Much like football in Texas and hockey in Minnesota, basketball is synonymous with the state of Indiana. The one-class high school tournament that ended in 1998 helped garner this area more recognition than any single annual event not named the Indianapolis 500. The Indiana High School Athletics Association made a ruling then, which split high schools into four different tiers, ending an 82-year tradition.
The one-class system is as finely woven into Indiana's history as its agricultural industry. It was all about tradition. It was about going into a rival arena in the county seat - where sectionals were hosted, most of the time - and trying to knock off a larger, heavily-favored opponent on its own hardwood. The classic biblical story of David vs. Goliath was regularly re-written each winter in what was one of the most envied sporting folklores in the country.
Basketball icons like Larry Bird, Oscar Robertson, and John Wooden were inspired by that same tradition. The Hall-of-Famers could not have asked for any better background. The competition and camaraderie amongst players was stronger here than in any other place on the planet. Not to mention the atmosphere of the tournament - when a small school made it to the sectional finals, most of the town and surrounding area would be in the stands cheering them on.
Wooden, the legendary UCLA head coach, grew up in Martinsville, Ind. In his book, "They Call Me Coach," the Wizard of Westwood told a story about a bank being robbed during a sectional that took place in a small town called Paragon. The robbers were successful, authorities later claimed, because nearly all of the town's residents, including the police, were at the game that evening.
Average revenue and attendance figures for the state tournament went into a downward tailspin shortly after the multi-class system was instituted. The four classes combined to draw 438,430 spectators, according to the Dec. 2, 2002, issue of Sports Illustrated, a number little more than half as many as the final single-class championship.
In the past couple of years, several schools have begun hosting county tourneys, which are similar to the old sectionals. The tourneys have been set up in an effort to re-ignite interest in the sport.
I attended the Madison County tourney one night last week at the Wigwam, in Anderson, and saw three games. Even though the atmosphere was good with a nostalgic feel of the past, the attendance was discouraging. The gym was only about half-full on the opening night of competition; five years ago during the last sectional, it was standing room only.
For now, all that Hoosier natives can do is reminisce about the days when there was one unanimous state champion. It does not appear as though stubborn members of the state's governing body of high school athletics are considering re-instilling the single-class legacy anytime soon.
Write to Pat at pbray@bsu.edu
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