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2210 W. Pentagon Place • Sioux Falls, SD 57107(605) 467-3010 • www.sdbbhof.com

2018 Fall Newsletter

Tragedy caused Heartbreak for Small Town

Cody Heim Tony Heim

By Bob Swanhorst

In the spring of 1994 Cody Heimgraduated from Cresbard HighSchool. His four years of high

school experiences andaccomplishments as a studentreflected that Cody was a talentedand well-liked young man.

First and foremost he was anhonor student and graduated as theclass salutatorian. Cody was theCresbard High School HomecomingKing and Sweetheart King.Athletically he was selected to the1994 all-conference basketballteam, as well as the conference all-tournament team. Along with hisbasketball honors for conferenceand district play, he was regardedas a team player. High schoolbasketball was a big part of hisyoung life.

Cody was the eldest son of Evieand Tony Heim. The family alsoincluded siblings Chad, Tonya,Shannon and Michael. Evie andTony owned and operated a buffaloranch. Tony was considered a worldleader in the buffalo industry. Beinga member of the National BisonAssociation, he was instrumental inestablishing the National BisonStock Show in Denver. Furtherevidence of his leadership in thebuffalo industry was the NationalBison Association awarding him theGolden Trophy Award post-humously in 1995.

On June 9, 1994, Cody and hisfather, Tony, were bringing home aload of buffalo from Saskatchewan,Canada. They were involved in afatal vehicle-train accident. One canonly imagine the devastationexperienced by the family.

The Cresbard community and themany buffalo related friends madethe incident a shared tragedy. Thecommunity businesses and many

friends unified their donations topurchase a scoreboard as amemorial to Cody and Tony. It wasplaced in the school gymnasium. JillFix, another sports mom, wasinstrumental in mounting theschool fight song on a bannerwhich was placed prominently

alongside the scoreboard.Community, basketball, tragedy,and the human spirit all found away to come together and continuewith life’s challenges and joys.

The scoreboard and banner hadstood as a constant memorial notonly to Cody’s family, but to theentire community even though theschool has been closed for severalyears. The South Dakota HighSchool Basketball Hall of Fame isproud to present a story that ismore than winning or losing, butdelves deeply into the human spiritof kindness.(Rob Howe and the family of

Cody Heim contributed informationfor this story)

Submitted PhotoCresbard players in 1995 show the memorial scoreboard that honors the memory of Tony andCody Heim. The Comets dedicated their season to Cody. From left are Kory Holt, Mike Holdren,Weston Holt, Chris Larsen, Anthony Meier and Cody’s younger brother Chad Heim.

2018 Fall Newsletter • Page 2

By Greg Hansen

As the 1940s gave way to the1950s, many high schoolbasketball teams in South

Dakota still played in antiquatedgymnasiums that lacked even themost basic of modern features. Some had exposed heatingelements that subjected players topotential burns. Others lackedproper locker room and showerfacilities. Most were withoutadequate seating toaccommodate spectators. It was in that setting whenforward-thinking school and civicofficials recognized theimportance of basketball inrelation to a town’s identity andpride. Decisions were made toimprove the experience for playersand fans alike. In central South Dakota, atrendsetter was Murdo. A community-wide vision inthat Jones County town resultedin the construction of the MurdoCity Auditorium before theCoyotes opened the 1954-55season. Frank Brost was then aMurdo High School senior and anall-state guard who averaged 25points per game. Brost is now 81. He is a retiredattorney and rancher who lives inSioux Falls. He still remembers thestairway leading down to the oldgym, a relic which had been thehome of the Coyotes before thenew gym was built. “The old gym was in thebasement of the high school thathad been built way back in theearly 1920s,” says Brost. “Therewas very, very limited seating.Right behind the out-of-boundslines on both ends of the courtwere concrete walls. It was by farthe poorest gym in the area.”

That fact was not lost on LowellBell, who arrived in Murdo in 1951as the new coach of the Coyotes. “Murdo had some good teamsin the 1930s during the HaroldThune era,” says Brost. Thunegraduated in 1937 and then playedat the University of Minnesota. “Bell could see that we weregoing to have good teams in the1950s, too, and it had gotten to thepoint where opposing schools didnot want to come to Murdo to play.So before my sophomore seasonBell said we were not even goingto practice – let alone play games– in that gym anymore.” The nearby town of Draper waswilling to share its gym. That wasMurdo’s home court during the1953-54 season when MauryHaugland, a senior and futureUniversity of South Dakota star,teamed with Brost, then a junior, tolead a 30-2 team. The Coyotes cruised throughthe regular season, won a district

championship, and then claimedMurdo’s first region title in 17 years.The State Class B Tournament washeld at the Aberdeen Civic Arenaand the Coyotes finished fifth. “We played all our home gamesat Draper that season and we haddeveloped a good following. Thecrowds at our games got biggerand bigger,” says Brost. “By the time we got back fromthe state tournament our fan basewas all fired up. That was amotivating factor in thecommunity deciding our gymsituation had to be fixed.” A.J. Geisler was mayor ofMurdo, a railroad town of about1,000 residents. He supported abuilding project. So did formermayor Bill Kuhrt. “We had a progressive citycouncil and that helped a bondissue get passed. The bond issuewas important, but more help wasneeded,” says Brost. “A lot of

Continued on Page 3

Murdo Gym signaled March toward New Era

Dee Brost PhotoFans filled the new Murdo Civic Auditorium during the 1954-55 season as Coyotes senior guardFrank Brost scored against White River. The gym had an arched ceiling. Seating for about1,400 fans included a full set of bleachers on the stage located behind the basket.


