USA > Indiana > Adams County > Decatur > The Commodores ; a history of Decatur Catholic basketball, 1921-1967 > Part 2
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23
13
Berne
10
25
Ft. Wayne St Augustine
10
16
Pennville
18
1
Alumni
25
14
Ft. Wayne St. Augustine Berne
16
37
Ft. Wayne St.Catherine
30
13
Huntington St.Mary
11
15
Huntington St.Mary
24
10
Ft. Wayne St. Catherine
26
6
Kirkland
12
3
TEAM MEMBERS AND POINTS
MPG
33 DCHS
33
FPG
10 DCHS
10
Alumni
0
Berne
25
DCHS
10
Ft. Wayne St. Augustine 16
LMV
33
DCHS
33
LMD
21 DCHS
16
Alumni
0
Berne 37
MPGI
33
0
-
1926 DECATUR CATHOLIC
Coach : France Conter (3rd year)
DCHS
Opp
Huntington Saint Mary Lima Saint Rose
28
13
29
22
Vincennes Gibault
32
29
Fort Wayne Blueprints
36
16
Delphos St.John
45
11
Alumni
34
18
Fostoria Saint Wendelin
11
10
Indianapolis Cathedral
45
28
Anderson Saint Mary
87
17
Evansville Reitz
31
30
Delphos Saint John
56
12
Fort Wayne Central Catholic
11
14
Huntington Saint Mary
49
15
Fort Wayne Central Catholic
29
27
Kirkland Township
38
21
Anderson Saint Mary
36
15
Indianapolis Cathedral
29
23
Shelbyville Catholic
35
36
Fostoria Saint Wendelin
39
12
Vincennes Gibault
40
30
National Catholic Tourney
Prairie Du Chen (WI) Campion
37
30
Cincinnati Saint Xavier
24
19
Fort Wayne Central Catholic
24
23
Louisville (KY) Saint Xavier
14
18
Wichita (KA) Catholic
14
33
St. Louis Bay
33
23
Philadelphia Roman Catholic
21
26
DCHS Seaons Record
21
4
DCHS Record to Date
63
20
TEAM MEMBERS AND POINTS
Name
Points C. Points
Name
Points C. Points
Meyer
320
407
Gass
56
96
Wemhoff
215
407
Connell
3
3
Smith
5
5
Gage
11
11
J. Mylott
147
149
Klepper
2
2
Vogelwede
25
27
Knapke
24
24
Decatur Cathlic ran it's regular season unbeaten string to 42 before losing to Ft. Wayne Central Catholic. They later defeated Central Catholic twice during the season. The Commodores picked up their nickname this year and also dedicated their new gymnasium. They were invited to the National Catholic tourney for the second time and finished fourth.
MPGT 87
DCHS
87
FPG 11 DCHS
11
Anderson St. Mary 17
Fostoria St.Wen 10
LMV
70
DCHS
87
LMD 19
DCHS
14
Anderson St.Mary 17
Wichita KS 33
MPGI 29 Wemhoff vs Inpls Cath Meyer vs Anderson St. Mary
1926 DCHS Girls
Coach :
DCHS Opp
Huntington Saint Mary
51
13
Fort Wayne Saint Catherine
36
9
Fort Wayne Saint Catherine
32
15
Kirkland Township
27
5
UTD
28
6
Wayne Knitting Mills
47
10
Kirkland Township
18
12
DCHS Season Record
7
0
TEAM MEMBERS
Margaret Eiting
Delores Omlor
Patricia Teeple
Elsie Brunnegraf:
Mary Meyers
Agnes Baker
Anna Colchin Rosamary Smith Winifred Arnold M. Voglewede Helen Schmitz
1927 DECATUR CATHOLIC
Coach: France Conter (4th year)
DCHS
Opp
Hartford Twp
39
38 **
Celina Immaculate
44
14
Bellevue (OH) Catholic
40
29
Delphos St. John
31
18
Delphos St. John
