Posts Tagged basketball

     The former Ellwood City YMCA was located at the site of the former Hazel Dell School on the corner of the College Street and Line Avenue. Area residents enjoyed a number of organized activities that the “Y” offered including basketball leagues, volleyball leagues, soccer, hockey, and many others. The Ellwood City Ledger pictures here were advertisements for new leagues that were starting at the YMCA. The first was for a new floor hockey league for children in fourth grade through sixth grade (pictured from left to right are Erich Weyant, Jeff Boller, instructor Vic Rangel, and Adam Musse). The second picture was for pre-school soccer using a nerf ball. Pictured from left to right are Damien DeCaria, Michelle Rocco, Michael Rocco, Vic Rangel (instructor) and Paul Weingartner. 
     It was reported in the Beaver County Times in May of 1984 that the Ellwood City Council conducted a hearing to air public views on a YMCA request for the borough to create a municipal authority to handle financing of a proposed $1 million structure.
        “The new facility would have replaced the Ellwood YMCA at College Street and Line Avenue permitting it to expand programs with plans that included the installation of a health center with steam room, Nautilus, sauna, whirlpool, exercise room, and weight room that were not available at the old location. The new facility would also permit an Olympic size swimming pool to replace a 3 by 12 foot diameter children’s pool. Regulation size basketball and racquetball courts would have also been installed.
      The new authority would have been in charge of handling funds from private donations that were to be used to pay for the new facility.”
    It was later reported in August 1984, the Ellwood City Council announced approval of leasing land in Ewing Park to the Ellwood YMCA as a locale for the new YMCA. Building upon the site would cost about $500,000 less than previously planned sites including in the US Steel Industrial Park. Council granted the YMCA a ninety nine year lease on the property at a cost of one dollar a year. The double tennis courts would have to be removed to build the building, but would be replaced.

     We wanted to post a story about the greatest sports franchise in the area but had a difficult time narrowing the story down with all the incredible players to play for Coach Hennon’s Wampum High School Basketball teams. We are planning to follow up this article with a number of articles highlighting the individual players. We would like to hear from you what players you remember, or any other memories you would like to share about the Wampum Indians Basketball Teams.

    School Principal and Head Coach Butler Hennon became nationally famous when Life Magazine did a feature on his unusual training techniques and the resulting success in their January 6, 1958 issue. Hennon’s unusual training techniques (unusual at the time) are still used by schools across the nation today.

     Practices were held with players wearing oversized rubber boots, a duck jacket weighted with sand, work gloves and blinders. To improve dribbling, players practice wearing gloves and taped glasses to keep them from watching the ball, Tug-Of-War for the ball between players handicapped by galoshes and weighted jackets to make tactic more difficult, medicine balls held high get players accustomed to keeping arms up to block passes, and tires hung from the ceiling for passing drills. Some skeptics could argue with the methods, but no one could argue with the resulting 100+ point games, almost season long winning streaks and the three AA State Titles.

     Many of Hennon’s players went on to play at local colleges; most notably first team All American Don Hennon at the University of Pittsburgh and Ron Galbreath NAIA ALL American at Westminster. Noveleski played at St. Francis, Shena and Swogger started for Geneva, Hank Allen had a sensational freshmen year at a small school in Ohio (maybe Baldwin Wallace) and Ron Allen played at Youngstown, and we are sure there are others we are missing. Speaking of the Allen’s, what other small town produced three major league baseball players such as the Allen brothers? From oldest to youngest, the Allen brothers were Harold, Richie, and Ron. Richie went straight from Wampum High School to the Philadelphia Phillies. Harold (or Hank) played basketball at Baldwin Wallace in Ohio his first year out of High School and then signed with the Phillies at the same time Richie (Dick) did. Ron was younger and was key to the 1960 AA title team and he played seven games in the majors for the St Louis Cardinals. There are some that would argue that Harold Allen had the best chance of reaching the NBA, even more so than the all-time great Don Hennon, but he gave up basketball for baseball.

     All this from a school with around 100 students in High School and sixty percent of the student body were girls.