Continued from Page 2labor had to be donated by a lotof people.” The project became a missionof civic goodwill. A local contractor, Jerry Miller,was hired. Wayne Sandersonvolunteered to do the earth-moving work. Brost’s father,Herman, donated the necessarygravel. And many townspeople,such as Thune, devoted months ofwork on the emerging free-standing structure that featured anarched ceiling and seating foraround 1,400. “The project brought the towntogether,” says Brost. “It was agreat example of people unitingto get something done that wasimportant to the community.” Work that had begun theprevious spring was finished byDecember. Gann Valley was thefirst opponent to visit the newMurdo City Auditorium. TheBuffaloes were a quality team,coached by Q.C. Miles and led byall-stater Marvin Speck and flashyguard Ray Deloria. Brost was joined in the Murdostarting lineup by his cousin DaveBrost, Dick Daum, Pete Kerns andJim Anshutz. Top reserves wereKen Poppe and Jerry Anshutz. The Coyotes made sure their

debut in their new home was asuccess. “We beat Gann Valley by27 points that night,” remembersBrost, who paced Murdo to a 24-3 record that season. The facility was, as intended,much more than simply abasketball venue. “It was the best gym in thearea and it became the dominantbuilding in town whereeverything happened,” says Brost.“Band events, dances, concerts,conferences, 4-H, civicorganizations, everything.” Others took notice. Beforelong new gyms sprang up in anumber of neighboring West

River towns. “Many of those communitiesgot their gyms built by using thesame methodology as Murdo hadused,” says Brost. In high schoolbasketball in South Dakota, a newera was dawning. As years passed Murdo HighSchool became Jones CountyHigh School. And the Murdo CityAuditorium was renamed theHarold Thune Auditorium. Last winter Murdo staged the50th annual Jones CountyInvitational. More memories weremade in the now venerable gymthat has served its communityproudly since 1954.

Murdo Gym signaled March toward New Era

Bob Swanhorst,President

LaMoine Torgerson,Vice President

Lee Stoddard,Treasurer

Wayne Thue,Secretary

Randy JencksGordon FosnessMike BegemanColleen MoranJesse MendozaElton ByreJim ThorsonTyrone Albers

Chad BerganMarv McCuneRob Van LaeckenLynn Frederick

H H H

Director of MediaGreg Hansen

Board of Directors To Contact UsExecutive DirectorDave WagnerSDBBHOF2210 W. Pentagon PlaceSioux Falls, SD 57107(605) [email protected]

“The project broughtthe town together. Itwas a great example ofpeople uniting to getsomething done thatwas important to thecommunity.”

Frank Brost

For every revered sportstradition there is both a place anda time of origin. In the case of thepopular state high schoolbasketball tournaments in SouthDakota, that place was the oldDaum Opera House in Huron andthe time was the winter of 1912.

The Daum Opera House wasused for a wide variety of eventssuch as roller skating, dances,stage shows and conventions. Itwas there where the first statetourney was sponsored by HuronCollege.

Later in the evolution of statetournaments in South Dakota ateam needed to qualify by firstwinning district and region orsection titles. But in 1912 entrywas open to any school thatwished to participate. Eight did.

Arlington, Centerville, LakePreston, Madison, Miller, Pierre,Redfield and Salem competed forthe silver Loving Cup which HuronCollege would present to the firststate champion in history.

Redfield, known as the Redmenbefore later becoming thePheasants, reached the title game

by defeating Miller and Arlington.In the other bracket Lake Prestonadvanced by beating Salem andMadison.

The championship game wasplayed before a capacity crowdon March 16. Lake Preston led 22-11 at halftime. But the second halfbelonged to Redfield. TheRedmen went on a dominating

run to win 33-25.A local newspaper, the Huron

Herald, described Redfield’scomeback as, “One of thegrandest uphill battles everwitnessed on a basketball floor.”

The Redmen were coached byHerbert Hardy and captained byguard Ed Worilow. ClaytonPackard, the other guard, was theleading scorer during thetournament. Redfield’s otherstarters were center Dana Walshand forwards Carl Hopkins andCarroll Crain.

It would be 30 years beforeRedfield won another state title.Lloyd Dobratz’s basket near thefinal horn lifted the Pheasantspast Armour 28-26 at the CornPalace in the finals of 1942. Bythen South Dakota crowned aClass A and a Class B championeach season and Redfield reignedin Class B.

State tournaments have nowcaptivated fans across SouthDakota for more than 100 years.The tradition started in an historicfacility in Huron in 1912.


Players in 1912 Tourney were Trailblazers

People across the state were initially unsure whatto think about the basketball tournament that wasplayed at Huron in March of 1912.

It was the first state tourney, a single-class event,and Redfield and Lake Preston squared off in thechampionship game. South Dakotans wondered ifthis bold new endeavor would catch on.

Well, yes, it did. In a very big way. Fansenthusiastically supported the tournament and anenduring tradition was begun.

The South Dakota High School Basketball Hall ofFame will mark its 10th anniversary in 2019. Inobservance of that milestone, a special Hall of FameGame will be hosted by the organization on Jan. 5at the Sanford Pentagon.

