the 3rd round (35th overall), but decided to play instead for the Peoria Caterpillars and was selected as the nation’s outstanding amateur basketball player in 1953. He led the “Cats” to the AAU Championship in 1952 and 1953 making the shot that beat Kansas 62-60 and qualifying for the Helsinki Olympics where he won a gold medal, making him one of only two Montgomery County athletes to win an Olympic Gold Medal. The other was Jim Dunbar of Darlington who won in rowing also at Helsinki. Howard Williams is a member of the Helms Foundation Hall of Fame and is also enshrined in the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame. His bio at New Castle reads as follows:
“Howard “Howie” Williams—Two time Purdue MVP and Olympic Gold Medalist.
A 3- year standout at tiny New Ross High School…twice Purdue’s MVP… Leading Boilermakers in scoring two years…4 varsity letters…2-time All-Big Ten…honorable mention All-American…team captain as a senior in 1950…drafted by the Minneapolis Lakers, but opted for AAU basketball…A 3-time AAU All-American…52 LA Times player of the year in AAU…Gold medalist with U.S. Olympic team in 1952…played on Caterpillar Diesels of Peoria, IL…national AAU Champs in 1952 and 53…Helms Athletic Foundation All American..remembered by many by pushing Purdue past IU in ’48 by hitting a shot with 3 seconds left while sitting on the floor.”
Even though there were many outstanding New Ross teams and players in the early days, the Bluejays did not win a tournament until 1954 when the Haffner family began to work its way through the tiny high school. Donald “Hotshot” Haffner was a star center on two Crawfordsville Athenian sectional winners in the late 20’s (1928 and 1929). Don and his wife Crystal later moved to a small farm near New Ross and had three sons and four daughters. The author remembers driving down 500 South past the Haffner farm many times and noticing the basket nailed on the side of the old barn. The oldest son, Richard, once remarked that when things were going bad and he needed to get away from his problems, he would go out to the barn and shoot baskets for hours. It showed as he led the New Ross Bluejays to their first sectional title in 1954 and was captain and center on the undefeated team that lost to Gary Froebel in the Lafayette Semi-state in 1956. The Jays were 26-1 that year under youthful coach Glen Harper. (Sister Christine was a cheerleader that year) Brother Phil played on the Bluejay teams of the early 60’s and led the team to the Lafayette Semi-state in 1961. (Twin sister Karon and Sharon were cheerleaders that year.) Phil later returned to the County to coach basketball at Waveland. The last Haffner son was Ronnie, who played on the 1964-65 team that won 20 games and was a power in the County that year. All three brothers would end their careers on the top ten scorers list for Bluejays basketball. Richard is the leader with 1445 points, playing in 97 games in his storied career. Ronnie is 6th on the list with 804 points and Phil is 8th with 731. Richard went on to letter three years at Butler University, playing in the famous 5 overtime game between Butler and Wabash, a game in which five County boys were on the floor at the same time and a game in which Charlie Bowerman scored 63 points to lead the Little Giants to victory. Richard coached at Rockville for two years, and then moved to Noblesville where his son, Scott, became a star for a former Montgomery County legend, Coach Dave Nicholson. Scott was selected for the Indiana All-Star team in 1984, and played at the University of Illinois and Evansville before being drafted in the second round by the Miami Heat; he then played two years for the Heat and one year for the Charlotte Hornets in the NBA.
The Haffner girls contributed a third generation to Montgomery County basketball as older daughter Christine married Mel Todd, the career leading scorer for the Ladoga Canners. They had three daughters Shelley, Kristi, and Missy who all played basketball for the Southmont Mounties in the late 70’s and middle 80’s. Karon (one of the twin cheerleaders) married former Darlington Indian star, George Cox. They had three sons, Phil, Clark, and Craig who starred for the North Montgomery Charger athletic teams in the late 70’s and early 80’s.
