Memories

I am going to throw several different memories of individuals, tourney games, and records during those tourney years into my article this week.

My last article had information about Carsten Loken. Many of you may not remember, but he was known more as "Dutch" Loken.

I also want to state that girls high school basketball had not started when I was a referee. When I was in grade school, we played the high school girls-the game was different then. There were six players, three forwards and three guards, and they could not go over the center line, but stayed in their end of the court. A little late, but congratulations to this year's high school basketball teams and coaches.

Now on to the Ekalaka Independent Basketball tournament years. Referees during those years were: Ted Henberg, grade school principal; Bob Smith, teacher and high school coach; Ken Pulse, barber who moved to Cody, WY; Marion Callen, Baker, who worked at L. Price Hardware in Baker; Brenden Murphy, teacher and coach at Plevna; Gus Nemitz, Recreation Director, Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota; and myself. Nemitz always enjoyed coming to Ekalaka and was well accepted by the players.

Teams that participated were: Ekalaka, Plevna, Baker, Miles City (600 Lounge), Glendive (Moose & Merchants), Broadus, Belle Fourche (Gays & Waynes Conoco), Bowman, ND, and Rhame, ND. These teams participated either every year, or almost every year. Others were Ismay in 1956, Circle in 1956, Casper, WY in 1960, Terry in 1961, Brockton in 1961, Wibaux in 1962, Buffalo, SD in 1964, and Beach, ND in 1964.

The Brockton team was composed of all Native American players with a son, dad, and grandfather who played together. In fact, six of the eight players went by the name of Bighorn.

The 1960 Casper team was brought here by Bob Tanner. Tanner was married to Jane Hunter, a graduate of Carter County High School. That team lost both games. The first was to the 600 Lounge of Miles City, 95-92. The second loss was against Plevna, 94-90. This will give you some idea of how high scoring the games were.

Some other points of interest:

Individual high game scores: 1956 - Weimann, 600 Lounge Miles City, 39; 1960 - George Welloweyes, 600 Lounge Miles City, 39; 1960 - Haas, Bowman, 36; 1962 - Barnaby, Wibaux, 37; 1964 - Barnaby, Beach, 41.

High game scores: 1963 - Glendive 114, Rhame 77; 1964 - Bowman 105, Beach 91; 1964 - Beach 115, Buffalo 102.

During the early tournament years, Bob Lasater and Harlen Wash, who were going to College in Dickinson, ND, would come and play for the Ekalaka team. Both were graduates of Carter County High School.

All other tourney players for Ekalaka teams included: Buddy Morrison, 1956 and 1958; Harlan Wash, 1957 and 1958; Loyd Townsend 1957; and John Butrymowicz, 1959.

See the photograph on page 8 taken by Marshall Lambert for a glimpse into the past. Lambert took many pictures and developed them himself.

In looking at an old Broadus Independent Invitational Tourney program from March, 1958 (9th Annual), I find some interesting information. Ekalaka took second place in 1957. It shows Harlen Wash all tourney in 1955, 1956, and 1957, with Tom McCamish and Loyd Townsend for 1957.

Also, more interesting to me was that Albion took fourth place in 1951. My close friend and basketball teammate, Vern Walter, who played for Albion, was all tourney in 1954.

Businesses that supported the tournaments were plentiful. The figure shown (top right) will bring back memories to many of you. It shows the back page of the 1958 program. How many years ago was that? You add them up