Tipoff will be 5 p.m. in a rematch betweenRedfield/Doland and Lake Preston, 106 years afterRedfield defeated Lake Preston 33-25 in thathistoric game at the old Daum Opera House inHuron.

Dave Wagner, the Executive Director of theSDBBHOF, has scheduled visits to Redfield andLake Preston to deliver presentations about theevolution of the state tournament and the importantrole played by those communities.

Plan to attend the Hall of Fame Game and spendsome time before and after the game enjoying thevaried Hall of Fame displays at the Pentagon.Courtesy coffee and cookies will be provided in theHall of Fame Room 2110.

Classic Rematch coming to Sanford Pentagon

RHS PhotoPictured is the silver Loving Cup earned byRedfield in 1912 when it won the first statebasketball tournament in South Dakota.


HOF Overview: The South DakotaHigh School Basketball Hall ofFame is located at the SanfordPentagon pictured at right.Exhibits are on display in the mainHall of Fame area on the groundfloor with additional items on thesecond floor. We are a non-profitorganization and chartered as a501(c)(3) in 2009. To learn moreabout the Hall of Fame visit ourwebsite at www.sdbbhof.com.

Diamond Ace: Rapid City Post 22won the American Legion statebaseball title this summer and hada record of 57-12. First-yearmanager Kelvin Torve was abasketball first team all-stater forRapid City Stevens in 1978 andplayed baseball for the MinnesotaTwins and New York Mets. Torvewas in the majors during the 1988,1990 and 1991 seasons.

Top Prospect: Yankton starsophomore Matthew Mors hasalready been offered scholarshipsby a number of NCAA Division Ischools, including Big TenConference programs Iowa,Nebraska and Wisconsin. The 6-7forward averaged 24.4 points pergame last season and also hasoffers from South Dakota State,South Dakota, Creighton andTexas Christian.

National Honor: Rob Van Laeckenwon 595 games during 37 seasonsas Parkston girls coach beforeretiring in 2014. A member of theSDBBHOF board of directors, hewas inducted into the NationalHigh School Athletic CoachesAssociation’s Hall of Fame duringa banquet that was held in SiouxFalls on June 26.

Bison Traveler: Deng Geu, a SiouxFalls Washington product, playedon the Ugandan National Team inthe African FIBA World Cupqualifying tournament last summerin Nigeria where he averaged 13.3points and 11.3 rebounds. Geu is a6-8 junior forward for NorthDakota State’s Bison.

Final Run: The Tri-ValleyConference has ceased operationsafter many decades. In its finalevent, the TVC Track Meet held atGayville last May, competingteams were Alcester-Hudson,Baltic, Centerville, FreemanAcademy-Marion, Gayville-Volin,Irene-Wakonda and Viborg-Hurley.

LNI Alum: Many elite players haveperformed in the Lakota NationInvitational in Rapid City. Starringin 2015 was David Wingett ofWinnebago, Neb. He is now a 6-7freshman at the University ofMemphis and was a prize in CoachPenny Hardaway’s first recruitingclass with the Tigers.

Baseball Hall: Lee Stoddard wasinducted into the South DakotaAmateur Baseball Hall of Fame onSept. 29. He batted over .350during his long amateur career.Stoddard is a member of theSDBBHOF board of directors andalso was a basketball standout atParker and Dakota State.

PGA Caddie: A former Mitchellresident and Augustana athlete,Casey Kellogg, is a veteran caddiewho works on the PGA Tour forRyan Armour. During the 2018golf season Armour won $2.5million.

Highest Level: South Dakota prepproducts Duane Ticknor and NateTibbetts are assistant coaches inthe NBA. Ticknor is on the staff ofthe Sacramento Kings. He playedat Vermillion and then for theUSD-Springfield Pointers.Tibbetts, who played at SiouxFalls Roosevelt and the Universityof South Dakota, is on the benchof the Portland Trail Blazers.

Fast Break of Things to Know

Sanford Photo

Pat Dobratz was a truebasketball pioneer. As a player andthen a coach, she expertly charteda course for others in SouthDakota to follow.

During the time Dobratzattended Lincoln High School inSioux Falls the athleticopportunities for girls were limitedto only intramural teams. Dobratzgraduated in 1970 and the firststate girls basketball tournamentswere not held until 1975.

But the lack of officialcompetition as a prep did notdeter Dobratz from acquiring anddeveloping the necessary skills tomake a significant impact incollege basketball.

The arrival of Dobratz at SouthDakota State University coincidedwith the 1971 founding of theAssociation for IntercollegiateAthletics for Women. The AIAWwas the new governing body ofcollege women’s sports.

Dobratz led the Jackrabbits tofour consecutive AIAW statechampionships. She was the SDSUscoring leader each season. Shenetted 12.8 points per game as afreshman and then averaged 22.1as a sophomore, 19.3 as a juniorand 20.5 as a senior.

The Jackrabbits had acombined record of 57-14 duringthose four seasons. Dobratzgraduated in 1974 after totaling1,334 points. Her career average of18.8 per game remains an SDSUrecord 44 years later.

Lessons learned at Lincoln andSDSU served Dobratz well as shebecame coach at Watertown. Inthree seasons she led the Arrows

to a 51-4 recordand a Class Astate title in 1976.Dobratz went onto become ag r a d u a t eassistant atKansas State. Shethen spent timeat the Universityof Washington,

and served as the Huskies interimhead coach in 1980.