23
10
Geneva
39
24
Vincennes Gibault
36
24
Huntington St.Mary
37
19
Geneva
52
12
Lima St.Rose
35
23
Celina Immaculate
48
13
Alumni
32
15
Hartford Twp
49
32
Fostoria Saint Wendelin
33
8
Anderson Saint Mary
45
25
Vincennes Gibault
47
31
Huntington Saint Mary
44
16
Anderson Saint Mary
42
26
Lima Saint Rose
21
43
Ft. Wayne Central Catholic
34
26
Bellvue (Oh) Catholic
49
29
Fremont (Oh)
34
27
National Catholic Tourney
27
18
St. Louis Bay
33
23
Philadelphia Roman Catholic
21
26
DCHS Seaons Record
25
2
DCHS Record to Date
88
22
TEAM MEMBERS AND POINTS
Name
Points C. Points
Name
Points C. Points
Meyer
408
815
Miller
14
14
Wemhoff
250
657
Sorg
8
8
Smith
60
65
B . Wemhoff
6
6
J . Mylott
85
234
Connell
2
5
F. Mylott
122
122
Decatur Cathlic won it's first 20 games before losing to Lima St. Rose. Catholic played county foes Hartford Twp and Geneva for the first time this year. They beat both teams twice. This would be coach Conter's last season at the school He won 80 games and lost 11 in 4 seasons. He took the school to the National Catholic Tourney 3 times. R. Meyer set Decatur Catholic records for points in a season with 408 and points in a career with 815.
MPGT 52
DCHS
52
FPGT
21 DCHS
2]
Geneva
12
Phil Rmn Cath 26
LMV
40
DCHS
52
LMD
22 DCHS
21
Geneva
12
Lima St.Rose 43
MPGI 22
Meyer, Wemhoff
Fort Wayne Central Catholic
24
20
Fostoria Saint Wendelin
50
29
Oklahoma City Catholic
r-
.927 DCHS Girls
Coach :
TEAM MEMBERS
Margaret Eiting Delores Omlor Patricia Teeple Elsie Brunnegraff Mary Meyers Agnes Baker
Anna Colchin Rosamary Smith Winifred Arnold M. Voglewede Helen Schmitz
-
1928 DECATUR CATHOLIC
Coach : GEORGE LAURENT ( 1rst year)
DCHS
Opp
Geneva
46
23
Hartford Twp
41
33
Shelbyville Catholic
34
23
Berne
49
31
Lima St.Rose
36
37+
Alumni
34
32
Shelbyville Catholic
36
28
Anderson St.Mary
20
24
Pittsburg Technical
41
25
Cincinatti Elder
19
22
Richmond Catholic
35
20
Hartford Twp
39
54
Geneva
37
26
Kirkland Twp
36
27
Bellview Ohio
25
12
Ft. Wayne Central Catholic
31
30
International Business College
31
19
Anderson St.Mary
46
28
Ft. Wayne Central Catholic
19
26
Kirkland Twp
23
30
Bellview Ohio
30
12
Berne
47
43
Lima St.Rose
26
24
Richmond Catholic
89
24
Detroit St. Joseph
33
22
State Catholic Tourney
23
20
Connersville St.Glen
36
26
Indianapolis Cath
23
32
Ft. Wayne Central Catholic
17
27
DCHS Season Record
21
8
DCHS Record to Date
109
30
TEAM MEMBERS AND POINTS
Name
Points. C. Points
Name
Points C. Points
Gass
268
268
Sorg
13
21
F. Mylott
229
451
Kohne
2
2
J. Mylott
276
510
Coffee
4
4
Miller
119
133
Wemhoff
30
36
Gage
12
12
Gage
4
4
George Laurent was a former Decatur Catholic player and assistant coach. This was the first year that Decatur Catholic participated in the State Catholic tourney. J. Mylott led the county in scoring with 276 points.
