Diagonal's 1938 Iowa HS Boys Basketball Champions

VARNER, IVES, BROWN, DAVENPORT, NICHOLS, PINE, SLAVIK, BEYMER, TINDLE, DICKENS, RICE, DRACHEL, WATSON, DICKENS, HUIBECK, WOOFRIES, DOLECHECK, HERRINGTON, BOWAN, BUNKER, ROBERTS

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 4/20/2010 at 00:29:02

The Diagonal Reporter
Published in the Basketball Capitol of Iowa
Diagonal, Ringgold County Iowa
Thursday, March 17, 1934

COACH VARNER'S 1939 STATE CAGE CHAMPS

FRONT ROW, left to right: Max IVES, Claire BROWN, Marshall DAVENPORT,
Miles NICHOLS, Eugene PINE
MIDDLE ROW, left to right: Raymond SLAVIK, Bud BEYMER, Cletus TINDLE
BACK ROW, left to right: James DICKENS, Lewis RICE

Celebration Planned for Wednesday, March 23

Team Will Be Honored at Barbeque;
Noted Speakers Are Coming
WHAT Diagonal's big celebration for their State Championship Basketball Team.

WHERE Diagonal's Main Street

WHEN Wednesday, March 23, commencing at 2:00 with a barbeque and program

WHO WILL BE HERE Speakers were Gov. Nelson DRACHEL; George A. BROWN, secretary ofthe Iowa High School Athletic Assoc.; E. J. WATSON, Vera DICKENS, Ad HUIBECK, coach of Melfroe's 1937 champs. Marshall DAVENPORT to be presented the Iowa Broadcasting System Award as the most popular player in the tournament as determined by sports announcers; Andy WOOLFRIES, Ames radio announcer, as master of ceremonies. Music presented in mass concert by bands from Afton, Mount Ayr, Lorimor, Creston, and Chariton.

. . .[illegible]

All this week Diagonal has been preparing for the biggest event in its history - the celebration forour Iowa championship basketball team and coach O. C. VARNER. Committees are buring the midnight oil, neglecting thier businesses and devoting every minute to arrangements. No expense is being spared to make this even the most successful of its kind, ever held, and one to which Diagonal citizens can look back to with everlasting pride.

An invitation to this event is not necessary - everyone should feel free to attend and join in honoring our great town. If you would like to help - and we invite you - there are many ways. Donations of money are being received by Bernard DOLECHECK, Dick HERRINGTON and John VARNER. Country folk who can donate cream for coffee, also are asked to cooperate.

BE SURE TO COME!

IT'S A FACT!
We've run down the rumor to earth and now we know that Tom BOWMAN did KISS Darby BROWN when the buzzer ended Saturday night's game with Rolfe. Unfortunately our staff photographer was in Des Moines, so we can't show you the proof. But Tom says he'll do it again under similar circumstances, so maybe we can catch him in the act next year.

Wild Cheering Greeted Team On Home Trip
Our thirteen "First Citizens" - Coach O. C. VARNER and the squad of twelve basketball players - were given the most tremendous oration accorded by the people of this community when they arrived in town about 5 o'clock Sunday afternoon after being met in Afton by a colorful motor caravan of hundreds of enthusiastic and happy fans. Shrieking auto horns, cheers, even a few scattering firecrackers greeted the team members which rode in individual cars bearing their names on large placards.

An informal program was hastily arranged after the return to Diagonal with Mayor BUNKER expressing the town's and community's pride in "their boys." Dr. E. J. WATSON told of his long acquaintance with the boys and how happy and proud he was that the had in several cases been present to "toss them in the first basket." When Pop [Coach VARNER] was asked to speak, he said, "It's the boys' victory, let them talk." Miss Vera DICKENS, county superintendent, also a graduate from Diagonal, expressed her pride and pleasure in the team's victory and the program concluded with Mr. M. I. ROBERTS, president of the First State Bank, telling of the happiness which engulfed the town's few stay-at-homes after the news had been announced on raido on Saturday night.

As the crowd dispersed, the town fell into the customary Monday afternoon response, but it will be many a long year before the memory of this day fades from memory. . . [rest of article missing]

Maroons Drop Dike, Cedar Rapids, Ames and Rolfe to Triumph

It's Nice Work If You Can Get It. . .
Maybe that's what Coach VARNER and the Diagonal Maroons thought a few weeks back when over 800 cage teams started the long, long trail to the Iowa Championship Finals.

Well, They Went Out and Got It!
It wasn't easy. Fighting your heart out never is. Basketball or anything else, but when the last hard drive had been made, the last basket caged, the final buzzer sounded, it was the Diagonal team, the coach, and the fans who knew that this championship business is nice work. . . . "And you can get it if you try."

It took all the courage of a great Diagonal team, plus all the strategy Coach O. C. VARNER could summon to head off Rolfe's championship-bound sharp-shooters Saturday night at the Drake Fieldhouse in Des Moines, but Diagonal had a great team, a team which made the most courageious comeback and won the most impressive victory of any Diagonal had ever earned. In a spectacular finish to the final thrilling game the Maroons charged up from behind to overtake Rolfe in the last minutes of play, tied up the score 29-29, went out in front 31-29 on two free throws by Eugene PINE and kept that advantage for more than two minutes against Rolfe's last desperate attempt to win the state championship.

Messages of Encouragement Appreciated

The Diagonal team and coach want to take this means of trying to thank the many friends and fans who sent congratulations by phone, letter, or telegram.

Probably about two hundred messages were received. They were eagerly read by the coach and team, also by numbering 'friends.' Under such circumstances many telegrams were misplaced or carried off by some as souvenirs which will make it impossible to answer all of them. We take this means of expressing our appreciation and feel that we will never be able to repay you for your loyalty and kindly interest in us.

The Squad and Coach

With Diagonal on the Long, Hard Road to the
Throne Room of Iowa State Basketball

NOTE: Article was stats from the Dike, Cedar Rapids, Ames, and Rolfe games. My copy was illegible - SRB

Pictured: Diagonal Reporter, March 17, 1934

SOURCES:
Diagonal Reporter Diagonal, Ringgold County, Iowa. March 17, 1934.

Diagonal, Iowa: Centennial History Pp. 195-97. 1998.

Compilation by Sharon R. Becker, April of 2010

Diagonal's 1938 Iowa HS Boys Basketball Champions
 

Ringgold Documents maintained by Tony Mercer.
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