HOME Kansas High School Basketball Tournament History
PART ONE: 1908-1911 Updated May 10, 2012
The Kansas University Open High School Tournament Patrick Macfee
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1908 Kansas Open High School Tournament May 1 Robinson Gym
SOURCE Coach League
CH : Halstead 30 Topeka
29
1. Halstead (9-2) Henry
Bischoff ARK VALLEY
SF: Halstead 30 Chanute
18
2. Topeka (7-5) John Hoehner
NEKL
SF: Topeka 32 Fort Scott
16
SF Chanute (5-5)
Unknown
SEKL
QF: Halstead 30 Reno County 25
SF Fort Scott (8-4)
Unknown
SEKL
QF: Chanute 25 Fort Scott
23
QF: Topeka 37 Eudora
29
Source for Scores: The Kansan Halstead Independent Chanute Sun
Fort Scott provided Topeka High with an opponent for a semi-final game as only six teams participated in the first tourney. W-L Records of Final Four are estimated.
Halstead Roster: Otto Malleis SR, Henry Embick SO, Walter Kauder FR, Adolph Dettweiler JR, Arnold Todd SO _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The crowd that gathered for the Halstead and Topeka championship game was likely not that familiar with the game. Football was the most important sport played between high schools in the state of Kansas. Track & Field events were very popular in the spring as was baseball. Dr. Naismith's game had caught on with many of the students as a game to play in between the strictly outside activities. There existed enough interest that Kansas University added the sport to the annual high school track & field competition they sponsored as part of "high school week." 1
This early version of the game required five players on each side. There was a center jump after every made field goal and no ten second half-court line. The ball could be up to two inches larger in circumference than what is used today and was much more difficult to handle because of the exposed lacing of the leather covering the hard rubber bladder. The basket first used by Naismith had been replaced by an iron rim with a net that held the ball until the referee retrieved it for the center jump. 2 Backboards were becoming standard but many did not extend out from the wall where they were attached. 3
Players were prohibited from throwing for goals if they dribbled the ball during a possession. Substitutions were allowed but the player would not be allowed to re-enter the game. 4
Most teams kept one or two players near the center jump or back court area to protect their goal while the remaining three or four players played offense. 5
Kansas University was eager to show off the newly constructed Robinson Gym built to accommodate the new sport. The $100,000 facility was described by The Kansan as "the finest gymnasium in the Missouri Valley." Spectators were expected to watch the game from the balcony surrounding the court while players and school officials were seated on the gym floor. 6 The Lawrence Daily Journal praised athletics manager W.C. Lansdon for the new attraction and the 5th annual track meet that was drawing students to the school. "Manager Lansdon is making his department the best boomer the University has ever had. The State University is recruited from the high schools and Mr. Lansdon is getting the students here. He is inspiring interest in athletics and he is advertising the University as it has never been advertised before." 7
Reports of the games at Robinson Gym were short on details. The final drew a good crowd and an exciting finish. Halstead silenced those who had chortled over the "grass courts" that some had assumed Halstead used for practice. 8 Few high school players of any of the teams had competed on a quality court like Robinson Gym. Regular season games were played at roller skating rinks, assembly halls and other venues that were not designed for the game. 9 Reno County played their games in the assembly space of City Hall. 10
Arnold Todd's last minute field goal won the championship for Halstead in the 30-29 win over Topeka High. 11
1.
Lawrence Daily World, April 29, 1908, 1
2. "Spalding's Official Collegiate Basket Ball
Guide for 1907-8" (New York:American Sports, 1907), 97-111
3. Joe Jares, Basketball, The American Game (Chicago:Follett
Publishing Company, 1971), 33
4. "Spalding's Official Collegiate Basket Ball
Guide for 1907-8", 97-111
5. Forrest C. Allen, My Basket-ball Bible (Kansas
City, Mo:Smith-Grieves Co, 1924), 250-251
6. Kansan, "Souvenir Christmas
Number", December 18, 1907, 6
7. Lawrence Daily Journal, May 4, 1908, 1
8. Halstead Independent, January 28, 1909,
1
9. The (Chanute) Sun, March 13, 1909, 1
10. Nickerson Argosy, February 21, 1907, 1
11. Halstead Independent, May 7, 1908, 1
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1909 Kansas Open High School Tournament March 19, 20 Robinson Gym
Coach League
CH: Halstead 2 Eudora 0
!