    Mr. Joseph “Joedy” Gardner of Peoria, Arizona recently shared with us this picture of the Bell Memorial Church 1946 Junior Church League basketball team. We know that there were multiple church basketball leagues that played at the Shelby Social Club on First Street, but we are not sure if the Junior Church League also played their games there.
    Joedy Gardner is the young man in the front row, second from the left. The others in this picture are unidentified so if you recognize someone, please let us know and we will revise our post accordingly. Furthermore, if you have any pictures or memories of your own about the Junior Church League basketball league at the Shelby Social Club or elsewhere, please leave a comment below or email us at info@ellwoodcitymemories.com

    The first organized indoor basketball court in Ellwood City was at the Shelby Social Club on First Street. In 1918, the court also became the home to the Ellwood City High School basketball team. Ellwood City was without a high school team before that because the school did not have anywhere to play or practice. The high school played at the Shelby until they got a gym of their own in 1926 at the newly constructed Lincoln High School. Today that gym is known as the “old” gym or “little” gym.
    As you can see in the picture, the backboards from the two practice courts were raised during games so the spectators view would not be blocked. Those fans filled the bleachers from the very first row all the way to the rafters. But this raises an interesting question. If the first rows of the bleachers will filled with spectators, does that mean that the teams were squeezed into the two foot space between the court and the wall opposite the bleachers?
    These pictures Mr. Joseph “Joedy” Gardner of Peoria, Arizona recently shared with us were taken sometime in 1953 and 1954. As you can see in the picture of Joe Gardner in the Lincoln High School gym, Chuck Taylors were popular at this time. The close-up picture is of the same Joe Gardner with Head Coach Al Como.
    If you would like to share your memories of the many games that were played in the old gym or memories you might have of Coach Como, please leave a comment below or email us at info@ellwoodcitymemories.com

    Many that remember the Shelby Social Club on First Street vaguely remember the swimming pool and some other things the club offered; but when they recall the club, they remember the basketball. Players like Dip McDaniel, Merit Book, and Sing MacDonald are still talked about today, and all got their start playing organized basketball at the Shelby.
    Mr. Joseph “Joedy” Gardner of Peoria, Arizona recently shared with us this picture of one of the 1930′s Shelby Teams.  This is the Specialty department team Joe Gardner and Butler Hennon are in this photo. The others in this picture are unidentified so if you recognize someone, please let us know and we will revise our post accordingly.
    Furthermore, if you have any pictures or memories of your own about the inter-department basketball league at the Shelby Social Club, please leave a comment below or email us at info@ellwoodcitymemories.com

    Louise Carroll wrote an article in the Ellwood City Ledger in June of 2009 about an area sports team that was crowned State Champions and exactly the kind of story this sight was started for.
    In 1959, the Medusa Eagles finished third in the world at the World Slow Pitch Championship Tournament held in Cleveland, Ohio after the team won the Pennsylvania State Championship. When the team won the State Championship, they were known as the Chewton Slow Pitch team but became the Medusa Eagles from Wampum when Medusa Cement sponsored the team for the world championship games.
    The team consisted of Dick Allen, Ron Allen, Al Baker, Jim ‘Cat’ Cipro, Chuck Dombeck, Clarence Freer, Wendell Goatley, Gary Guy, Henry Hajec, Willie ‘Sonny’ King, Bob Kosior, Dave Kosior, Lou Kosior, Dom Suppa, and Kenny Tillia. Bob ‘Lefty’ Kosior, who had a heart problem and couldn’t play himself, served as the manager of the team.  Another Dick Allen was also a player and would help manage the team when needed.
    The team originally played their home games in a pasture field on Snake Run Road before moving to the field in the center of Chewton. The team members were responsible for maintaining the field themselves including keeping the grass cut and the up-keep on the back stop. As you may remember, the field is a large square and there was a time they had to turn the whole field around because foul balls kept hitting a nearby house. The team did not practice a lot as they played three or more games a week.
    Mrs. Carroll interviewed a couple of the players, in particular ‘Sonny’ King. “We were competitors. We went to win,” King told Carroll “We played three games a day to qualify and it was Memorial Day weekend and it was hot. A team from Gastonia, N.C., beat us, I’ll never forget that.” Chuck Dombeck recalled “Everyone had way better uniforms than we did, there were teams there sponsored by Proctor & Gamble, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and Hamilton Glass and big corporations like that.” Teams may have looked better than the boys from Chewton, but very, very few played better.
    1959 was the second time the Chewton Slow Pitch Team competed at the World Championships. In 1958, the team, including Ralph ‘Red’ Mohr, John Schotch and Jim Ferrante, finished fourth in the world at the tournament. When Louise Carroll asked, “the men said they believe sports were so popular in Wampum because there wasn’t anything else to do but play baseball and basketball”. “They also agreed that they played because they loved to compete and loved the game.”
    Our gratitude goes out to Louise Carroll for writing an excellent article and giving this great team the attention it deserves. If you would like to leave a personal memory about this team or any of its players, please leave a comment below or email us by CLICKING HERE.