MPGT 89
DCHS
89
FPGT 19
DCHS
19
Richmond Cath
24
Cincinatti Elder 22
LMV
55
DCHS
89
LMD
15 DCHS
39
Richmond Cath
24
Hartford Twp
54
MPGI 26
Gass
Evansville Reitz
T-
1929 DECATUR CATHOLIC
Coach : GEORGE LAURENT ( 2nd year )
DCHS
opp
Ashley
26
20
New Haven
24
25
Lima Saint Rose
24
26
Indianapolis Cathedral
43
12
Monrovia
39
24
Anderson St . Mary
16
18
Shelbyville Catholic
21
13
Fort Wayne Central Catholic
25
14
Cincinatti Elder
18
16
Indianapolis Cathedral
22
32
New Haven
28
27
Huntington St. Mary
48
16
Fort Wayne Central Catholic
25
15
Anderson Saint Mary
36
25
Cincinatti Elder
23
16
Andrews
36
20
Lima Saint Rose
24
30
Anderson Saint Mary
70
10
State Catholic Tourney
19
25
National Catholic Tourney
28
14
Omaha Creighton
23
11
Union City (NJ) Catholic
23
16
Chicago DeLasalle
:7
16
Peoria (:1) Catholic
14
24
DCHS Season Record
19
6
DCHS Record to Date
:28
36
TEAM MEMBERS AND POINTS
Name
Points
C . Points
Name
Points
C. Points
Mylott
216
567
Wemhoff
82
118
Gass
197
465
Harris
0
0
Miller
56
189
Rumschlag
5
5
Gage
25
37
Coffee
56
60
Kohne
48
50
Metzger
3
3
Decatur Catholic did not play a single Adams County team this season. Although the Commodores lost in the first game of the State Catholic Tourney, they were invited to the National Catholic Tourney, where they won 4 games before losing.
MP3T
-0
DCHS
70
FPG: 14
DCHS
14
Anderson St Mary 10
Peoria Cath 24
DCHS
70
IMD :0
DCHS
22
Anderson St. Mary 10
Indpls Cath 32
10 DCHS
14
Peoria Cath 24
Dayton Chaminade
30
17
Indianpolis Cathedral
Portsmouth (Ch) Catholic
€ 0
YPG: 2: Gass
1930 THAT CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON
: 930 STATE CHAMPIONS! ! !
Coach : GEORGE LAURENT (3rd year)
Huntington Saint Mary
32
21
Ashley
38
15
Anderson Saint Mary
8
22
New Haven
20
25
Lima Saint Rose
26
28
Lima Saint Rose
16
20
Andrews
66
33
Anderson Saint Mary
18
27
Fort Wayne Central Catholic
26
47
Delphos Saint John
31
24
Fort Wayne Central Catholic
27
37
Andrews
33
34
New Haven
29
38
Kirkland Twp
36
16
Toledo Central Catholic
23
15
Dayton Central Catholic
17
10
Lima Saint John
27
14
State Catholic Tourney
Vincennes Gibault
39
33
Washington Catholic
24
15
Casper Accademy
35
24
National Catholic Tourney
21
16
St Louis Catholic
19
17
chicago DeLasalle
16
20
CCHS Season Record
13
10
CCHS Record To Date
141
46
Even though the Commodores had only an 8-9 record, they rang up 3 wins in the State Tourney to win it. They were also invited to the National Tourney where they won 2 games before losing to Chicago DeLasalle.