After that season Dobratz tookcontrol of the program at theUniversity of Idaho. Her Vandalsaccomplished big things: aMountain West Conference title,the first appearance in the NCAADivision I Tournament in schoolhistory, and a WNIT championship.Dobratz spent six seasons atIdaho. During that span from 1981-86 the Vandals were 142-39.

Idaho was rated as high as No.15 in the nation during the 1985

season. The Vandals won theMountain West and reached theNCAA Tournament where they lostto Southern California and its All-America star Cheryl Miller. Idahofinished 28-2.

Then in her final season ascoach, Dobratz took the Vandalsto a 26-5 record in 1986. Theteam’s run to the WNIT titlefeatured wins over Fresno Stateand Notre Dame before a title-game victory over NorthwestLouisiana.

At that point Dobratz was onlyin her 30s. She made the decisionto leave collegiate coaching andmoved to Seattle where shebecame a swimming and water-survival instructor. Following was acareer in education as both a highschool and elementary teacher.

The basketball career of PatDobratz, as a player and as acoach, has been an inspiration togirls in South Dakota.


UIdaho PhotoCoach Pat Dobratz (back left) and the Idaho Vandals of 1986 display their trophies, including the WNITchampionship trophy. Sioux Falls native Dobratz spent six seasons guiding Idaho with her Vandals winning78.5 percent of their games. Dobratz had been a star 5-foot-10 forward at South Dakota State.

Dobratz set Shining Example for S.D. girls

Pat Dobratz


A: Amy Allard-Carmody, Jefferson ’82: 2016

Carla Allard-Watson, Bennett County ’87: 2015

Rich Andrzejewski, Arlington ’69: 2014Robin Anderson-Thormodsgaard,

Clear Lake ’80: 2010Joe Ashley, Pierre ’79: 2017Dick Authier, Woonsocket ’67: 2014

B: Bruce Bad Moccasin, Pierre ’67: 2010Dick Baun, Mobridge ’44: 2018JoElle Byre-Benson,

Washington ’82: 2011Ron Bertsch, St. Lawrence ’61: 2017John Bertolero, Lead ’56: 2018SuAnne Big Crow, Pine Ridge ’92: 2017Howie Bich, Yale ’58: 2018Scott Bosanko, Aberdeen ’77: 2013Frank Brost, Murdo ’55: 2018Steve Brown, Hamlin ’74: 2010G.E. Buenning, Parkston ’66: 2014Jerry Buri, Hazel ’60: 2017Amy Burnett, Huron ’91: 2015Elton Byre, Reliance ’56: 2016

C: Harry Carleton, Washington ’43: 2011Lee Colburn, Brookings ’69: 2015Conrad Collin, Huron ’30: 2016Cathy Coyle-Grubb,

Belle Fourche ’79: 2011D: Katie Dailey, Jefferson ’81: 2015

John Diefendorf, Irene ’46: 2018Chris Divich, Doland ’52: 2013Terry DuPris,

Cheyenne-Eagle Butte ’76: 2011Jim Dyer, Willow Lake ’60: 2015

E: Kriss Edwards, Watertown ’77: 2017John Eidsness, Canton ’66: 2015Gary Evjen, Washington ’68: 2017

F: Roger Faber, Canistota ’58: 2016Randy Fletcher, Reliance ’65: 2012Becky Flynn-Jensen,

Wakonda ’92: 2010Gordon Fosness, Presho ’53: 2011Bart Friedrick, Mitchell ’85: 2014Mike Freier, Tripp ’67: 2015Carol Freeman-Galbraith,

Canova ’79: 2013G: Barry Glanzer, Armour ’78: 2012

Max Gonzenbach, Milbank ’54: 2010DuWayne Groos, Sisseton ’62: 2014Chad Greenway, Mt. Vernon ’01: 2018

H: Clyde Hagen, Webster ’66: 2013Dale Hall, Ravinia ’54: 2016Ray Hamann, Yankton ’31: 2015Steve Hammer, Pierpont ’69: 2014Becky Hammon, Stevens ’95: 2010Greg Hansen, Hurley ’70: 2012Maury Haugland, Murdo ’54: 2016Julie Harmacek-Bridge, Avon ’83: 2014

H: Fred Hecker, Washington ’57: 2016Garney Henley, Hayti ’55: 2013Diane Hiemstra-Gabriel,

Yankton ’80: 2011Luther Hippe, Washington ’83: 2014Kris Holwerda-Woerner,

Brookings ’81: 2014Cary Hornaman, Roncalli ’75: 2018Kent Hyde, Onida ’54: 2013

I: Jim Iverson, Platte ’48: 2010Chuck Iverson, Vermillion ’69: 2015

J: Don Jacobsen, Lake Norden ’57: 2010Steve Jansa, O’Gorman ’64: 2016Randy Jencks, De Smet ’71: 2012Julie Jensen-Rozell, Langford ’91: 2015Matt Jones, Alpena ’01: 2016Terry Jordre, Corona ’57: 2017

K: Eric Kline, Aberdeen ’91: 2012Mandy Koupal, Wagner ’99: 2014Lisa Kurtenbach-Glanzer,

Brookings ’85: 2018Mandy Kappel, Roosevelt ’00: 2018

L: John Lillibridge, Burke ’58: 2017Jimmy Lovley, Elkton ’20: 2015Lance Luitjens, Custer ’92: 2010Jerry Lund, Belle Fourche ’57: 2013