     In 1917, the National Tube Company (a subsidiary of United States Steel Corporation) opened a massive facility on the corner of Pittsburgh Circle and First Street that would bring recreational activities never even thought of in Ellwood City a reality. Designed as a clubhouse for the employees of National Tube, it became a recreational center for virtually all of the citizens of Ellwood City. The Shelby Social Club was home to an Olympic size swimming pool, a meeting room, a gymnasium, a six lane bowling alley, billiards, an auditorium, a soda grill, lounge room, cafeteria and a basketball court among other things.
     It did not take long after construction that the basketball program became one of the finest in the area. The first team to play on the basketball court was the Shelby Social Club’s semi-pro team. In 1918, the court became home to the Ellwood City High School basketball team also. Ellwood City was without a high school team before that because the school did not have anywhere to play or practice. The high school played at the Shelby until they got a gym of their own in 1926 at the newly constructed Lincoln High School. Today that gym is known as the “old” gym or “little” gym. 
    Basketball continued to grow in popularity in the predominately baseball minded community but public interest truly gained at the start of the city wide church league in 1920. First Baptist dominated the church league with their only loss in the first two years was to Bell Memorial (First Baptist had to forfeit the game). The 1921-22 all-star team consisted of Merit Book, Chief Parillo, Dewey Cunningham, Ralph Adams, Sing MacDonald, Ray Johnston, Jimmy Guy, Cooper, Fike, & Dip McDaniel.
    In 1925 the sport got another boost when National Tube started an Inter-Departmental League. Teams included Hot Mills, Mechanicals, Office, Specialty, Finishing, Cold Draw, Hot Finish, Inspection, and consisted of All-Stars Dip McDaniel, Sing MacDonald, Joe Latiano, Joe Reilly, and Earl McCandless). The league expanded in 1936 with the additions of Lincoln High Faculty and Italo Balbo. The Inter-Departmental League ended in 1940.
    1930 marked the return of the Semi-Pro league at the Shelby Clubhouse. The Ellwood City Manhattans began play in the Allegheny County League playing the best teams in Western Pennsylvania and posting an 11-11 record. In the clubhouse’s last ten years other basketball leagues played at the Shelby including Junior & Intermediate leagues, an Industrial League, and a Municipal League. The Municipal League included teams such as Moose, Catholic Center, SOI, North Side, Eagles, Chippy’s, and Oasis.
    The same year the Inter-Departmental league ended (1940), the Shelby Social Club put a team in the Beaver County Basketball League. The Socials lost its first two games against Slippery Rock University & the University of Pittsburgh, then the Socials went on to win their next nineteen games in a row finishing the season 30-4. 
    Basketball was not the only thing people remember about the Shelby Clubhouse. Beginning in 1918, the day school let out for Christmas vacation, the clubhouse was open to all children in grade school in Ellwood City & surrounding townships. Children not yet old enough to be in kindergarten were also invited but required a ticket that was available with a donation. The kids would climb the stairs to the third floor auditorium to see a huge decorated tree, view a Christmas themed film, sing carols, & see Santa come down the fake chimney. After Santa appeared, each kid got a brown bag treat which during the Great Depression may have been more than some of the children got for Christmas.
    Then, during the summer of 1950 without any big announcements, a small article appeared stating that the Shelby Clubhouse facilities had been sold to Aetna-Standard for an engineering and office building. The small announcement was the end to the recreational center that meant a whole lot to Ellwood City.
    After U.S. Steel closed the clubhouse, the club moved to the office space in the old hospital building on the mill grounds. The final Christmas party was Dec 23, 1960. It was estimated that 6,000 children gathered for their Christmas treat that year though in previous years the number reached as many as 8,000. 