Other notable Blue Jays are Homer Williams and Harold Williams Howie’s brothers, who played on the Bluejays teams of the early 40’s. Harold’s son Bob was an outstanding player for the Jays in the middle 60’s, Bernie Burk, who also played at Butler University and came back to coach at New Ross from 1963 to 1966 and coached in southern Indiana for many years. Bernie is 2nd on the career scoring list with 1171 points. Mike Stewart is 3rd on the list with 927 points. Mike Whitecotton is 4th with 895 points, followed by Bob Williams with 846 points. Ron Haffner is 6th on the scoring list with 804 points, Rusty Nichols had 780, Phil Haffner scored 731, Charlie Frederick scored 717 and Danny Isenberg rounded out the top ten career scoring list with 657 points. Rusty Nichols starred for the Bluejays in the late 50’s and went on to an outstanding career at Wabash College where he played basketball and baseball and was head basketball coach for the Little Giants for seven years. Charlie Frederick was one of the best all-around athletes the County ever produced starring in baseball, basketball and track all four years at New Ross. (He even played on the HS baseball team as an 8th grader) He was one of three Blue Jay athletes to be voted the Outstanding Senior Athlete for Montgomery County. Charlie won the award in 1963. The others honored were Richard Haffner in 1956 and Rusty Nichols in 1959. Other outstanding Bluejays were Luther Shaw who holds the single game mark at 39 against Pittsboro in the 1963-64 season. Tom Reynolds, and Mike Whitecotton were mainstays on the New Ross teams in the early 60’s. All three are in the top ten career scorers in New Ross basketball.
The Bluejays had some outstanding teams throughout the 40’s, led by the legendary Howie Williams who had the misfortune to come along at the same time that the Wayntown Gladiators were taking on all comers and shaping their place in Montgomery County basketball history in the middle 40’s. Ralph Capehart’s charges were undefeated in the regular season in 1943-44 and won the County, sectional and regional. They were undefeated again in the regular season in 1944-45 as they were in the midst of a 51 game regular season winning streak. Once again the Gladiators won the County and sectional but lost to a great Covington team in the regional final. Howie Williams led the Bluejays to a 32-9 record for his junior and senior years, but could never beat Waynetown, regular season or tournament. Williams moved on to Purdue University after graduation where he also starred leading the Boilermakers in scoring his junior and senior years. An All-Big Ten performer his junior and senior years, he is still remembered for his famous “sit-down” shot in 1948 which beat Indiana University 51-49. He remarked after that, “Purdue can beat Indiana sitting on our butts.” After graduating from Purdue, Howie was drafted by the Minneapolis Lakers in the 3rd round (35th overall), but decided to play instead for the Peoria Caterpillars and was selected as the nation’s outstanding amateur basketball player in 1953. He led the “Cats” to the AAU Championship in 1952 and 1953 making the shot that beat Kansas 62-60 and qualifying for the Helsinki Olympics where he won a gold medal, making him one of only two Montgomery County athletes to win an Olympic Gold Medal. The other was Jim Dunbar of Darlington who won in rowing also at Helsinki. Howard Williams is a member of the Helms Foundation Hall of Fame and is also enshrined in the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame. His bio at New Castle reads as follows:
“Howard “Howie” Williams—Two time Purdue MVP and Olympic Gold Medalist.
A 3- year standout at tiny New Ross High School…twice Purdue’s MVP… Leading Boilermakers in scoring two years…4 varsity letters…2-time All-Big Ten…honorable mention All-American…team captain as a senior in 1950…drafted by the Minneapolis Lakers, but opted for AAU basketball…A 3-time AAU All-American…52 LA Times player of the year in AAU…Gold medalist with U.S. Olympic team in 1952…played on Caterpillar Diesels of Peoria, IL…national AAU Champs in 1952 and 53…Helms Athletic Foundation All American..remembered by many by pushing Purdue past IU in ’48 by hitting a shot with 3 seconds left while sitting on the floor.”
