day 2, part one

Recollected diary - 

- met Jack Edison, Hall of Fame Plymouth coach (two time state champs), "tour guide" Greg Humnicky and South Bend Schools Director of Athletics Seabe Gavin at Green Twp. school (Jack's middle & high school).  Photographed both gyms at the old school which is now closed.  Easy to see why Jack was so successful at Plymouth - he's the kind of guy you would want to play for, or have your kids play for.

- finally made it to Mishawaka's famous "Cave", the oldest high school gym still in use for varsity play (1924), the last home of Milan coach Marvin Wood, the current home of former Anderson coach Ron Hecklinski and the new home of coach Sarah DeShone.  No online photos I've seen have showcased the beauty of this old gym.  Can only imagine it's a great place to watch a game.  © Chris Smith

day 1

The recollected diary - 

- arrived at the Zionsville home of Jim & Marilyn Powers. The transplanted South Bend native was a player at SB Central & Indiana State, asst. coach on Central's '53 and '57 state championship teams, became head coach in '58, Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame member, but more importantly was one of "Wooden's Boys."  The pride in his voice when Jim talks about Coach Wooden - well, you can imagine.  He points to a 2001 letter from Wooden & a quote that lingers long after it is read, "If I had not enlisted in 1942, I honestly believe I would never (have) left Central High School. When I returned things had changed..."

- the old Peru High School, TIG Arena.  Met Sarah Siders, Tribal Secretary for the Miami Nation of Indians of Indiana and learned a little of the forgotten story of Native Americans & our state.  They use the old TIG Arena for Bingo and try to hang on to two threatened histories at once.

- ended the day in Mexico.  Although locked, the old gym appears to be well cared for and still used by the community.

- a good start to our trip to South Bend/Elkhart/Mishawaka.  © Chris Smith

the fixer

The schedule read like this -  

Tuesday, July 17

Greene Township School -

'62 grad Jack Edison will meet us there at 9:30 am. The SB AD Seabe Gavin is coming with me to open the school which has been closed as a public school building within the SB district. There are two gyms, the original small gym buit in the  '30's and the larger gym built in the early '50 before the township was merged with the SB school district. Jack was coached by Jim Reinebold and Dave Hadaway at Greene. Jim later went to SB Clay where he coached baseball (winning a state title in '70) and Dave later went to Adams in the late '60s. Both are in their sports state hall of fame.

After Greene we can travel to Mishawaka HS (10:45) to visit "The Cave", the oldest gym in the state still in use. I have contacted Dean Huppert, their AD. I will contact him to see about some former players being available.

After Mishawaka we can visit Adams HS Gym, (12:00)  opened in 1940, which hosted the Sectional and Regional ('40 to '55), also all four of the city schools (Adams, Central, Riley and Washington) played their home games at Adams until 1960 when Washington HS opened a new building and gym. Central would play their home games at Washington from '60 until it closed as a high school in '70. Riley continued to play at Adams until '65 when a spectator gym was opened at the "old" Riley. Old Riley was torn down in 2000 and a new Riley was build on site.
LaSalle and Jackson HS opened in the mid '60s to accomodate the baby boom enrollment, but both have been closed as high school buildings. For years Riley played their varsity games at Jackson when Jackson was closed as high school in the mid '70s since it was a better gym than the one at old Riley.

I will contact the Adams AD to see if he can find some former players/coaches.

Your visit to Jimtown in the afternoon.

That was all before lunch on Tuesday.  But, that's what a good 'fixer' does.  And a fixer, as far as journalists & photographers are concerned, is someone who puts them in touch with the locals in a foreign land & I guess for two photographers from southern Indiana the South Bend/Mishawaka/Elkhart area could be considered foreign territory. But thanks to former player/coach/teacher/AD Greg Humnicky South Bend didn't stay foreign for long. You'd be hard pressed to find anyone more knowledgable about basketball & its history in north central Indiana than Greg - his passion is evident with every door that is opened.  Did I also mention that he is a caretaker of that history - just take a look at the photos we carried outside because they were too large to photograph in his basement.  © Chris Smith