    We are pretty sure that more than a couple of people have memories (good or bad) about the great clubhouse that was available to them for more than 33 years. If you would like to share yours, please leave a comment below or email us by CLICKING HERE.

     A plaque was hung outside the large gym in Lincoln High School in honor of coach Gills in acknowledgement of his contributions to the athletics and community of Ellwood City. It reads ” In acknowledgement of an outstanding educator in the field of Chemistry and a fiery and inspiring coach that directed the Basketball and Baseball teams. He capably assisted Thurman “Dutch” Croft in football to a 81-53-5 record and gained the reputation of being one of the best High School Line Coaches in Western Pennsylvania. Mr. Gills was Head Coach during the 1944-1945 seasons while Croft served in the Navy during World War II.
The discipline and control administered on the playing field and in the classroom typically exemplifies the dynamic personality that helped produce outstanding scholars and athletes.”
     As a Head Coach of the Ellwood City Football team, Coach Gills led the Lincoln squad to a 9-1 season in 1944 and a Beaver Valley Championship before losing to Donora High School in the W.P.I.A.L championship.

    Please share your memories of Coach Gills by clicking on the “comments” link below or email us.

     On the Fourth of July in 1916, an Italian mission from St. Agatha Roman Catholic Church in Ellwood City broke ground on their own Church on Park Avenue next to Aetna Standard Engineering Company. Rev Father Marino led the Italian mission that was geared towards the increasing Italian population.

     B.V.M. quickly outgrew their building and in November of 1929, they exchanged their building and property with Aetna Standard in exchange for the old Methodist Episcopal Church on the corner of Park Avenue and Fourth Street. The church continued to grow and despite planting a daughter church (Saint Joseph Roman Catholic Church) in January of 1930, again outgrew their church. Then in April of 1970, after a three year building project, B.V.M. opened their new building with a seating capacity of 800 people.

     The Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church was renamed Holy Redeemer Church when it conslidated with St. Agatha Roman Catholic Church and St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church on September 8th 2007.

               Sunday Mass Schedule
               Saturday 6:00 p.m.
               Sunday 8:00 a.m.
               Sunday 10:00 a.m. 
               Sunday 12:00 noon.

    We can list the history of the church in Ellwood City, it’s various missions, attendance numbers, so on and so on. However that is not really what we started this site for. We need MEMORIES. Funny stories, touching stories, you know, the good stuff. Stories from the basketball teams, the bazaar, the benefit dinners, or the entire church coming together to help one family. If you have a story you would like to share about B.V.M., please EMAIL us or click on the “comment” link at the bottom of this post.

     Perhaps the greatest team of all time from our area is the undefeated Ellwood City High School football team.

     Led by 6’1″ – 228 lb fullback/linebacker Tom “Big Train” MacMurdo, the Ellwood squad did not allow a single point until the National title game. The WPIAL champions outscored their opponents 313 to 0 during the regular season. 

     The biggest game of the year was against defending WPIAL champions New Castle who were riding a 43 game undefeated streak. New Castle’s Coach Phil Bridenbaugh’s team was led by local legend Ralph “Scooter” Day. 10,000 people packed the area around the old field in Ellwood City including people standing on the roofs of the houses that stood next to the old field where the current High School stands.  Both teams had yet to be scored upon 7 weeks into the season.

     New Castle started the game kicking off to Ellwood City, but Ellwood turned around and punted the ball back to New Castle on first down. New Castle took the ball and drove down to the one yard line before being stopped one foot short of teh goaline on fourth down. Ellwood City got the ball back inside New Castle territory on an interception and Tom MacMurdo punched the ball into the endzone and took a 7-0 lead into the second half. In the 2nd half Ellwood City opened things up against a desperate New Castle team capped by a 26 yard touchdown run by MacMurdo and won the game 14-0. After the big win, Ellwood City was acclaimed the best team in the state.