TEAMS MEMBERS AND POINTS
Name
Points C. Points
Name
Points
C. Points
Wm. Gass
166
631
R. Holthouse
8
8
F. Mylott
95
662
E. Vian
0
0
C. Lose
69
69
G. Harris
2
2
G . Gage
63
100
R. Kleinhenz
0
0
B. Wemhoff
69
187
L. Schultz
0
0
MEGT
56
OCHS
66
FPGT 8
DCHS
8
Andrews 33
Anderson St . Mary
22
33
DCHS
66
ZMC : 6
DCHS
26
Andrews 33
Ft. Wayne CC
42
Gass
DCHS
Opp
== toona (PA) Catholic
I
Decatur Daily Democrat March 8, 1930 By Hockey Mylott National Guard Amory, Indianapolis ( Special)
Decatur Catholic high school Commodores came from behind in the last 9 minutes of their game with Gibault of Vincennes and won a thriller in the Catholic State Tournament here this morning, 39-33.
Decatur had trailed throughout the game and was behind at the half 18-12. The fast Vincennes team continued to break through the Commodore defense in the opening of the second half and sped to a 31-23 Nine minutes remained in the second half when the Decatur team came to life and brought the Commodore score within a field goal of a tie.
With seven minutes remaining Carl Lose, forward, slipped under the net to tie the score and in a few seconds, Petie Mylott, star guard of the Commodores threw the Decatur fans into a pandemonium by slipping the ball through the nests from midfloor to put Decatur in the lead for the first time during the game. This was followed by field goals by Gass, Wemhoff and Gage, while the best Vincennes could do was score one fielder in the remaining nimutes of the game. The game was wild throughout and the fifty some odd Decatur fans never gave up, always cheering the Commodores on .
Wagner, Gibault center, was the mainstay of the losers, hitting the net six times from the field and four times from the free throw line. Little and Delisle, Vincennes forwards, each counted three time from the field and Delisle added a free throw.
Every Commodore regular counted from the field. Gage scored once, Gass hit the nets five times; Wemhoff scored twice; Carl Lose snagged three, two from a distance and one from under the basket on a pass from Mylott and Petie Mylott, winner of the Feeney medal for being the most valuable player to his team at the tourney here two years ago, got four field goals and four free throws.
Decatur will meet the winner of the Washington Catholic-Catholic Central of Hammond game at 2:30 o'clock this afternoon. The general consensus of opinion here this morning is that Washington will win its game from Hammond. The winner of the afternoon game will go into the finals tonigh and the winner of the finals will represent Indiana at the National Catholic tourney in Chicago.
Lineup and summary :
Commodores (39) FG
FT TP
Gibault (33) FG FT TP
Gage, 44
1
0
2
Little f
3
0 6
Gass f
5
2 12 Desisle f 3
1
7
Wemhoff c
2
3
7
Wagner c
5
4
16
Lose g
3
0
6
Schlomer 0
2
2
Mylott g
4 4 12
Speth
1 0
2
Totals
15
9 39
Totals
13 7
33
Personal fouls called on Decatur 9; on Vincennes 13.
STATE CATHOLIC TOURNEY GAME 2
WASHINGTON DEFEATED IN SEMI-FINALS
Winner of Cathedral-Jasper Game Will Oppose Laurentmen Tonight
THOUSANDS SEE STATE TOURNEY
By Hockey Mylott-Decatur Democrat March 8, 1930
National Guard Armory, Indianapolis
Decatur Catholic high school Commodores went into the finals of the state Catholic basketball tournament here this afternoon by disposing of Washington Catholic high school in the semi-finals 24-15. It was a great game, and the Laurentment played their greatest game of the season.
The first half was a go-easy affair with the Commodores taking advantage of the breaks. The score at half-time was 12-4 in favor of Decatur. The Washingtonians were guarding closely and frequent fouls were called on them, Decatur took advantage of the free throw business and piled up a nice lead.
in the second half Wemhoff was sent to the showers by the personal Foul route and two Washington netmen, Barbiret and Miles kissed the officials good-bye with four personals sach,
The Commodores continued to pile up a lead and went into the finals as the 75 Decatur fans went wild with enthusiasm and swarmed out on the floor to congratulate the "tourney dark horses. "
Decatur's opposition in tonight's game will be either Cathedral or Jasper. At 3:30 o'clock Cathedral of Indianapolis and Jasper were scheduled to play. Dope favored Cathedral to fight it out with the Commodores in the finals. Cathedral won a great battle with Central Catholic of Fort Wayne this morning to move on to the afternoon bracket. The game was close and it was not until late in the game that Cathedral took a commanding lead and won the battle 22-16. Washington defeated Catholic Central of the Calumet district and Jasper defeatd Richmond.