M: Guy Mackner, Sisseton ’65: 2017Tom Malchow, Aberdeen ’61: 2011Bob Marske, Andover ’44: 2016Lien Marso, Harrold ’51: 2014Tom McGrann, Watertown ’59: 2010Jesse Mendoza,

Cheyenne-Eagle Butte ’71: 2012Rod Merriam, Huron ’80: 2010Phil Miedema, Hitchcock ’58: 2014Amy Mickelson, Brookings ’86: 2013Alan Miller, Stickney ’81: 2011Chris Miller, Stickney ’71: 2016Mike Miller, Mitchell ’98: 2013Jim Mitchell, S.D. Deaf ’54: 2015Myron Moen, Sisseton ’63: 2012Colleen Moran, Stickney ’79: 2014Scott Morgan, Mitchell ’89: 2016Josh Mueller, West Central ’01: 2016Donna Muir,

Cheyenne-Eagle Butte ’78: 2017

N: Chad Nelson, Yankton ’74: 2013Roger Nelson, Brookings ’54: 2011Dana Nielsen-Honner, Armour ’88: 2012Rick Nissen, Miller ’72: 2011

O: Melissa Olson-Guebert, Lincoln ’83: 2016

Tom Orton, Madison ’65: 2012P: Ann Pancoast, Washington ’81: 2017

Harley Petersen, Hayti ’54: 2011R: Marv Rasmussen, Claremont ’55: 2015

Wayne Rasmussen, Howard ’60: 2016Dona Ray-Reed, Yankton ’78: 2018Jared Reiner, Tripp-Delmont ’00: 2018Renee Ruesink, Castlewood ’84: 2013

S: Renae Sallquist, Brookings ’86: 2011Jim Schlekeway, Britton ’64: 2013Jim Schmidt,

Dell Rapids St. Mary ’41: 2017Harvey Schaefer, Hayti ’54: 2018Mike Sisk, Miller ’57: 2017John Sivesind, Roosevelt ’96: 2015Holly Sivesind-Borchers,

Roosevelt ’93: 2016Terry Slattery, Salem St. Mary’s ’56: 2011Gene Smith, Watertown ’47: 2010Rudy Soderquist, Rapid City ’37: 2016Taran Stapp, Newell ’96: 2012Courtney Stapp-Pool, Newell ’94: 2012Lolly Steele, Pine Ridge ’84: 2016Karla Stevenson, Hamlin ’83: 2012Bob Stewart, Aberdeen ’49: 2012Wayne Stone, Mitchell ’41: 2013Jason Sutherland, Watertown ’93: 2012Jim Sutton, Onida ’53: 2011Bob Swanhorst, Cresbard ’57: 2010Wendy Swanhorst, Cresbard ’78: 2013Rex Swett, Huron ’58: 2010

T: Jim Tays, Gettysburg ’50: 2015Kim Templeton, Miller ’72: 2011Denver TenBroek, McIntosh ’99: 2014Mark Tetzlaff, Hamlin ’81: 2014Jack Theeler, Sisseton ’63: 2012John Thomas, Alexandria ’65: 2010Harold Thune, Murdo ’37: 2010LaMoine Torgerson,

Forestburg ’59: 2012Louis Tyon, Pine Ridge ’63: 2018

V: Lisa Van Goor, Yankton ’80: 2010W: Marty Waukazoo, Rapid City ’67: 2013

Chuck Welke, Warner ’94: 2013Vince Whipple, Rapid City ’56: 2015Willie White, Pine Ridge ’87: 2014Jerry Wingen, Canova ’56: 2011Lori Wohlleber-O’Farrell,

Summit ’86: 2014Z: Harley Zephier, Dupree ’55: 2016

To read bios go to www.sdbbhof.com

Hall of FameMembers


By Marvin White

All of us who have played agame in which referees areinvolved have favorite

referees or situations involvingreferees we remember fondly, andin some cases not so fondly.

Barney Clemens, a high schoolreferee during the 1950s, is whom Imost remember. Clemens was agood looking, dark haired guy fromNorthville. When Clemens wasrefereeing everyone knew he wason the court. He was a showmanwho occasionally put on a bettershow than the game he wasofficiating. He blew his whistle loudand called infractions loud enoughfor everyone to hear what it was hewas calling. He enjoyed himself andwhat he was doing and he wasgood at it. Seemingly, he officiatednearly all the home games for thefour years I played. There wereenough games so that during mysenior year, when I made some sillyplay or foul he would say to me“you know better.”

Howard Connors, known as theDean of South Dakota Officials,was the official’s official. Connorsperhaps officiated more sportsevents than any other SouthDakota official. It was at theUniversity of South Dakota where Ifirst met him. I was working in theResearch Bureau of the School ofBusiness with Vince Montgomery,who was also a very good official.Connors, Vince and JackMontgomery, Vince’s brother whoworked for a bank, were a teamwho officiated football games in SESouth Dakota and NW Iowa. Vinceconvinced me to study to be anofficial. At the time all one neededto do was get a book of rules fromthe state officials association, passtheir test and you are certified. I didthis and became a football andbasketball referee. I never played

football and knewlittle or nothing ofthe game.