1. Halstead
(11-0)
Ben Young
INDEPENDENT
SF: Halstead 41 Dickinson County
22
2. Chanute
(12-3)
Hoover
SEKL
SF: Chanute 30 Eudora 33
!
SF Dickinson County (?-?)
Unknown
INDEPENDENT
QF: Halstead 32 Topeka
22
SF Eudora
(?-?)
Unknown
INDEPENDENT
QF: Dickinson County 33 Dixon Township 12
QF: Chanute 43 Lecompton 8
QF: Eudora 19 Glasco 18
1R: Halstead 20 Iola 14
1R: Dickinson County 22 Parsons 11
1R: Dixon Township 24 Kansas City 21
1R: Glasco 25 Reno County 11
1R: Eudora 33 Sabetha 21
1R: Lecompton, Chanute, Topeka drew Byes
Halstead Roster: Walter Kauder SO, Adolph Dettweiler SR, N.M. Schowalter, Arnold Todd JR, Henry Embick JR, Mike Hoffman JR 5
Source for Scores: THE KANSAN ! Forfeit - Eudora forced to forfeit Halstead game at half-time and semi-final win due to ineligible players.
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In 1909 Kansas University officials moved the basketball tournament event to March so it would coincide with the conference of accredited High Schools. Teachers were given a holiday to attend this meeting and that meant that the students were given time off as well. 1 The University also decided to invite girl teams to participate in a separate basketball tourney conducted in the women's portion of Robinson Gym. The Beloit girls won the trophy over a small group of entries. * 2
The Halstead team returned as the favorite in the boy's tourney. They appeared to be on the way to winning the tournament in the final against Eudora. As they rested at half-time with a lead, information reached the tournament director that Eudora was using at least two ineligible players. The players were registered under their correct names, but it was confirmed that they were actually attending Central Business College in Kansas City. Eudora refused to take the court without these players and the championship was awarded to Halstead. 3
Chanute was awarded the 2nd place trophy as it was decided that Eudora should also forfeit their semi-final win over the Blue Comets. An attempt was made to allow Chanute to play Halstead in a championship game, but it was discovered that the team had already caught the train back to Chanute. 4
Tournament officials were pleased with the growth of the tournament and could see the value in recruiting athletes for the increasingly important basketball program. Despite the embarrassment over the ineligible players, the use of supplemental players was common during the first years of high school inter-scholastic sports. 6 The penalty imposed on Eudora put others on notice that this practice would not be tolerated in tournament play.
* Girl's tournament will be covered on a separate page.
1. The (Chanute) Sun, March
18, 1909, 1
2. Lawrence Daily Journal, March 18, 1909, 1
3. The (Chanute) Sun, March 22, 1909, 1
4. Kansan, March 23, 1909, 1
5. Lawrence Daily Journal, March 18, 1909, 1
6. State Normal Bulletin (Emporia), April 22, 1910, 344
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1910 Kansas Open High School Tournament March 12, 13 Robinson Gym
Coach League
CH:
Clay County 32 Newton
20
1. Clay County
(14-0) Ralph
O'Neill
INDEPENDENT
SF: Clay County
33 Topeka
24
2. Newton
(7-2)
Unknown
INDEPENDENT
SF: Newton
32 Reno County
26
SF Reno County
(15-3)
Unknown
INDEPENDENT
QF: Clay
County 54 Leavenworth
27
SF Topeka
(7-4)
Ward
Green
INDEPENDENT
QF: Topeka
27 Kansas City 25
QF: Newton
44 El Dorado 26
QF: Reno County
45 Iola 26
1R: Clay County 43 Fort
Scott 18
1R:
Leavenworth 35 Baldwin 29
1R: Topeka
32 Parsons 14
1R: Kansas
City 37 Chanute 24
1R: Newton
33 Kinsley 13
1R: El
Dorado 53 Havensville 11
1R: Reno
County 43 Waverly 15
1R: Iola
60 Portis 17
Preliminary: Clay
County 52 Lincoln 10
Preliminary:
Topeka 28 Halstead 24
Preliminary:
Parsons def Lecompton
Preliminary:
Kansas City def Cherokee
Preliminary:
Chanute 35 Wellsville 10
Preliminary:
Newton 44 Rosedale 10
Preliminary:
Kinsley 29 Paola 24
Preliminary: El
Dorado 49 Montgomery County 12
Preliminary:
Havensville def Pleasanton
SOURCES: Newton Evening
Kansan-Republican Lawrence Daily
World Clay County Dispatch El
Dorado Republican Kinsley Graphic 62
Years of History in the THS
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The crowning of Clay County as the 1910 champion generated great pride in the population of Clay Center. The Clay Center Dispatch made the story of the championship front-page news and happily declared the local boys champions of not only the State of Kansas, but also the entire Missouri Valley by virtue of defeating Topeka High. The logic worked for the locals as they learned that Topeka had defeated Westport of Kansas City, MO and wasn't it true that Westport had beat St. Joseph's, MO ? It was true and St. Joseph's completed that line of thinking by their earlier victory over Omaha, NE. 1 The display of civic pride in the success of the local high school basketball team was established in these early basketball tournaments. The inter-scholastic competition increased the popularity of the game and encouraged schools to send teams to the open competition in Lawrence.