     After the only other undefeated team Jeannette tied Latrobe on Thanksgiving Day, Ellwood City was awarded the Syrcuse Cup and crowned WPIAL champions. The season did not end there for Ellwood City as the two time Illinios state champions Freeport was inline to play Ellwood for the National Championship at the brand new Pitt Stadium.  Freeport, who had not lost a game in five years, beat the Ellwood City team 13-7 if front of the 2,454 fans in attendance. Ellwood’s only score coming late in the game by Tom MacMurdo.

Hal Wilson has a great site about the 1925 team

Ellwood City – 60    Evans City – 0

Ellwood City - 12    Monaca – 0

Ellwood City - 20    Beaver – 0

Ellwood City – 20    Beaver Falls - 0

Ellwood City – 20    Woodlawn – 0

Ellwood City - 64    New Wilmington - 0

Ellwood City - 14    New Castle - 0

Post Season

Ellwood City - 31    Homestead – 0

Ellwood City - 72    East Palestine (Ohio) – 0

National Championship

Ellwood City – 6     Freeport (Illinois) – 13

 

Starting Lineup:

Quarterback – Ross Parker

Halfback – Johnny Sanders

Halfback – Harold Johnston- All WPIAL first team

Fullback – Tom MacMurdo – All WPIAL first team – Ellwood City Single season record (120 pts)

End – Bill Marsh

End – Jim Fitzgerald – All WPIAL first team

Center – Jim MacMurdo – Played three years with Philadelphia Eagles

Guard – Bill Herge

Guard – Art Applebaum- All WPIAL first team

Tackle – Bob MacMurdo

Tackle – Curt Neff

*note – a sub on this team was later famous L. Butler Hennon who coached the Wampum Indians basketball team which included the Allen brothers to three State Championships.

      Ellwood City has been home to a number of beautiful parks. Glen Park was located on 100 acres that stretched 3 miles along the south side of the Connoquenessing Creek beginning at the 5th street bridge and heading west.  Home to the Palisades, the Sentinel Rocks, and the Giant Trees, a writer once wrote about Glen Park as ”having no counterpart for romance and picturesqueness anywhere east of the Rocky Mountains.”

Felican Park was a continuation of Glen Park and later named Rock Point Park. Rock Point Park was home to beautiful trails, a roller coaster, miniature train, dance hall, the Peristyle, Mechanical Swings, a ferris wheel, skate rink, merry-go-round, baseball field with grandstands, and of course, the Shoot the Chutes ride.

Other parks in the area included Forest Grove near the Knox Plan and Oliver Park on the Hotel Oliver grounds. Oliver Park was a popular picnic area located on three and a half acres between 4th and 6th streets while Forest Grove sported it’s very own merry-go-round.

Con-e-que was also a popular destination in the late 1920’s and early 30’s. Addison O. Caldwell built a dancehall and severeal cottages along the Connoquenessing and hosted dances with live bands. Con-e-que was later sold and became a gambling hall until it closed in the 1940’s. Today, the Snyder potato chip factory stands on its location.

The only park that still remains today is Ewing Park, located on 6 acres and home to multiple picnic shelters, playground equipment, basketball, bocce, & tennis courts, peaceful trails, and the Veterans Memorial swimming pool.

Pictures and comments of the Parks in Ellwood City

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    Ellwood City has proudly been home to a wide variety of sports teams over the years. Citizens of all ages have had the chance to compete in almost any sport a person could think of. Lincoln High School has competed in wrestling, track & field, basketball, baseball, football, soccer, golf, gymnastics, diving, swimming, bowling, cross country, softball, cheerleading, tennis, and volleyball over the years. They have also been home to numerous state championship teams like the 2003 baseball team, the 92 and 93 Girls Cross Country Teams, and the 1925 football team.
The games don’t end when school does. The various mills in Ellwood City facilitated numerous adult sports here with baseball teams and basketball leagues held in the Shelby Clubhouse. Over the years Ellwood City has been host to adult softball leagues, roller hockey, baseball, bocce, basketball, volleyball, bowling, & races including bicycle and running.