Even though there were many outstanding New Ross teams and players in the early days, the Bluejays did not win a tournament until 1954 when the Haffner family began to work its way through the tiny high school. Donald “Hotshot” Haffner was a star center on two Crawfordsville Athenian sectional winners in the late 20’s (1928 and 1929). Don and his wife Crystal later moved to a small farm near New Ross and had three sons and four daughters. The author remembers driving down 500 South past the Haffner farm many times and noticing the basket nailed on the side of the old barn. The oldest son, Richard, once remarked that when things were going bad and he needed to get away from his problems, he would go out to the barn and shoot baskets for hours. It showed as he led the New Ross Bluejays to their first sectional title in 1954 and was captain and center on the undefeated team that lost to Gary Froebel in the Lafayette Semi-state in 1956. The Jays were 26-1 that year under youthful coach Glen Harper. (Sister Christine was a cheerleader that year) Brother Phil played on the Bluejay teams of the early 60’s and led the team to the Lafayette Semi-state in 1961. (Twin sister Karon and Sharon were cheerleaders that year.) Phil later returned to the County to coach basketball at Waveland. The last Haffner son was Ronnie, who played on the 1964-65 team that won 20 games and was a power in the County that year. All three brothers would end their careers on the top ten scorers list for Bluejays basketball. Richard is the leader with 1445 points, playing in 97 games in his storied career. Ronnie is 6th on the list with 804 points and Phil is 8th with 731. Richard went on to letter three years at Butler University, playing in the famous 5 overtime game between Butler and Wabash, a game in which five County boys were on the floor at the same time and a game in which Charlie Bowerman scored 63 points to lead the Little Giants to victory. Richard coached at Rockville for two years, and then moved to Noblesville where his son, Scott, became a star for a former Montgomery County legend, Coach Dave Nicholson. Scott was selected for the Indiana All-Star team in 1984, and played at the University of Illinois and Evansville before being drafted in the second round by the Miami Heat; he then played two years for the Heat and one year for the Charlotte Hornets in the NBA.
The Haffner girls contributed a third generation to Montgomery County basketball as older daughter Christine married Mel Todd, the career leading scorer for the Ladoga Canners. They had three daughters Shelley, Kristi, and Missy. Shelley and Kristi played basketball for the Southmont Mounties in the late 70’s and middle 80’s. Karon (one of the twin cheerleaders) married former Darlington Indian star, George Cox. They had three sons, Phil, Clark, and Craig who starred for the North Montgomery Charger athletic teams in the late 70’s and early 80’s.
Other notable Blue Jays are Homer Williams and Harold Williams Howie’s brothers, who played on the Bluejays teams of the early 40’s. Harold’s son Bob was an outstanding player for the Jays in the middle 60’s, Bernie Burk, who also played at Butler University and came back to coach at New Ross from 1963 to 1966 and coached in southern Indiana for many years. Bernie is 2nd on the career scoring list with 1171 points. Mike Stewart is 3rd on the list with 927 points. Mike Whitecotton is 4th with 895 points, followed by Bob Williams with 846 points. Ron Haffner is 6th on the scoring list with 804 points, Rusty Nichols had 780, Phil Haffner scored 731, Charlie Frederick scored 717 and Danny Isenberg rounded out the top ten career scoring list with 657 points. Rusty Nichols starred for the Bluejays in the late 50’s and went on to an outstanding career at Wabash College where he played basketball and baseball and was head basketball coach for the Little Giants for seven years. Charlie Frederick was one of the best all-around athletes the County ever produced starring in baseball, basketball and track all four years at New Ross. (He even played on the HS baseball team as an 8th grader) He was one of three Blue Jay athletes to be voted the Outstanding Senior Athlete for Montgomery County. Charlie won the award in 1963. The others honored were Richard Haffner in 1956 and Rusty Nichols in 1959. Other outstanding Bluejays were Luther Shaw who holds the single game mark at 39 against Pittsboro in the 1963-64 season. Tom Reynolds, and Mike Whitecotton were mainstays on the New Ross teams in the early 60’s. All three are in the top ten career scorers in New Ross basketball.
Keith Greve, the Hall of Famer from Waveland High School and Butler University coached at New Ross for four years in the late 50's and early 60's. He played basketball and baseball at Butler and was a member of the first Butler basketball team to go to the NIT.(1958) He finished his career as Butler's second leading scorer in basketball and was Butler's ace pitcher in baseball. His Blue Jays won the County, sectional, and regional in 1960-61 and the sectional in 1961-62. His teams at New Ross had a four year record of 67-6.
Keith Greve…Three year starter for Waveland…leading scorer and MVP junior and senior year…four year starter for Hall of Famer Tony Hinkle…leading scorer sophomore and junior years…MVP 1953…All Indiana Collegiate Conference First Team three times...received Hilton U. Brown Mental Attitude Award senior year…All Decade Team 1950’s…inducted into Butler Athletic Hall of Fame 1999…Head coach for 15 years at New Ross, Danville, and Greensburg…Athletic Director at Greensburg for 27 years.
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