• HickoryHusker
    August 20, 2025
    INDIANA -- Below is an attempt to document all numbers/jerseys retired by Hoosier high schools. If you know of an omission or addition, please let me know - ..

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    Retired Numbers List

    ANDERSON INDIANS

    #7 'Jumpin' Johnny Wilson - State Champion & Mr. Basketball
    #23 Troy Lewis - Mr. Basketball

    ANDERSON HIGHLAND SCOTS
    #32 Worn by all the Gary Brothers Greg-1988, Mark-1984, Jeff-1981

    ANDREAN 59'ERS
    #10 Dan Dakich - IU player/coach, radio host, ESPN analyst

    ARSENAL TECH TITANS
    #34 Joe Sexson - Mr. Basketball, Trester Award, lead Tech to State runner-up

    ATTICA RED RAMBLERS
    #5 Brittany Rayburn - Miss Basketball

    AUSTIN EAGLES
    #13 Jeremy Holland - Indiana All-Star
    #24 Mark Lueking - Indiana All-Star
    #41 Anthony Winchester - 2003 IN All-Star & Mr. Basketball runner-up

    BREBUEF BRAVES
    #44 Alan Henderson - Mr. Basketball
    #44 Vicki Hall - Miss Basketball

    BROAD RIPPLE ROCKETS
    #25 Steven Jamison - Passed away from cancer

    BROWNSBURG BULLDOGS
    #20 Gordon Hayward - State Champion

    CENTER GROVE TROJANS
    #23 Trayce Jackson-Davis - Mr. Basketball & McDonalds' All-American

    COLUMBUS (NORTH) BULLDOGS
    #13 Bill Stearman - Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame

    CONCORD MINUTEMEN
    #40 Shawn Kemp - State Finalist, & Gatorade Player of the Year

    CORYDON PANTHERS
    #15 (G) Kerri Windell - HS Sophomore killed in car accident

    CRISPUS ATTUCKS TIGERS
    #43 Oscar Robertson - State Champion & Mr. Basketball
    #44 Hallie Bryant - Mr. Basketball

    DALEVILLE BRONCHOS
    #10 Todd Perry - All time leading scorer

    DECATUR CENTRAL HAWKS
    #32 (G) Anna Munn - School's first Indiana All-Star

    EAST CHICAGO CENTRAL CARDINALS
    #22 E'Twaun Moore - State champion and Indiana All-Star

    EASTSIDE BLAZERS
    #12 (G) Alison Edgar - Scored 1518 points, All-Time leading scorer, Played at Purdue

    EV CENTRAL BEARS
    #32 (G) Maddy Shirley - First player ever to have number retired at Central

    EV DAY SCHOOL EAGLES
    #21 Jeremy Willis - City of Evansville's all time leading scorer with 1899 points

    FT. WAYNE LUERS KNIGHTS
    #1 Deshaun Thomas - Third all-time scorer in state history. 2010 Mr. Basketball, Parade and McDonalds' All-American

    GUERIN CATHOLIC GOLDEN EAGLES
    #23 Xavier Murphy - the first to wear #23 school opened. Xavier passed away of leukemia while a student at Notre Dame.

    HEBRON HAWKS
    #21 (G) Lauren Bechtold - Indiana All-Star and school's all-time leading scorer

    HERRON ACHAEANS
    #22 Rico Stewart 2014

    HUNTINGTON NORTH
    #32 (G) Lisa Winter - Class of 1996 Miss Basketball

    INDY WASHINGTON CONTINENTALS
    #32 Billy Keller
    #44 George McGinnis

    JIMTOWN JIMMIES
    #34 (G) Kim Barrier - Class of 1986 Miss Basketball

    KANKAKEE VALLEY KOUGARS
    #25 Worn by the five Sytsma brothers

    LAFAYETTE CATHOLIC KNIGHTS
    #52 Nick Weiss

    LANESVILLE EAGLES
    #5 Chris VanHoose

    LAPEL BULLDOGS
    #22 Jason Holsinger

    LAWRENCE NORTH WILDCATS
    #53 Eric Montross, Tom Geyer and the late John Stewart - All Indiana All-Stars

    LEWISVILLE BEARS
    #52 Marion Pierce - One of the state's all-time leading scorers. 1st at the time.