My firstexperience as anofficial was withConnors andVince (Jackcouldn’t make thegame). I don’tremember wherethe game was

played but I do remember I wasgiven the supposedly easiestofficiating position - line official. Ihad my black pants, my stripedshirt, my red flag and mycertification. I was ready.Everything was going just fine. Iwas running the sideline, takingcare of the first down chains feelingpretty important until there was anoff-side infraction which was myresponsibility as the line official.One of the teams was on theseven-yard line and a lineman wentoffside. In my enthusiasm ofdetecting this infraction I threw myred flag AND blew my whistle. Now,anyone who has played the gameknows that when the whistle blowsthe play is over, even if it shouldn'tbe, which of course, is what thissituation was. Connors inquired ofme what the infraction was thatcaused me to blow my whistle andI told him “off-sides on so and solineman.” Connors in a very stern,yet low voice informed me that “toblow my whistle was notappropriate for this situation andfor the rest of the game to pleaseput my whistle in my pocket.” Thegood part of the story is Connorsforgave me and I continued to be apart of his team whenever heneeded someone to fill in.

My second most early officiatingembarrassment came at Elk Point.Since I was an “experienced” official,I had worked with Howard Connors

for goodness sake, I was designatedUmpire. I had misgivings, but whatthe heck all I had to do is get in thebackfield, watch for holding, get theball back to the referee and keepthe time on the field as there was noscoreboard. What’s to worry? Thistime I had my black pants, mystriped shirt, my red flag, and mywhistle and stopwatch. Everythingseemed to be going along just fineuntil a big, sweating lineman cameup to me and inquired as to howmuch time was left in the quarter?Oops! I had not started my stopwatch. We had probably played 20minutes or more for a 12 minutequarter. I pulled out my stop watchand said “15 seconds.” Amazinglythe second quarter seemed to goby really fast!

Don Anderson from Yankton wasa very fine official who occasionallyneeded a substitute for his crew. Ibecame that substitute a few times,enough times to know Don’sidiosyncrasies. One of these was hehad to be the official who tossedthe ball to start a basketball game.Anderson was a bit of a showmanand part of his routine was tobounce the ball three times andblow his whistle to get the gamestarted. During one season a newtraining aid had been introduced -the no bounce basketball. I couldn’tresist. After we had checked the“game ball” I arranged with thehome team coach to switch thegame ball to the no bounce ball andplace it on the scorer’s table.Anderson grabbed this ball andtook his customary two paces ontothe court to bounce the ball andblow his whistle. Needless to say,the ball didn’t bounce. He triedtwice before it dawned on him whathad happened and of course thecrowd was going nuts laughing. Hehad a couple choice words for me

Continued on Page 9

Work of Referees Makes the Games Possible

Howard Connors


Continued from Page 8and I can’t remember if I everworked with him again.

After a couple years I was goodenough to officiate JV collegegames. One of these occasions wasat USD. It was the annual footballgame between South Dakota Stateand the University. State had areally fine freshman player namedWayne Rasmussen (at this timefreshman couldn’t play varsity).Connors asked me to substitute forVince Montgomery who was alwaysConnors’ umpire when theyofficiated. Late in the secondquarter State was driving for a goal.

Rasmussen was handed the balland cut through a hole in the lineand was coming right at me. Therewas a player on my left and a playeron my right and I couldn’t get outof the way. Rasmussen barreledright into me and I caused him totrip and fall in what was going to bea touchdown run. State coachesand players didn’t appreciate my“tackle.” Some twenty years later Iwas invited to hunt geese on theMissouri River. I was staying incabins with other hunters, one ofwhom was Rasmussen, who bythen had played with the DetroitLions. Out of curiosity I asked him if

he remembered my causing himnot to score during theaforementioned game. He did, andhe was still put out about it,although we eventually did laughabout how hard he had hit me.

I moved away from Vermillionafter three years, hung up my blackpants (which had split in a veryinappropriate place during abasketball game at Scotland), hungup my striped shirt, put my red flagin a pocket, placed my whistle andstopwatch in a drawer, never toofficiate again.(Marvin White graduated from

Cresbard High School in 1953)

Work of Referees Makes the Games Possible

By Dick Dunwiddie

The 1954 Deadwood HighSchool Bears basketballteam was an "orphan"

school/team that won the StateClass A championship. They are adeserving South Dakota HighSchool Basketball Hall of Fame"Team of Excellence" and Inominate them for thisprestigious award.

Starting seniors Ed Morris(center), Reece Palmer (guard),Dave Klein (guard) and Bill Jones(forward) were the DHS"Fabulous Four." The fill-inforward position alternatedbetween Woody Williamson,Gene Whitelock and Tom Gorder.Reserves were Hank Frawley,Richard Sears, Chuck Crotty, DonJames and Larry Mitchell.

The "Fabulous Four" grew uptogether and played all sports.They excelled at basketball. TheDHS basketball coach was SouthDakota Sports Hall Fame memberStewart Ferguson. He recognizedtheir unique talent.

In 1953, Ferguson alsorecognized he had cancer of thelungs. So he brought in GlennBurgess from Black Hills TeachersCollege to take charge. Burgessquickly bonded with the"Fabulous Four." Burgess started anew strategy of zone defense withquick change to man-to-man.Opponents, at the time, werethrown off balance.

Burgess demanded consistencyand perfected Morris' centerplaying and Palmer's set up andjump shots. Ed and Reece wererebound twins. Klein perfected hisfamous long shots. Jones was anatural forward, amazing at fastbreak, play interception, and playsetup. The "Fabulous Four"thought and played as one unit.