Ralph O'Neill was given credit for teaching the Clay Center boys their trick plays and guiding their conditioning during the season. Pie and rich foods, tea and coffee were forbidden during training. The practices conducted by O'Neill elevated the physical condition of the Clay Center players over the 24 other teams entered in the tournament. 2
Team Captain Ernest Mendell was in charge out on the court as the rules of the day demanded. Communication to players on the court from the bench or others associated with the team was prohibited. It was left to the Captain to call out plays and address the referee as the rules allowed. He also was in charge of turning in the line-up and appointing the person who would shoot free throws for the team. Mendell was representative of the idea that many of the early teams were coached in the modern sense by the team Captain. 3
Other starters for the Clay County champs were Cyril Smee, Ned Engler, Albert Affolter and John McClenahan. 4 Substitutes rarely contributed much to these teams except in case of an injury to a starter. But subs Ward Marshall, Floyd Leveque and Ward Miles saved the tournament in the 2nd round contest against Fort Scott. Several regulars received short notice about the start of that game and the subs started and played until the regular starters could get to the court. 5
1. Clay Center Dispatch,
March 14, 1910, 1
2. Ibid
3. "Spalding's Official Basket Ball Guide for 1900-01"
(New York: American Sports, 1900), 60
4. Topeka Daily Capital, March 1, 1910, 3
5. Clay Center Dispatch, March 14, 1910, 1
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1911 Kansas Open High School Tournament March 26, 27 Robinson Gym
Coach League
CH: Lawrence 41 Topeka
21
1. Lawrence (17-3)
Prof.
Ross
INDEPENDENT
SF: Lawrence 35 Buffalo
32
2. Topeka High (11-5) J.L.
Montgomery KCL
SF: Topeka 35 Arkansas City
31
3. Buffalo
(9-2)
Unknown
INDEPENDENT
QF: Lawrence 28 Clay County
25
4. Arkansas City (?-?) Francis
Schmidt INDEPENDENT
QF: Buffalo 29 Halstead 25
QF: Topeka 27 Iola 23
QF: Arkansas City 32 Winfield
30
1R: Lawrence 59 Dickinson
County
32
1R: Clay County 41
Clearwater
14
1R: Halstead 61 Mankato 13
1R: Buffalo 38 Baldwin 25
1R: Topeka 73 Wellsville 16
1R: Iola 2 Anthony 0
!
1R: Winfield 43 Florence 39
1R: Arkansas City 31 Newton
22
Preliminary: Lawrence 58
Washington 21
Preliminary: Dickinson County 42
Olathe 28
Preliminary: Florence 55
Lansing 22
Preliminary: Winfield 24
Norton 23
Preliminary: Arkansas City 2
Atchison 0 !
