This is a place for all us old Cedar Valeians to post memories and gossip about our golden years growing up in Cedar Vale, Kansas and our lives in the years since. Please talk to us, comment and/or post an article, someone cares!
Sunday, August 17, 2008
CVHS Basketball Team
Photo from Pat Molder
Back Row: Johnny Radcliff, Donald Call, Basil Hindman, Richard Beuoy, Floyd (Pat) Patteson
Front Row: Donald Bohannon, Royal Kennedy, Kenneth Cole, Lynn Wood
I realize we members of the class of '46 are 9 or 10 years your senior, but maybe some of you young blades admired some of these athletes. Basketball was such a big thing all my years in school. We probably lived and breathed basketball like you all were privileged to do Band. But, not all of these guys were in class of '46. I'll get the identity of the track team and send. In the meantime maybe some will recognize some of them.
I'm going to do my best to get that done this afternoon. My husband had an emergency appendectomy (ruptured) Tuesday evening about 4:40 and then developed some heart problems in Recovery. I brought him home Friday only to to take him back to ER Saturday morning because of breathing problems. We've had doctor's appointments this morning, but I do believe we are home for the day and he is doing good now. While he is sleeping I'll need something to do so will get the "boys" identified.
...and a great "Amen!" was heard throughout the valleys of Cedar Vale! To see the pictures of "that" '46 basketball team brings some memories, dredged up from hardwoods of old! After seeing a myiad of basketball games, from grade school through the "pros," the memories of "that '46 team remain firmly implanted in my mind. Dick Beuoy had a left-handed shot that was deadly! I saw him shoot from near the "middle court" and nothing by "swish" occured! And, that Johnny Radcliff! Another left-hander, as I recall! He could HIT! Small of stature, large on points, this little man proved BIG on the basketball court! I remember going with my parents, with his parents, to watch him play in a game at Winfield. I can't tell you who won the game! But, in my mind, Johnny won the game with his spectacular shooting! I wanted to be "just like him! Just like Beuoy! Just like all those STARS! I can see them still! I can see Pat Patterson, driving hard! And, if I had the picture in front of me, I could tell you the attributes of each player. Unfortunately, my computer skills do not allow me to do so. And so, with that, I leave you with....WE HAVE COME FROM A RICH HERITAGE! MAY WE, IN SOME SMALL WAY, BRING THAT HERITAGE TO THOSE WHO ARE TO COME! BELIEVE ME, IT WAS WORTH THE RACE! "HIT IT, DICK!"
WOW Don, your tribute to this team brought tears to my eyes. Honest! It pleases me that you remember so much about that great team. I have "The Winfield Oracle" paper dated March 7, 1946. The tournament was March 6,7,8, 1946. The purple and gold jerseys played Oxford the first night. Joan Williams, Wanda Lee Hill, Armena Doty, Wanda Roach and I went to the game. From the paper "Cedar Vale fell before Oxford 46 to 35 in the high scoring contest. Oxford led all the way taking a 13 to 8 lead at the first quarter and forged ahead 20 to 16 at the intermission. The third quarter saw Oxford gain a 31 to22 lead. Feaster with 19 points and Asper with 15 points led the Oxford attack. Call led the loser with 10 counters." Don, Richard, Aileen Champlin and I went back on the 7th and Coach went with us. On the 8th Richard, Aileeen, Don and I went. Don Call played center. Great memories.
Having not seen this team play I must only reflect upon four of them of which I had acquaintance and/or friendship. Richard Beuoy, Don Bohannon, Don Call, and Pat Patteson were all fine people. Cedar Vale lost a wonderful son in Dick Beuoy!
Basil Hindman, a fast and smart ballplayer! Willing to take a risk if it meant points for the team! Don Bohannon, an "under-handed, two hands on the ball" free throw shooter! He had to have had the highest percentage of all free-throwers at Cedar Vale....and probably for all of Chautauqua County, and let me add the state of Kansas for good measure! I can remember watching games, when "THE GAME" was on the line. If Don Bohannon was one "the line," it was all over, folks! How proud we were of him!