Lineup and summary :
Decatur (24)
FG
FT
TP Washington (15) FG FT TP
Gage
1
כז
2 O ' Kane
?
5
Gass
1
6
8 Barbiret
1- 0
2
Wemhof: c 2
1
- Dosch Ming'n 11
.
Jose 10)
2
3
Miles
C
0 0
Ecichouse 2 0 Farris
Queen Chalders
1 MOIHOOCCIO 1
C
5 52001950 2
Totals
Totais
STATE CATHOLIC TOURNEY GAME 3 COMMODORES WIN STATE CATHOLIC TOURNEY Local Netmen Trip Jasper in Final Tilt Gass, Mylott, Wemhoff Lead Offensive in Final Game
Decatur Daily Democrat March 10 1930
Decatur Catholic high school Commodores returned to this city Sunday afternoon with the state Catholic basketball title tucked safely away. It was the first time in the history of state Catholic tournaments that Decatur won the title.
The Laurentmen defeated a tough Jasper Acedemy team Saturday night in the finals to win a free railroad ticket to the nation Catholic tourney at Chicago which starts a week from Wednesday.
The Commodores entered the tournament as a decided "dark horse" largely because of the up and down season's record. Early in the season the Commodores began suffering various injuries. First Pete Mylott was injured. Then Bill Gass was sick. then someone else would be out of a game.
As a result the Commodores lost several games, but whatever they did all season was forgotten at the tourney, and headed by Gass and Mylott the Commodores tore through three of the toughest Catholic teams in the state Saturday and returned with the championship.
In the final game with Jasper about half of Decatur had moved down to the National Guard Amory at Indianapolis. In the opening half, Bill Gass, who was the outstanding forward of the tournament, grabbed the ball and tossed four times at the basket from mid-floor and four time the ball rang through without even hitting the backboard.
This with the accurate passing ability of the Laurentmen took the heart out of the team from Dubois county, which had been a strong early-tourney favorite and the Commodores led all the way.
The score at half time was 18-11 in favor of Decatur. In the second period Wemhoff, who had been playing great basketball all day crashed through the Jasper defense with three field goals and Petie Mylott, bad leg and all dribbled for 4 two pointers.
As the final minutes arrived the Decatur crowd was wild, and when the timer ended the game and the score stood 35-24 in favor of Decatur, the hundreds of local fans went wild with excitement.
Each member of the Commodore team received a minature gold basketball and the school received a silver loving cup. The team will also be sent to the national Catholic tourney at Chicago by the state association.
Line up and summary :
Decatur (35)
FG
FT
TP
Jasper (24) FG
FT TP
Gass
7
1
15
Baker f
0
0
0
Lose f
1
0
2 O. Aubin f
1
0
2
Holthouse
0
0
0 Durbin
1
1
3
Wemhoff c
3
0
6 Quinlan C
4 0
8
Mylott 3
4
4
12 Beckman 3
1 0
2
Gage 3
0
0
0 Schneider g
1
0
2
Spears
0
1
1
P.Aubin g
1 0
3
5
Jackie
1
Totals
15
5 35
Totals
9
1 6
24
COMMODORES WIN STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
( The following article was reprinted from the 1930 TATTLER, DCHS yearbook. )
The Decatur Catholic High School Commodores have completed another basketball season, which, was in the end, crowned with success.