It is interesting that Al Neuharth(founder of USA Today) reportedin his SoDak Sports publicationthat Deadwood would be thestate "A" champion and against allodds they were exactly that.

As a side note, I was the 1954team manager. My primary

function was to keep shooting,results and statistics. I feel thesestatistics helped Burgess developconsistency. I too grew up with the"Fabulous Four."

As I write this, the team hasthree players, three cheerleadersand three managers still alive. It issad to note DHS ceased to exist in1971 when Deadwood School wasmerged into the Lead DeadwoodSchool District.

The Bears’ trophies for theirClass B state championships in1939 and 1940, and their “A” titlein 1954 exist in a small obscureunlocked trophy case at LeadHigh School. Ferguson, Burgess,Jones and the 1954 basketballteam are recognized in the LeadDeadwood School Hall of Fame.Earlier standouts Rollie Furoisand Dint Furois and the1939/1940 champions are also inthe Hall of Fame.(In the 1954 state tourney,

Deadwood beat Sioux Falls 47-44,Huron 52-48 and Parkston 52-38.The Bears were 23-4.)

‘A’ Title was Deadwood’s Destiny in 1954


Jim Dedrickson, 87, of Venice, Fla., died March 22, 2018.He helped Webster make its record-setting Class Bchampionship run in the 1940s. The Bearcats won titlesin 1946, 1947 and 1948. He attended Northern State.

John Fuglsang, 77, of Huron died April 22, 2018. Astarting guard for Huron in 1958, he and the Tigers wonthe Class A state championship and finished undefeatedat 22-0. He was a graduate of Huron University.

Myron “Dutch” Edleman, 74, of Watertown died April 27,2018. He was a standout as Willow Lake took second inthe 1960 Class B state tourney. The Pirates lost toHarrisburg 59-55 in the championship game. The nextseason he was chosen to the all-state team as a senior.

Roger Kasa, 83, of Huron died May 25, 2018. The longtimerespected journalist was from Northfield, Minn., and was agraduate of Augustana. He had a love of sports and spentmany years in a variety of positions at the Huron Plainsman.

Harlyn Threadgold, 81, of Brandon died May 26, 2018.While at Fedora he starred in basketball for the Tigers.He then played football at Dakota Wesleyan and latergraduated from South Dakota State.

Q.C. Miles, 96, of Watertown died June 20, 2018. Theveteran of the U.S. Army was a native of Turton. Hespent over 50 years in education as a teacher, coachand superintendent. He guided Gann Valley andForestburg to the Class B state tourney. He was alongtime member of the Board of Control of the SouthDakota High School Activities Association.

David Kranz, 72, of Watertown died June 23, 2018. Knownas an ultimate authority on South Dakota political history,he also was a master of sports history. He grew up atKranzburg, graduated from South Dakota State andserved as editor of The Daily Republic and Argus Leader.

Jim Johnson, 81, of Sioux Falls died July 24, 2018. Hescored a Sioux Falls Washington record 47 points in agame during his senior season in 1955. In addition tobasketball, he was a stalwart in track for the Warriors.

Jack Pickart, 84, of Chancellor died Aug. 10, 2018. As aprep he was a standout for Harrisburg. After a stintserving in the U.S. Army he continued his basketballcareer playing at the University of Sioux Falls. He taughtat Colman and Marion.

Richard Petersen, 89, of Sioux Falls died Aug. 21, 2018.In 30 years at Augustana, he filled many roles includingchaplain, dean of students, assistant football coach andassistant athletic director. Known as “Pastor Pete,” theMinneapolis native and Augsburg graduate was atireless advocate of Vikings athletics.

John Lillibridge, 79, of Burke died Aug. 30, 2018. Hewas an all-state basketball player at Burke and thenbecame an All-American discus thrower at theUniversity of South Dakota. The SDBBHOF memberhad a long distinguished banking career.

Marty Rud, 94, of Minnetonka, Minn., died Aug. 30,2018. Captain of the Augustana basketball team duringhis senior season in 1948, he also was a tennis standoutduring his time with the Vikings. The graduate of SiouxFalls Washington served in the U.S. Army.

Paul Jordre, 81, of Aberdeen died Sept. 18, 2018. Alongtime educator in South Dakota, he coached for 17years at Wilmot, Edgemont, Arlington, Faulkton andSelby. He was a graduate of Corona and Northern.

Don Culhane, 92, of Oro Valley, Ariz., died Oct. 18, 2018.He grew up in Mitchell and was a graduate of theUniversity of Kansas where he played basketball for theJayhawks. He was a military veteran.

In Solemn Remembrance and Tribute

Learn about a Proving Groundin 2019 Spring Newsletter South Dakota has never been known as a havenfor outdoor basketball, largely because of our longspells of cold weather and the unrelenting windsthat are so prevalent here. So naturally South Dakota hasn’t producedplayground legends like some other warmer-climate states have. But there was a place whereSouth Dakota’s top players would gather to testtheir skills against one another. The best went there to play against the best.Read about this decades-long proving ground inthe 2019 Spring Newsletter that the South DakotaHigh School Basketball Hall of Fame will publishnext May.