Royal Kennedy is remembered for being steady as a Cedar Vale limestone rock! And, I remember the faces of Ken Cole and Lynn Wood but can't associate them with a "memorable" anecdote! That's my fault, not their's!
P.S. In my previous "blog," I misspelled the word, "myriad!" It has bothered me ever since! :) So, to Billy Ray Foster (do I have his name right?) and all the English teachers I ever had, please accept my apologies!
I end by saying that I can still see that '46 Team play! Someday, when I'm strong enough to write about it, I'll tell you of the "'52" team! Just writing those words brings a chill up my neck!
Seems like I'm talking to you, face to face! Loved your comments! In re-reading mine, I find that I left out Don Call! If anyone could be considered a "rock," he was the entire 'Lookout Mountain!" He was the "man in the center," who TOOK AND GAVE! What more could be asked of a man or woman...than to take what you have been given and then give it away? Don Call was that kind of player. We learn from the "players" in this game called LIFE, from players such as Don Call! Yes, he truly "answered the CALL!" May we, who remember those who inspired us, "ANSWER THE CALL!"
My friend, Wayne! How I wish I could see you, face to face! For your word "eagerly" prompts me to writing about one of the greatest chapters of my life, the team of "52!" You remember Jim Hill, he was like the "Lightning" Bolt" of the current Olympics! He was the one who could summon up, in the most serious of hours, the most momentous hours of HUMOR! He could take a serious moment and turn it into the most humorous moment of your life! In all the "moments" I have spent with Jim, I'm not sure I ever understood him. He was a high-flyer! I stood in awe of him. And yet, when we were working as team-mates, we became something that only memories of ball games gone by, can resurrect! We may have won. We may have lost. But, we always had "Jim" to lead us through the next encounter! Isn't it a shame that he probably won't hear or see these words! If he did, he would probably say, "Give me the ball, I'll make it happen!" And, yes, it happened! I might add that when we, as a team, gathered together before each game, we said a prayer, "The Lord's Prayer!" That, my fellow bloggers, may be as close to God as I'll ever become!
To this I will add, to the the "Team of "52," that there is more to come! Each member of that team contributed so much! Their chapters will "be-coming" in the next "blog!" Reece, I can hear you yelling, "I'm open!"
Thanks, Don. We will ALL be looking forward "eagerly" to hearing about more of our heroes from those teams. I remember Jim Hill driving up the street past our house in town and he would acknowledge our presence just by raising one index finger from the steering wheel. Another true Hero.
Well, here comes REECE! A lean, lanky player! Rebounds seemed to identify him, even more than his scoring. He would "rip" down a rebound, sharp elbows flying, and woe be to those who were in close proximity! He often situated himself in the "corner.!" You might call it his "station of life!" He moved, with a sly means of motion, and there he was, saying, "I'm open....!" And open, he was! I remember firing a pass to him, so fast that his outstretched arms could not contain! We retreated down the court, on defense, to withstand the onslaught of the foe, only to regain that figment of time, when words became life, WHEN SOMEONE WHO HAD THE BALL, WAS IMPLORED TO PASS IT ON TO THE "ONE WHO WAS OPEN! My friend, Wayne, the next chapter of this story is, Bernard Lemert. Thanks for listening!