    LOGANSPORT BERRIES
    #15 Whitney Jennings - 2014 Miss Basketball

    MARION GIANTS
    #4 Lyndon Jones - 1987 Co-Mr. Basketball
    #7 Pat Klein - 1950 Trester Winner & Mr. Basketball
    #12 Jay Edwards - 1987 Co-Mr. Basketball
    #20 David Colescott - 1976 Trester Winner & Mr. Basketball
    #24 James Blackmon - 1983 IN All-Star & All-Time Leading Scorer
    #25 (G) Trena Keys - 1982 Miss Basketball
    #50 Zach Randolph - 2000 IN All-Star & All-Time Leading Rebounder
    # Charles 'Stretch' Murphy - No jersey #'s in 1926, but led Marion to first state title over Martinsville. All-American at Purdue

    MONROE CENTRAL GOLDEN BEARS
    #43 Matt Moulton

    MUNCIE CENTRAL BEARCATS
    #14 Jack Moore

    NOBLESVILLE MILLERS
    #34 Scott Haffner - Indiana All-Star, scored 65 in game at UE, and drafted 2nd round NBA

    OREGON-DAVIS BOBCATS
    #33 Aubrey Minix - All-Time leading scorer (Boy or Girl) 1608 points
    #44 Scott Blum - all-time leading scorer and 1988 Indiana All Star

    PIKE RED DEVILS
    #14 Mark Seigel - part of the UE team that was killed in plane crash

    PLYMOUTH PILGRIMS
    #22 Scott Skiles

    PERU TIGERS
    #4 Kyle Macy - Mr Basketball 1975

    PRINCETON TIGERS
    #3 Jackie Young - Gatorade National Player of the Year

    RICHMOND RED DEVILS
    #32 Woody Austin - 1988 Mr. Basketball
    #20 (G) Lisa Shepherd - 1997 Miss Basketball

    ROSSVILLE HORNETS
    #32 Mike Gallipo - killed 2/3/95 in a car wreck
    #50 & 51 Tom Knapp - killed 1/9/67 in a car wreck

    SCOTTSBURG WARRIORS
    #4 Renee Westmoreland - Miss Basketball 1989
    #41 Bill James - Runner-Up Mr. Basketball in 1969 (lost to McGinnis)

    SEEGER PATRIOTS
    #22 Stephanie White - Miss Basketball

    SHORTRIDGE BLUE DEVILS
    #22 George Pillow - Indiana All-Star

    SOUTH BEND ADAMS
    # 44 Jimmy Webb - Leading scorer in South Bend history-all schools

    SOUTHPORT CARDINAL
    #32 Louie Dampier

    SOUTHWESTERN REBELS
    #31 Steve Collier - Mr. Basketball

    TELL CITY MARKSMEN
    #42 Brian Taylor - Member of UE team killed in plane crash

    TERRE HAUTE NORTH PATRIOTS
    #34 Nate Mills

    TERRE HAUTE SOUTH BRAVES
    #2 Craig Porter Jr.
    #10 Cam Cameron - Indiana All-Star
    #42 Mike Joyner - Member of UE team killed in plane crash
    #50 Brian Evans
    #52 Kevin Thompson - Indiana All-Star

    WARSAW TIGERS
    #42 Kevin Ault - Mr. Basketball
    #43 Jeff Grose - Mr. Basketball

    WASHINGTON HATCHETS
    #10 Craig Neal - IN All-Star
    #40 Luke, Tyler, and Cody Zeller - each was named Indiana's Mr. Basketball, a McDonald's All-American and combined to win four Class 3A state championships
    #44 (G) Julie Helm
    #54 Steve Bouchie

    WASHINGTON CATHOLIC CARDINALS
    #3 Toby Madison - 1993 IN All-Star and state's leading scorer
  • HickoryHusker
    August 20, 2025
    BUTLERVILLE, Ind -- One of the most storied tales of Hoosier Hysteria folklore, and one of my personal favorites, took place during sectional week way back during the 1922-23 season. Think today's controversies make news? If the Internet would've been around back then, you can best bet your last Hoosier nickel that the Butlerville Squirrel Stunt would've been burning up the message boards...

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    Butlerville Squirrel Stunt 1923

    Butlerville High School's Raymond "Fats" Rees was as big as Butlerville was small. Standing 6-4 and weighing 240 pounds, this center was truly a big man for that day and age. After reading an account of a similar story in a Michigan paper and speaking to his coach, Herb Whitcomb, the team began practicing the 'play.'

    These Bulldogs also sported a 5 foot 110 point forward named Merlin Swarthout. This rather odd couple made up the components for what turned out to be a game winning and very controversial strategy.

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    Fats Rees would station himself near the front of the rim as the rest of the squad worked the ball around the outside. Little man Swarthout would then make a bee line for a crouching Rees and scramble up his back, ending up on his shoulders. Another Butlerville Bulldog would then throw the lob pass to the towering duo. Swarthout would catch the pas and score easily from his lofty position.
    Of note was the fact that the goal was always scored on a bank shot as Coach Whitcomb thought a dunk 'unfair.'

