michael's home court

Everyone remembers their high school years, the date they graduated and more importantly to a Hoosier, their home basketball court.  If I had lived in Indiana at the time I would have been an Aurora Red Devil, class of '71, with a basketball history that includes 23 Sectional Championships & six Regional crowns.  Michael, the other half of the Hoosier Hardwood Photo Project, hails from the sleepy little river town of Cannelton - a 1970 CHS grad. Since the start of this project back in 2013, I have heard numerous tales about life as a Bulldog and the history of the old gym (located above the former home of the fire department) but it wasn't until last Saturday that we actually made our way down river to photograph Cannelton and its neighbor & rival to the north, Tell City (Sarah Keating's alma mater). The town, school and gyms tell a tale of life in a once proud river town, a town whose best days may be past. The boy's basketball program can lay claim to 6 Sectional championships (the last one in 1998), while the girls hold tight to the memory of the "Iron Five" - the '90's squad who played a whole season with only five players.  After many miles on this photographic journey it was good to see places I had only heard about and most importantly, get a chance to step onto Michael's home court.  CGS.  

the cradle

It may or may not have been the birthplace of basketball in Indiana but within a thirty mile radius of Crawfordsville lie the towns of Lebanon, Wingate, Thorntown, Lafayette & Montmorenci - towns with teams that either won or finished second in the first eight Indiana high school basketball championships.  So you can understand why the folks in Crawfordsville & Montgomery County would feel proud about their place in the history of Hoosier Hysteria and of their old gym that still serves the community.  One more fieldhouse, full of stories, that will be passed on to the next generation.  CGS.

remembering the alamo

According to Facebook follower Christian Porter, the Alamo Gym was "built in 1941. Whitey Reath was the all-time leading scorer with 1030 (the only Alamo Warrior to break 1000) and he had a 38 points against Richland Twp as a career high. Alamo won the county championship in '34, '38, '46 and '57 under legendary coach Tom Bowerman, who coached for 22 years. His son played at Alamo and went on to play for the Phillip 66's. Years ago when I was about 6 (now 23) my family stumbled into the old gym when it had roof (it also used to be a country dance theater). We offered to buy one of the old clock hand scoreboards but it didn't happen. Now they are crushed and gone."  Thanks Christian for adding another story to the book about Indiana high school basketball.  CGS.