Bernard Lemert was, is and always will be, a close friend! I remember great times at his house, shooting the basketball at a rim that had no net! The modern-day discription of a shot that did not touch the rim as "nothing but net!" Well, we had "nothing but rim!" Sometimes that made it difficult to know if the ball truly passed through the rim! And, before I leave the good times at the Lemert Farm, I will always remember riding on a sled, through the snow, being pulled by a horse with Lee Lemert, the rider! Still see the snow flying through the air! Now on to Bernard and another important ingredient to the '52 basketball team. If ever there was a "steady" player, it was Bernard! He was a steady and heady player, always being in the right spot at the right time. He gave us such a feeling of confidence! To paraphrase Grantland Rice, former sports-writer, "he knew how to play the game!" They say that sports...and life itself, includes the agonies and the ecstasies! Our team won many ball games. They far overshadow the "agony" of our defeat at the Regional Tournament at Ark City. I think we played Jetmore. I had the most "inept" game of my life, but we were hanging on by a "nylon thread," behind by only a point behind in the closing seconds. The ball landed in Bernard's hands, he shot, "hit nothing but net," the CV crowd went wild, our team went wild!! Wild, that is, until the referee said that Bernard had stepped out of bounds! I know time heals all wounds and sometimes make you forget. Well, so be it! I saw Bernard take the shot, and my friends, he was not out of bounds! It was like a dagger had been thrust into our hearts. Not a word was spoken on the bus ride home. Each of felt we had let the team, the coach, the town down. So, in my mind, Bernard shot the winning shot, we won the game and only the Great Referee in the Sky knows the correct call!
Tommy Gordon. The only junior on a team of seniors. Smooth. Moved with an athletic grace. He was not a "fast" player. More like a Bob Bailey type-player. Slip-sliding away from his defender and putting up a shot that found it's target, more times than not. I have to add this important note. Tom Gordon was a fine trumpet player. Played with the same kind of finese with which he played basketball! Knew all the hit tunes! Knew the famous jazz trumpet players. Had their records! He might have been a "junior" in years, yet, I remember him as a confident young man, who, whatever his course of life was to be,would make it as sweet as the sound when his right-handed set-shot hit nothing but net, and when he would riff on a tune all of us knew, yet, he made it better!
Photo from Pat Molder
20 comments:
I realize we members of the class of '46 are 9 or 10 years your senior, but maybe some of you young blades admired some of these athletes. Basketball was such a big thing all my years in school. We probably lived and breathed basketball like you all were privileged to do Band. But, not all of these guys were in class of '46. I'll get the identity of the track team and send. In the meantime maybe some will recognize some of them.
Were both these photos from 1946? If so, I'll add the date to the titles.
Richard Beuoy was married to my cousing Gloria. Sadly, he died a couple of years ago.
The young chap at the front row left is Don Bohannon, he was probably a sophomore at the time. Duane Woods is front row right.
Who were the coaches shown in the track team photo??
If Pat can collect the complete list of names I'll add them to these postings.
I'm going to do my best to get that done this afternoon. My husband had an emergency appendectomy (ruptured) Tuesday evening about 4:40 and then developed some heart problems in Recovery. I brought him home Friday only to to take him back to ER Saturday morning because of breathing problems. We've had doctor's appointments this morning, but I do believe we are home for the day and he is doing good now. While he is sleeping I'll need something to do so will get the "boys" identified.
My best wishes go to you and your husband. We don't want anything interfering with your contributions to the "blog".
The names have been sent to Gary and he will be posted. I had some of them wrong.
...and a great "Amen!" was heard throughout the valleys of Cedar Vale! To see the pictures of "that" '46 basketball team brings some memories, dredged up from hardwoods of old! After seeing a myiad of basketball games, from grade school through the "pros," the memories of "that
'46 team remain firmly implanted in my mind. Dick Beuoy had a left-handed shot that was deadly! I saw him shoot from near the "middle court" and nothing by "swish" occured! And, that Johnny Radcliff! Another left-hander, as I recall! He could HIT! Small of stature, large on points, this little man proved BIG on the basketball court! I remember going with my parents, with his parents, to watch him play in a game at Winfield. I can't tell you who won the game! But, in my mind, Johnny won the game with his spectacular shooting! I wanted to be "just like him! Just like Beuoy! Just like all those STARS! I can see them still! I can see Pat Patterson, driving hard! And, if I had the picture in front of me, I could tell you the attributes of each player. Unfortunately, my computer skills do not allow me to do so. And so, with that, I leave you with....WE HAVE COME FROM A RICH HERITAGE! MAY WE, IN SOME SMALL WAY, BRING THAT HERITAGE TO THOSE WHO ARE TO COME! BELIEVE ME, IT WAS WORTH THE RACE! "HIT IT, DICK!"
