1948-49                                  Return to Year-by-Year                HOME  

STATE CHAMPIONS  CLASS AA: Newton  CLASS A: Russell  CLASS B: Clearwater 

           This season set a foundation for future Hayden success in basketball. Coach Starbuck played many Juniors (Bob Smith, Tom Smith, Dick Stewart and others) and even Freshman Jim Waite and Bob Steinbock played in many of the varsity games. The Jayhawk league play was dominated by Wamego and their star center Dick Knostman. He went on to play at Kansas State University and participated in the 1951 NCAA Final Four.

                 The first game in the new Hayden gymnasium was played December 7, 1948. The seating capacity of the gym was 1,000 and cost amounted to $120,000. This gym was too small for the crowds that Hayden drew even in this first season. But they had waited for a gym of their own for a long time - Holy Name grade school gym was the last home court used and it was very small in comparison. In future years, Hayden leased larger gyms when big crowds were expected. Throughout these records the name HAYDEN EAST identifies this gym - that was the name it was known by when it was last used.                                               

Source: TDC on all games, HAYDEN Yearbook c. 1949