Decade of Growth made Possible by ‘Friends’CORPORATE PARTNERS

Billion AutomotiveDacotah BankProstrollo Auto Mall - MadisonSanford HealthSanford Pentagon

ENDOWMENT GIVING$5,000 or More

Dacotah BankDana DykhouseTom OrtonSanford HealthBob & Trish SwanhorstLeon & Virginia Tobin

$2,500 – $4,999Boyd & Dody HopkinsJim IversonBarb Torgerson

$1,000 – $2,499Frank & Martha BrostElton & Jody ByreDyer Family FoundationGordon FosnessJohn & Linda LillibridgePatrick MaroneyDean & Rita Sorenson Charitable Fund

$1 – $999AnonymousJeffrey BrechtLinda Mickelson GrahamEstate of Dale Hall

BUSINESS DONORSAberdeen Catholic SchoolAmandaLand Cake Design - Mt. VernonBankWest - TrippComponent Manufacturing Co. &

Reaves Buildings - Sioux FallsCorTrust Bank - Mitchell/Sioux FallsCorTrust Bank - Mt. VernonDacotah BankDakota Camp Ground - MitchellFarmers Elevator Company - Mt. VernonFirst Bank & Trust - BrookingsFirst Premier BankHamlin County Farmers Coop - HaytiJD's House of Trophies - Sioux FallsJones County Booster Club - MurdoKen’s Superfair Foods – AberdeenKramer Chiropractic Clinic - TrippMCC Crooked Creek Ranch - MilbankMettler Fertilizer -

Tripp/Freeman/Menno/Turkey RidgeMt. Vernon Gas & OilM.T. and R.C. Smith Insurance - YanktonNight Train - Corsica/Mt. VernonPalace Agri-Sales - Mt. VernonReede Construction - Aberdeen

Reiner Farms - TrippReliabank - HaytiRyan Baker Construction - Mt. VernonRyan Reiner State Farm - Sioux FallsState Farm/Schaefer Family - MadisonThe DugOut - TrippThue Farm - HaytiWermers' Lounge & Steakhouse -

Mt. VernonWesty's One Stop - Mt. VernonWintz & Ray Funeral Home and

Cremation Service - YanktonYankton Quarterback Club

INSTITUTIONAL DONORSAugustana UniversityDakota State UniversityMount Marty CollegeSouth Dakota State University

INDIVIDUAL DONORSLon AndersenJon & Mary AndersonRich AndrzejewskiBruce & Rita Bad Moccasin

Chad BerganBob BiermanDon BradleyElton & Jody ByreFrancis CampbellChris & Sue DivichGordon FosnessMike FreierTodd & Lisa (Kurtenbach) GlanzerJohn GrossGreg & Debra HansenMaury & Pamela HauglandMerle & De Loris HeidenreichBoyd & Dody HopkinsJim IversonJay & Joellen JohnsonMatt & Katie JonesBrent KallestadGeorge KinerDean LeeJon MadlandDavid & Lori MelemseterColleen Moran & Monty ChristensenDr. Carlyle & Janet NaessigDarrell & Judy OlsonDoug & Joyce OlsonJohn & Dianne PedersenKelly PfeiferBeth (Barnes) RabineTom ReavesHarvey & Deanna SchaeferAl SchoenemanTerry SlatteryRoger & Marilyn Ann SmithBob & Trish SwanhorstJohn & Donna SwanhorstJim & Susan ThorsonWayne & Marilyn ThueLaMoine & Barb TorgersonDave & Linda WagnerChuck & Ellen WelkeJerry & Janis WingenBob & Carol WinterFrancis Zacher

IN MEMORIAMJohn & Mary Pennington in memory of

Eldon SwanhorstBob & Trish Swanhorst in memory of

Dan Moran; Eldon SwanhorstWayne & Marilyn Thue in memory of Marvel

Jefferis; Dan Moran; Myron “Dutch” Edleman; Janice (Harold) Henley; Eldon Swanhorst

LaMoine & Barb Torgerson in memory of Dan Moran; Q.C. Miles

Dave & Linda Wagner in memory of Eldon Swanhorst

We hope that our ‘Friends’ realize howimportant they are to the mission andcontinued success of the South Dakota HighSchool Basketball Hall of Fame.

As a non-profit organization, the Hall ofFame depends on the support andgenerosity of those who share ourcommitment to preserving our state’sbasketball history.

The Hall of Fame will enter its 10th yearof existence in 2019 with hope andconfidence about the future and withgratitude to those ‘Friends’ who are makingthis journey with us.

If you would like to help send your tax-deductible gift to SDBBHOF, 2210 W.Pentagon Place, Sioux Falls, SD 57107.

• This page denotes gifts received during the past year prior to Nov. 1.

Sanford Pentagon2210 W. Pentagon PlaceSioux Falls, SD 57107

A GenuineLove ofthe Game

The importance of basketball in South Dakota is everlasting. Seventy-three years ago Henry Park Jr. starred in theState Class B Tournament of 1945. In a low-scoring era, Park meshed 31 points for Chester in a single tourney game.Dave Wagner, the Executive Director of the South Dakota High School Basketball Hall of Fame, recently visited Parkat his home near Chester to talk about basketball history and to share some basketball-themed cupcakes. Park is now91. He still loves the game and he remains an avid follower of basketball in South Dakota. (Submitted Photo)

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Tragedy caused Heartbreak for Small Town › wp-content › uploads › 2018 › 11 › newsletter-10… · Tragedy caused Heartbreak for Small Town Cody Heim Tony Heim BIy Bob Swanhorst