WOW Don, your tribute to this team brought tears to my eyes. Honest! It pleases me that you remember so much about that great team. I have "The Winfield Oracle" paper dated March 7, 1946. The tournament was March 6,7,8, 1946. The purple and gold jerseys played Oxford the first night. Joan Williams, Wanda Lee Hill, Armena Doty, Wanda Roach and I went to the game. From the paper "Cedar Vale fell before Oxford 46 to 35 in the high scoring contest. Oxford led all the way taking a 13 to 8 lead at the first quarter and forged ahead 20 to 16 at the intermission. The third quarter saw Oxford gain a 31 to22 lead. Feaster with 19 points and Asper with 15 points led the Oxford attack. Call led the loser with 10 counters." Don, Richard, Aileen Champlin and I went back on the 7th and Coach went with us. On the 8th Richard, Aileeen, Don and I went. Don Call played center. Great memories.
Having not seen this team play I must only reflect upon four of them of which I had acquaintance and/or friendship. Richard Beuoy, Don Bohannon, Don Call, and Pat Patteson were all fine people. Cedar Vale lost a wonderful son in Dick Beuoy!
I found "THE PICTURE!"
Basil Hindman, a fast and smart ballplayer! Willing to take a risk if it meant points for the team! Don Bohannon, an "under-handed, two hands on the ball" free throw shooter! He had to have had the highest percentage of all free-throwers at Cedar Vale....and probably for all of Chautauqua County, and let me add the state of Kansas for good measure! I can remember watching games, when "THE GAME" was on the line. If Don Bohannon was one "the line," it was all over, folks! How proud we were of him!
Royal Kennedy is remembered for being steady as a Cedar Vale limestone rock! And, I remember the faces of Ken Cole and Lynn Wood but can't associate them with a "memorable" anecdote! That's my fault, not their's!
P.S. In my previous "blog," I misspelled the word, "myriad!" It has bothered me ever since! :) So, to Billy Ray Foster (do I have his name right?) and all the English teachers I ever had, please accept my apologies!
I end by saying that I can still see that '46 Team play! Someday, when I'm strong enough to write about it, I'll tell you of the "'52" team! Just writing those words brings a chill up my neck!
Pat!
Seems like I'm talking to you, face to face! Loved your comments! In re-reading mine, I find that I left out Don Call! If anyone could be considered a "rock," he was the entire 'Lookout Mountain!" He was the "man in the center," who TOOK AND GAVE! What more could be asked of a man or woman...than to take what you have been given and then give it away? Don Call was that kind of player. We learn from the "players" in this game called LIFE, from players such as Don Call! Yes, he truly "answered the CALL!" May we, who remember those who inspired us, "ANSWER THE CALL!"
Don, I am looking forward eagerly to you article about the "52 B.B. team. Don't leave out yourself.
My friend, Wayne! How I wish I could see you, face to face! For your word "eagerly" prompts me to writing about one of the greatest chapters of my life, the team of "52!" You remember Jim Hill, he was like the "Lightning" Bolt" of the current Olympics! He was the one who could summon up, in the most serious of hours, the most momentous hours of HUMOR! He could take a serious moment and turn it into the most humorous moment of your life! In all the "moments" I have spent with Jim, I'm not sure I ever understood him. He was a high-flyer! I stood in awe of him. And yet, when we were working as team-mates, we became something that only memories of ball games gone by, can resurrect! We may have won. We may have lost. But, we always had "Jim" to lead us through the next encounter! Isn't it a shame that he probably won't hear or see these words! If he did, he would probably say, "Give me the ball, I'll make it happen!" And, yes, it happened! I might add that when we, as a team, gathered together before each game, we said a prayer,
"The Lord's Prayer!" That, my fellow bloggers, may be as close to God as I'll ever become!