During the first half the Commodores were crippled by injuries of several of last year's veterans. When the team finally did get together they were unable to hit their stride. They played championship basketball in one game and then for two or three games almost any kind of a team could have defeated them. Different combinations were tried, but to no avail. finally, about the first of February, when all championship teams begin to bear down, the Commodores fell right in line and did the same. They began their campaign by trouncing an Indiana team and then swept past four strong Buckeye teams.
They then faced a task which only a good team can tackle: that of winning the State Catholic basketball title. Decatur was not given much of a chance by anyone, except by the members of the team and those immediately connected with it. They knew that the Commodores could and would win, because they were playing only the brand of ball which wins tournaments. When it came to a showdown the Commodores proved the surprise.
In their first game the met Gibalut High of Vincennes. The Green and Gold received the closet call of the tournement during this game. Apparently slightly over-confident, they were unable to hold the Vincennes team for the first three quarters. Howerver, they staged a rally in the last quarter to overcome a seven-point lead and win 39-33.
The Commodores did not play in the second round due to a break they received in the drawing. They entered the semi- final game with Washington Catholic, determined to break their semi-final jinx. Using a slow-breaking offense, which they worked to perfection they defeated the southern team 24-15. They were the firs Commodore team to enter the finals of any tournament.
Spurred on by several hundred fans from Decatur the home team entered the final game against the strong Jasper Academy team. Jasper had previously defeated Anderson, Richmond, and Cathedral of Indianapolis. The Commodores gained a lead in the first quarter and were masters of the situation thereafeter. The Jasper team felt the effects of their battle with Indianapolis during the afternoon. Gass put fire into the entire team by sinking seven field goals. Gage and Mylott both played good defensive games. Wemhoff and Lose both found time to drop in several field goals each ..
The Commodores are now in possession of the cup which goes to the team winning the championship. They received a permanent trophy and each member of the team received an individual souvenir. As a result of winning the State Catholic Net Title they were given an invitation to compete in the National Catholic Tourney at Chicago.
Wemhoff, regular center, who played an important part in winning the State Title, was out of the lineup due to illness. However, the Commodores proved that were not yellow by defeating the Pennsylvania champions 21-16.
St. Louis University High was the next obstacle. It was a bigger and rangier team than the Green and Gold outfit. Harris was in the lineup in place of Wemhoff who was still unable to play. The score was 19 to 17 in favor of Decatur, but the game was much closer than the score indicates. Harris played a great defensive game and found time to score four points.
The Commodores were now ready to enter the third round against the strong De LaSalle team of Chicago. They were forced to battle a team which averaged six feet in height and two hundred pounds in weight with Wemhoff on the bench during most of the game. The game was almost a repetition of last year's semi-final game. The two teams fought on even terms and De LaSalle eked out a 20 to 16 victory in the closing minutes. De LaSalle incidentally won the tournament for the second consecutive time by defeating Charleston, South Carolian in the semi-finals and Jasper Academy, of Jasper, Indiana in the finals. jasper was the first Indiana team to reach the finals in the National Tourney.
COMMODORES' STATE TITLE MARCH RECALLED
( The following article appeared in the September 17, 1994 issue of the Decatur Democrat)
Editors note: Phil Loranger is a resident of South Bend and a free lance writer. He submitted the following article to the Democrat after a conversation with Mary Colchin Becker, his neighbor in South Bend. Becker is a former Decatur resident who attended Decatur Catholic High School from 1929-1932.
By Phil Loranger
Marv Wood, head basketball coach at Saint Mary's College has garnered his fair share of media attention while directing his Belles to a long string of succussful seasons. Of course, Wood is most remembered for leading little Milan High School to the Indiana State basketball Championship in 1954, defeating some of the state's powerehouses along the way. The "Milan Miracle" was the feat that inspired the hit movie "Hoosiers".
But Coach Wood would be among the first to aknowlede that an even smaller high school captured a state basketball title two decades earlier than his Milan squad, and , while overcoming odds that would have made drawing to an inside straight look easy, the little school received only local mention in its community newspaper.
It's time to correct that oversight.
