County Hall Of Fame Inducts Second Class
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
County Hall Of Fame Inducts Second Class
By Anthony [email protected]
“I appreciate Jim (Irwin) and Aaron (Rovenstine) for bringing back all the memories of playing basketball,” Witham said during his induction speech.
Irwin and Rovenstine are two members of the 16-member Kosciusko County Hall of Fame Board of Directors which selects inductees into the hall, although even when they make the decisions, the players find it hard to believe.
“When I got the letter in November saying I was being inducted, I had to make sure they had the right person,” Witham said.
For 1953 Sidney-graduate Gene Likens, it wasn’t only hard for him to believe, it was equally as difficult for his 102-year-old mother.
“When I mentioned it to her, she said, ‘Well, I always knew you were good, but I didn’t realize you were that good.’,” Likens said.
Along with Witham and Likens, other inductees into the second class of Kosciusko hall of famers were Larry Bibler (Beaver Dam, 1958), Virgil Gagnon (Burket, 1953), Richard “Dick” Morris (Claypool, 1955), Dal Stouder (Etna Green, 1952), Bob Ferverda (Leesburg, 1950), Clarence Dickey (Mentone, 1954), Bill Speicher (Milford, 1948), Daryle Hill (North Webster, 1953), Jim Stouffer (Pierceton, 1955), Carl “Moose” Sands (Silver Lake, 1947), Lowell “Fuzz” Barnhart (Syracuse, 1950), Kent Adams (Warsaw, 1955) and Larry Pinkerton (Warsaw, 1955).
“When I graduated from high school in 1952, I thought that was the end to all my basketball accolades,” Stouder said during his speech. “Thanks to Jim and Aaron, I’m back.”
Of the 15 inductees, just one was absent from the ceremony, as Stouffer was unable to attend due to illness.
But for those who could make it, the night was filled with remembering their days on the hardwood, and even some old rivalries.
“I remember playing Beaver Dam and Donnie Butt went for 34 points,” Stouder recollected. “And that was before the three-point line. If they’d have had that, he probably would have scored 40 or more.”
But above any rivalries or losses, all 14, along with keynote speaker John Anglin, noted how basketball during their era galvanized communities.
“Basketball really held our little town together,” Likens said about Sidney.
During an era when it took every boy in the school to comprise a sports team, and several basketball players even played in the band during halftime, the former players couldn’t help but smile when asked to recant their experiences.
“I really enjoyed high school sports and looking forward to the games coming up,” Stouder said. “The ones we lost, we forgot. But the ones we won, we remembered.”
The hall of fame was the brainchild of Irwin and Rovenstine, who chose one member from each of the original Kosciusko County schools, although Warsaw did get two with Adams and Pinkerton.
Through their work, the pioneers of the county’s favorite past time were able to come back to hear applause once more.
“After 62 years, it’s nice to be remembered,” Speicher said. “After 62 years, it’s great to be honored.”
For more information on the hall of fame, visit www.kchalloffame.com[[In-content Ad]]
“I appreciate Jim (Irwin) and Aaron (Rovenstine) for bringing back all the memories of playing basketball,” Witham said during his induction speech.
Irwin and Rovenstine are two members of the 16-member Kosciusko County Hall of Fame Board of Directors which selects inductees into the hall, although even when they make the decisions, the players find it hard to believe.
“When I got the letter in November saying I was being inducted, I had to make sure they had the right person,” Witham said.
For 1953 Sidney-graduate Gene Likens, it wasn’t only hard for him to believe, it was equally as difficult for his 102-year-old mother.
“When I mentioned it to her, she said, ‘Well, I always knew you were good, but I didn’t realize you were that good.’,” Likens said.
Along with Witham and Likens, other inductees into the second class of Kosciusko hall of famers were Larry Bibler (Beaver Dam, 1958), Virgil Gagnon (Burket, 1953), Richard “Dick” Morris (Claypool, 1955), Dal Stouder (Etna Green, 1952), Bob Ferverda (Leesburg, 1950), Clarence Dickey (Mentone, 1954), Bill Speicher (Milford, 1948), Daryle Hill (North Webster, 1953), Jim Stouffer (Pierceton, 1955), Carl “Moose” Sands (Silver Lake, 1947), Lowell “Fuzz” Barnhart (Syracuse, 1950), Kent Adams (Warsaw, 1955) and Larry Pinkerton (Warsaw, 1955).
“When I graduated from high school in 1952, I thought that was the end to all my basketball accolades,” Stouder said during his speech. “Thanks to Jim and Aaron, I’m back.”
Of the 15 inductees, just one was absent from the ceremony, as Stouffer was unable to attend due to illness.
But for those who could make it, the night was filled with remembering their days on the hardwood, and even some old rivalries.
“I remember playing Beaver Dam and Donnie Butt went for 34 points,” Stouder recollected. “And that was before the three-point line. If they’d have had that, he probably would have scored 40 or more.”
But above any rivalries or losses, all 14, along with keynote speaker John Anglin, noted how basketball during their era galvanized communities.
“Basketball really held our little town together,” Likens said about Sidney.
During an era when it took every boy in the school to comprise a sports team, and several basketball players even played in the band during halftime, the former players couldn’t help but smile when asked to recant their experiences.
“I really enjoyed high school sports and looking forward to the games coming up,” Stouder said. “The ones we lost, we forgot. But the ones we won, we remembered.”
The hall of fame was the brainchild of Irwin and Rovenstine, who chose one member from each of the original Kosciusko County schools, although Warsaw did get two with Adams and Pinkerton.
Through their work, the pioneers of the county’s favorite past time were able to come back to hear applause once more.
“After 62 years, it’s nice to be remembered,” Speicher said. “After 62 years, it’s great to be honored.”
For more information on the hall of fame, visit www.kchalloffame.com[[In-content Ad]]
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