To this I will add, to the the "Team of "52," that there is more to come! Each member of that team contributed so much! Their chapters will "be-coming" in the next "blog!" Reece, I can hear you yelling, "I'm open!"
Thanks, Don. We will ALL be looking forward "eagerly" to hearing about more of our heroes from those teams. I remember Jim Hill driving up the street past our house in town and he would acknowledge our presence just by raising one index finger from the steering wheel. Another true Hero.
Wayne, sounds just like Jim!
Well, here comes REECE! A lean, lanky player! Rebounds seemed to identify him, even more than his scoring. He would "rip" down a rebound, sharp elbows flying, and woe be to those who were in close proximity! He often situated himself in the "corner.!" You might call it his "station of life!" He moved, with a sly means of motion, and there he was, saying, "I'm open....!" And open, he was! I remember firing a pass to him, so fast that his outstretched arms could not contain! We retreated down the court, on defense, to withstand the onslaught of the foe, only to regain that figment of time, when words became life, WHEN SOMEONE WHO HAD THE BALL, WAS IMPLORED TO PASS IT ON TO THE "ONE WHO WAS OPEN! My friend, Wayne, the next chapter of this story is, Bernard Lemert. Thanks for listening!
Bernard Lemert was, is and always will be, a close friend! I remember great times at his house, shooting the basketball at a rim that had no net! The modern-day discription of a shot that did not touch the rim as "nothing but net!"
Well, we had "nothing but rim!" Sometimes that made it difficult to know if the ball truly passed through the rim! And, before I leave the good times at the Lemert Farm, I will always remember riding on a sled, through the snow, being pulled by a horse with Lee Lemert, the rider! Still see the snow flying through the air! Now on to Bernard and another important ingredient to the '52 basketball team. If ever there was a "steady" player, it was Bernard! He was a steady and heady player, always being in the right spot at the right time. He gave us such a feeling of confidence! To paraphrase Grantland Rice, former sports-writer, "he knew how to play the game!" They say that sports...and life itself, includes the agonies and the ecstasies! Our team won many ball games. They far overshadow the "agony" of our defeat at the Regional Tournament at Ark City. I think we played Jetmore. I had the most "inept" game of my life, but we were hanging on by a "nylon thread," behind by only a point behind in the closing seconds. The ball landed in Bernard's hands, he shot, "hit nothing but net," the CV crowd went wild, our team went wild!!
Wild, that is, until the referee said that Bernard had stepped out of bounds! I know time heals all wounds and sometimes make you forget. Well, so be it! I saw Bernard take the shot, and my friends, he was not out of bounds!
It was like a dagger had been thrust into our hearts. Not a word was spoken on the bus ride home. Each of felt we had let the team, the coach, the town down. So, in my mind, Bernard shot the winning shot, we won the game and only the Great Referee in the Sky knows the correct call!
Next in line is Tommy Gordon.
Tommy Gordon. The only junior on a team of seniors. Smooth. Moved with an athletic grace. He was not a "fast" player. More like a Bob Bailey type-player. Slip-sliding away from his defender and putting up a shot that found it's target, more times than not. I have to add this important note. Tom Gordon was a fine trumpet player. Played with the same kind of finese with which he played basketball! Knew all the hit tunes! Knew the famous jazz trumpet players. Had their records! He might have been a "junior" in years, yet, I remember him as a confident young man, who, whatever his course of life was to be,would make it as sweet as the sound when his right-handed set-shot hit nothing but net, and when he would riff on a tune all of us knew, yet, he made it better!
Next is Harold Bohannan!
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