The Golden Age of Indiana High School Basketball

The years 1945–1959 marked the time when basketball truly became the sport of Indiana. High school basketball bound together communities across the state and interest in the sport rose to a new level. The period saw the Milan/Muncie Central game, given new fame through the movie Hoosiers. It also saw the first televised game, the start of the career of Oscar Robertson (who played for Crispus Attucks), and friendly town rivalries to build the state’s biggest gymnasium. It was a time before the massive consolidations of the 1960s and ’70s, with more than 700 teams involved in basketball tournaments. (There are some 300 now.)

Greg Guffey captures the flavor of the period and showcases many of the best teams, players, and coaches. This is a book for all fans of Indiana basketball.

Greg Guffey, Director of Publications and Technology for the Indiana House of Representatives, is author of More than a Game, a history of basketball in Henry County, Indiana, and The Greatest Basketball Story Ever Told: The Milan Miracle, 50th Anniversary Edition (IUP, 2003). He lives in Indianapolis, Indiana.