The school was Decatur Catholic High School. the title was Indiana Catholic High School Basketball Champions. The date was March 30, 1930. The team was named the Commodores. The coach was a dairy worker. And the squad's tallest player was a "giant" at 5-foot-9.
The newspaper that gave the team some "ink" on its accomplishment was the venerable Decatur Daily Democrat.
Decatur Catholic High School is gone now. So, too, is the State Catholic High School Basketball Tournament, Their memories are simply cherished relics of an era that cannot be recaptured. That in itself is a shame.
The school had a short life span. It was established on West Monroe Street in 1919 and closed its doors in 1964. (Note: Decatur Catholic's first basketball team was fielded in 1923. )
When the basketball season of 1930 rolled around, the school boasted an enrollment of less that 90 students, of which fewer that 40 were boys. Coach George ( Shorty ) Laurent, an employee of the Cloverleaf Creamery and a member of the school's 1925 graduating class, welcomed 11 youngsters for basketball tryouts. Six of the fellows had played in the past, five were first-time players.
Shory Laurent did not envision a winning season. Any hopes he had that his green and gold clad Commodores might even enjoy a few victories were further dampened when several of his slated starters came down with severe injuries and nagging illnesses.
As expected and much to the chagrin of the Decatur Catholic fans, the Commodores compiled a miserable four-win, nine-loss record mid-way through their season. Shorty Laurent was dismayed. In his third year at the helm of the team, his coaching was being critically reviewed.
Even Fr. J.A. Hession, the school's athletic director, began to fend off criticism of the team and its coach by bragging about the scholastic standings of our players. Truthfully, the fledging girls' softball team, under the tutelage of Jeannette Clark had a much higher grade-point average. Drawing to an inside straight started looking easier and easier.
Student managers Marcellus Miller and Julius Baker tried to console their down-in-the-mouth coach by telling him the team would jell in the second half of the season. And that's exactly what happened.
After absorbing a bitter 39-29 loss to New Haven, the team caught fire. Led by starters Bill Gass, Jerry Gage, Pete (Wemmie) Wemhoff, Fred Mylott and Otis Lose, the Commodores whipped Kirkland, 36-16. Somewhere in Decatur, a bell rang. It wasn't a loud bong, more like a ping, but a bell nonetheless.
Bolstered by some reserves from the "B" squad, fellows like underclassmen Leo Schultz, George Harris, Bob Holthouse, Eddie Hess, Bob Kleinhenz and Edward Vian, Coach Laurent actually gained the capability to insert a substitute into his lineup now and then.
Next up on the schedule of the struggling Commodores were four of the most talented squads from Ohio. In an age when every score was followed by a center-court jumpball, the youths from Decatur Catholic beat Catholic Central of Toledo, St. Rose of Lima, Chaminade High School of Dayton, and St. John of Lima.
Suddenly, the Commodores had a season ending record of 9-9.
Sister Marie Vera, C.S.A., principal of the diminutive high school, lit a candle in the chapel and then she pulled the rope that snet the school bell pealing. Heck, it was tournament time and her beloved boys were on a five game roll.
While the Senior Debate Club argued over the subject, "Be it resolved that it is better to attend a small college than a large one," ( the large colleges won) the basketball squad entered the State Catholic Basketball Tournament. The Decaturs, boasting a mediocre regular season record were given about as much of a chance to cop the title as Wabash College had of defeating the Notre Dame football team. (Actually, Wabash gave coach Knute Rockne's squads as much as they could handle in those days. ) Few gave the Commodores a chance to survive the first game, but the players, most of whom were so much shorter than their opponents they could have used radar to launch their shots at the goal like a pilotin a cloud bank, surprised everybody but themselves.
In their opening game of the tournament they met vaunted Guilbault of Vincennes. Unable to hold their opponents in check for the first three quarters, the Commodores staged a furious rally in the last stanza to claim a 39-33 victory.
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