SOURCES: Newton Evening
Kansan-Republican Lawrence Daily
Journal University Daily Kansan Arkansas
City Daily Traveler Lawrence HS
Budget
Topeka Daily Capital
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ALL Tournament Team Team selected by Coach Hamilton (KU) & Dr. James Naismith Referees: Dick Waring & Phog Allen Umpires: Tommy Johnson & Vern Long
First Team Second Team
Harlan
Russell
LAWRENCE
Frank Robinson
WINFIELD
Blevens
ARKANSAS
CITY
Walter
Todd
HALSTEAD
Ralph Sproull
LAWRENCE
Williams
FLORENCE
Harold Woodford
TOPEKA
John McClenahan CLAY COUNTY
Oley
Apt
BUFFALO
Jack
Brown
LAWRENCE
All Tournament Team Source: University Daily Kansan
By
1911, the Kansas University tournament had grown in the number of teams that
Robinson Gym was divided cross-wise so that two games could be played at the
same time. The games prior to the finals would all be played on these smaller
courts with two fifteen minute periods. The smaller courts were actually closer
to the space used by teams during the regular season. The finals were played
with the then standard two twenty minute periods on the full court. 1
Delirious howling fans that traveled to Lawrence by train filled the Robinson Gym balconies to watch their respective teams. The enthusiasm of the players and fans began at the Lawrence rail stations. The Lawrence Journal reported, "The trains from the west some times unloaded two or three groups whose different-hued ribbons identified them as members of rival clans and always when this occurred, there resulted a challenging exchange of yell and sometimes a hostile demonstration." 2
Lawrence students had shown little interest in basketball during the regular season. Captain Hoskins was largely responsible for organizing a team after a three year absence of play. Professor Ross was described as a Manager of the team rather than a Coach. Only three players on the squad had ever engaged in inter-scholastic basketball and it took nearly a full season to arouse student body interest. The trophy won by the "Red and Black" at the Baldwin tournament (Baker University) finally got the locals solidly behind the team. 3
"Swede" Kennedy , Lawrence's "spectacular goal-tosser", was injured early in the team's win over Dickinson County. The Lawrence boys learned to get the ball to other capable scorers to get past the defending champion Clay County squad. 4
The upstart little village school Buffalo, upset winner over two time champion Halstead, stood in the way of a Lawrence spot in the final. Buffalo took a 18-15 lead into half-time by a solid defense on Harlan Russell and center "Lefty" Sproull. The school newspaper reported that at half-time "someone ran down to the office and found out where Buffalo was ... on the map." The boys were also reported to have received advice from old Lawrence athletic stars during the intermission on how to find Sproull open for goals. Could one of those stars have been the Kansas legendary All-American Tommy Johnson ? It was known that he was serving as one of the umpires for the tournament and that he was convalescing in the area from an illness that would eventually claim his life later in the year. Whoever "coached" the Lawrence boys, they came out with a plan that left Sproull open for several shots and they squeaked by Buffalo 35-32. 5
Lawrence defeated their old football rival Topeka in the championship game. Ray Dunmire joined his future Kansas University teammate "Lefty" Sproull as the stars who led the team to an easy 41-21 victory. 6
RULE CHANGES 1911: 1) Player is disqualified upon committing a 4th personal foul . Previous disqualification came after a player was assessed with five fouls. The rule change narrowed the definition of a personal foul. Previously fouls were assessed to players for violations like kicking the ball, traveling, etc. Personal fouls would be defined as only those violations that involved contact with an opponent. A non-contact foul could still result in a "free trial for goal", but was not charged to the player as a personal foul. 2) Clarification that no coaching was allowed during the progress of the game by anybody connected with either team. After one warning, a free throw was awarded for each violation. 7
1. Lawrence Daily Journal-World,
March 26, 1911, 1
2. Ibid, March 24, 1911, 1
3. Lawrence High School Budget, April 1, 1911, 5
4. Ibid
5. Ibid, 6
6. Topeka Daily Capital, March 26, 1911, 16
7. "Spalding's Official Collegiate Basket Ball Guide for 1910-11" (New
York: American Sports, 1910), 152, 172
School Name Changes
Reno County - Nickerson Dickinson County = Chapman
Dixon Township = Argonia Kansas City =
KC-Wyandotte
Montgomery County =
Independence Clay County = Clay Center-CCCHS
Schools closed and/or consolidated
Anthony
Anthony/Harper-Chaparral USD 361
Buffalo
Buffalo-Altoona Midway USD 387
Cherokee
Cherokee-Southeast USD 247
Florence
Marion USD 408
Havensville
Onaga USD 322
Lecompton
Perry-Lecompton USD 343
Portis
Osborne USD 392
Rosedale
KC-Harmon USD 500
Washington
Washington-Washington County USD 108
Tommy Johnson - http://www.hoopszone.net/Kansas/Kansas/Players/J/johnson-tommy.htm
Ralph "Lefty" Sproull - http://www.hoopszone.net/Kansas/Kansas/Players/S/sproull-ralph.htm