They tore down the old home place today. A home with many memories. All those who lived there except, my father and my aunt, have passed on. Just a memory to us. Those driving by are saying finally there bringing that old eye sore down, thank God! But to me, and all those who have nothing but fond memories of Hoosier Hysteria legends brought to fruitation in that house are sad. My Grandparents, and my uncle Paul Arvin lived out their lives in that house. Many a great evening of basketball centered conversation and strategy were discussed in that old house. In the early days of Loogootee basketball, before the Lions even had a decent gymnasium, Paul played for his beloved Lions from 1925 - 1928. In 1927 Loogootee built it's new gymnasium with a great community effort.
I can only imagine what the evening conversations over dinner were like, discussing what the coach did in practice, how well or bad the Lions looked tonite. Oh I also wonder how excited they all were the night Paul scored 17 field goals in a game against Washington Catholic, a record that stood until the 1980's.
After Paul graduated from high school and he and Bill McGovren began running the Ritz Theater. In his spare time Paul began planting the seed for future Loogootee greatness in the mind of a guy named, Jack Butcher. He coached the St.John's middle school teams in those years and Jack began to hone his talents under Paul.
Jack also worked at the theater, for Paul and Bill, popping popcorn as many a young basketball greats in Loogootee did in those days. Paul took Jack under his wing and a was a frequent vistor to that old house on 100 Pine Street during those days. I know there were exciting times at the home place, when Loogootee won the Washington Sectional all four years Jack was in High School, 1948-1951. I'm sure there were a few toast on those Sectional Championship nights in that old house.
I also know there was heartache, the night Loogootee lost the final game of the Regional, to Winslow, 57-55, at Adams Coliseum in Vincennes, Jack's Senior year in 1951.
In the late 1950's thru to the end of there lives, the family that lived in that old house hosted many of Loogootee's basketball greats as Jack Butcher returned to coach his beloved Lions. Especially, Gordon Phillips, Junior Gee, Cecil Truelove, and all three of Jack's son's, Bill, Bernie, and Bob. All these were taken under Paul's wing as Jack was and advised how to conduct themselves on and off the court, in that old house.
Also during those years all the above enjoyed many a great fishing outing with Paul and my grandfather, Gus Arvin, at what was simply known as "the camp" on White River.
During those years my Grandmother, Esther Arvin, faithfully taped, all those great Loogootee tournament wins, on Paul's old reel to reel, in that old house. I remember as a young boy, staying there while the rest of the family went to the Sectional in the early 1960's and watching Grandma, taping those Sectional Championship games in 1961thru 1963.There was nothing but the sound of those games in that old house, during tournament games. No one was allowed to speak above a whisper, for fear you'd ruin the taping of those games. To this day all you can hear when you play them back, is my Grandfather couphing, or someone walking accross a room. Loogootee won in '61, & '62 and my parents and Paul returned in jubilation before heading to the down town for the bonfire.
I also remember how sad and shocked they all were, when they returned home after the undefeated and favored Lions were defeated by the hated Washington Hatchets, in 1963. That team had Loogootee's first all-star in Junior Gee, it was his Senior year.There were such high hopes of a big tournament run. I can still see my dad's face when he came by the old home place to pick me up he was as white as a ghost, mom was crying, yes crying over a basketball game, that's how serious it was in that family.
I remember returning to that old house many a Sunday after a great tournament victory, in the 1970's as Loogootee won 6 straight sectionals, 3 regionals, and made two trips to the State Finals.
We always wanted to listen to the replay of the games, over the reel to reel that Grandma had taped the night before. Have many fond memories of stopping by there to see Paul in his declining years. We had such a great time reliving all the great tournament wins of the past. He'd always come up with some great stories of Loogootee basketball in the early days that always amazed me.
All the old Loogootee greats that I previously mentioned stopped by and visited with Paul at the old home place during that time. Many times getting out his scrap books and tapes and reliving again the glories of their youth.
Yes in that old house the beginnings of the Loogootee Basketball family took root.
It's just a memory now, but it will live in my mind forever.