    The first time the play was used was in a regular season tilt against Jennings County rival, Scipio. The played worked to perfection and the Scipio contingent, certain that the play was legal, never argued the point.

    However, the real news came when the Bulldogs used it a second time - in the Seymour Sectional vs. the Hayden Haymakers. They wasted little time as they unveiled their secret in the first half. The Haymakers were so upset and argued so fervently that they let the rest of the game slip away, losing 36-16.

    The very next day Butlerville found themselves down 14-15 in the waning moments of their game against heavily favored Vernon. Rees and Swarthout unleashed the play in the closing seconds. The squirrel stunt ended Vernon's season 16-15.

    Sectional officials were aware of the play since the Hayden win. They had hurriedly called IHSAA commissioner Arthur Trester in Indianapolis to inquire about the play's legality. However, since nothing in the rule book addressed such things specifically, the play was allowed to stand.

    Butlerville was pretty much outgunned in the sectional final against mighty Seymour. The Bulldogs never even attempted to use their trick play. ..And that was the last of the Squirrel Stunt. During the off season, the IHSAA changed the rules to disallow "player assisted" field goals.

    Word at that time was that the Squirrel Stunt brought newspaper accounts from as far away as San Francisco. Both Rees and Coach Whitcomb retired to farms in Jennings County. Swarthout would move out to Oklahoma. And the rest, as they say, is history.
  • HickoryHusker
    August 20, 2025
    BIRDSEYE, Ind. — Stories or folklore about the unusual and odd help to make our great game what it is today. With this in mind, I set about looking to turn over the details of a tale that has long been told. The lantern game at Birdseye High School…

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    Photo I was able to attain of inside of gym that I believe this game took place in. This photo was taken at Birdseye homecoming late in 1940’s. The ‘gym’ was called Stevens Station and/or Stevens Junction. It served as gym for Bristow High as well for a time and a roller skating rink among other things. Structure is no longer there.

    When I first began trying to research this story, I was operating without much guidance. I’d heard rumors and fragments of the story, but getting someone to name specifics would prove difficult to say the least.

    I spoke with Birdseye Yellow Jackets that played in the 1950’s, and 60’s. None could point to a game they were involved in during their era. However, I was able to piece together enough details that I’m convinced the story is real. Most likely taking place in the 1930’s.

    So as many legends are passed along as oral history, I, too, became familiar with this rich story in much the same manner.

    Here’s what I’ve been able to determine by compiling and comparing the various accounts. As you might imagine, newspaper reports of regular season Birdseye basketball games during the depression age were pretty much nonexistent.

    Sometime during the decade of the 1930’s, the Birdseye Yellow Jackets played host to the Marengo Cavemen. Birdseye is now a part of Forest Park, and Marengo kids now attend Crawford County. The two communities are separated by about 25 miles on old Hwy 64 in Southern Indiana.

    To say that these two schools were basketball rivals would be an understatement. While both had other schools and communities that might be considered more despised, there was little love shared between Yellow Jackets and Cavemen.

    As far as basketball prowess goes, neither was ever considered a world beater. However, Marengo owned a sizeable advantage in this particular rivalry. Birdseye never did capture a Sectional, but Marengo was able to take titles in 1947 and 1957.

    As this particular late February contest approached, Birdseye was again mired in a less than stellar campaign. Marengo on the other hand came to town with a winning docket and every reason to feel confident of capturing the bragging rights of the hollow for the coming year. The Cavemen and their fans also enjoyed an unseasonably warm day for their road trip.

    However, as the game went on, the locals were hanging tough. According to accounts passed down through the ages, homestanding Birdseye led at the half – much to the chagrin of the favored visitors.
    This upset in the making must have not set well with the basketball gods, because as the third quarter clicked along, the warm evening gave way to a building storm outside.

    Lightning boomed and water poured on the old gym roof. As the fourth quarter began with the upstarts still ahead on the scoreboard, the power went out. Marengo called for a forfeit on the part of Birdseye since they couldn’t provide a lit gym to finish he game.

    Yellow Jacket backers weren’t about to let a rare win against Marengo slip through their grasp on account of an act of nature. A quick mid-court meeting of Birdseye town leaders, lit only by occasional lightening flashes, derived a solution. The men of the town were sent to their homes to retrieve their kerosene lanterns.

    They returned within minutes and took up places precariously sitting along the rafter that ran the length of the gym ceiling.

    The concept of playing in such dim light may seem difficult to fathom, but it must be remembered that the electric lights of the day were not much brighter than the primitive lanterns used that evening.
    The remainder of the game was played under the light of kerosene lamps with the locals hanging on (in more ways than one) for a narrow, if hard earned win over Marengo. The score and the names of the players are long lost to history, but the Birdseye Lantern game will forever be a part of the Indiana high school basketball lore.
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