Marion's First Girl's Basketball Team

 

The 1920 annual of Marion High School, called "The Mirror," tells of the first in the school's history.  Their record was 0-4.  Marion 6 - Providence 16.  Marion 6 - Sturgis 49.  Marion 7 - Morganfield 24.  Marion 13 - Morganfield 15.

This was the first year for the girls of M.H.S. to try their strength in athletics and taking in consideration all the drawbacks it must be admitted that we brought forth a good team even if it was a losing team.

Although we didn't win a game we feel that the basketball season was a real success for it taught us all how to be good losers and to play harder when being defeated.

Taking into consideration that this is our first year is such sports we have made remarkable progress and expect in the future to be invincible. 

The Players

• Elizabeth Dollar was elected captain of this year;s team and played guard throughout the season.  She was quick an good at breaking up plays.
• Dollie Enoch played forward throughout the greater part of the season.  She did well in her position and was a dependable player throughout the entire time.
• Jessie Elkins another of our old reliable players shone out from under our opponents' basket and made it hard for them to score.  She was our best guard this year.
• Evalyn Moore, although short and light in weight, "Curley" won a place on the main team.  She was quick and hard to guard and for reason she was able to play forward.
• Marie Lowery, "Tip" played center for us.  She was a good player for this responsible position and was always on the job fighting like a tiger.
• Katherine Hughes, "Kat" played a good fast game at forward.  She was accurate in throwing baskets and co-operating in team work.
• Leoda McWhirter, "Toadie" played guard most of the season.  She was an earnest work and dependable player.
• Robbie Fowler, played forward most of the time but was also a good center.  Although not as tall as some , she could always evade the long arms of her guard and shoot the goal.
• Fannie Moore, "Fan" played guard this season.  Being tall she made a good player for that position.  She always played a scrappy consistent game.
• Melba Williams, "Babe" was our substitute and played center part of the time as well as a good forward.  She played a clean game all the time.
  

Marion Football Team 1919

 

 Pictured are front row L-R: Hubert Crider, Raymond Boucher, Calvert Small, Harry Moore, Billy Eskew.  Back row: Coach George Gumbert, John Graves, Willard Daughtrey, Watts Franklin, Carols Grubbs, James Henry, Otis Wheeler, Tower Belt and manager Ernest Threlkeld.

The line-up taken from a Marion High School Annual The Mirror, dated 1920.

• Harry Moore - Quarter Back and Defensive half.  Harry was the only man on the team that could call signals.  In the first game he made practically all the tackles.
• Willard Daughtrey - Left Half-Back.  A hard man to get around.  He played a hard game.
• Watts Franklin - Left Half Back.  Filled vacancy of Willard Daughtrey when he got his arm broke.
  
• James Henry - Captain. Right Half Back and Safety Quarter.  Jim was a hard fighter as well as hard headed.  His hard head served as a good battering ram.
• Calvert Small - Right end.  Fast on his feet.  A good blocker and a good tackler.
• Hubert Crider - Best player on the team.  Good for forward passes.
• Otis Wheeler - Full Back.  Otis is a good tackler, he can play on the line of scrimmage as well as in the back field.
• Raymond Boucher - Left Tackle.  Although not as large as some of his opponents he never allowed himself to be run over, rather than do that he would run off.
• John Ed Young - Right Tackle and Defensive End.  The only experienced man on the tam.  John Ed played with the team of 1917 and played a steady game all the time.
• Tower Belt - Left Guard.  Tower on the line of scrimmage was a regular stone wall.  When he hit - he hit low and hard.
• John Graves - Right Guard.  John would break thru the line of scrimmage and cause much excitement in the opposing back field.
• Carloss Grubbs - Center.  Carloss was very efficient in his very important position.  He will usually make one error and then play a perfect game the rest of the time.
• Billy Eskew - Substitute.  Didn't get to play this year.
  

 This photo was made in 1919 of the Marion High football team.  The first one organized after World War I.  Football actually began at Marion High School in 1915, and the team had three seasons and even enjoyed a winning record in 1917.  However, there was no football during 1918 due to the war.  The program was reinstituted in 1919 with the above players.

The teams played on Saturday afternoons at Cook Park, which was located where Riley Tool and Machine is today on Moore Street across from the once Conrad's Food Store, today named Hometown Foods.

Armistice Day Memories

 

An old article that appeared in The Crittenden Press, November 14, 1930, tells of an Armistice Day that was celebrated in Marion for that year.  (Armistice Day wasn't changed to Veterans Day until 1954.)

Calling the attention of a oft time forgetful public to the significance of the day, whistles and the fire alarm blown at eleven o'clock Tuesday Morning reminded Marion that 12 years ago, the signing of the Armistice at eleven o'clock on the eleventh of November brought to a close the World War.  As the whistles died away, taps was sounded in front of the Armory.

Appropriate exercises were held in Fohs Hall Tuesday morning to which the public were invited and which were attended by the entire student body of the city schools.

The program was arranged by the Ellis B. Ordway Post of the American Legion.  Addresses were made by J. Roy Johnson, who talked on The Flag; David Postlethweight on Peace Time Preparedness; C. S. Nunn, who talked on The Constitution. 

Vocal solos were sung by Mrs. Dobbyns and by W. W. Runyan; with Miss Laura Butler and Mrs. J. B. Wiggins as their accompanists.  Miss Juanita Sory gave a reading, a story of the Civil War.

Banks were closed in Marion and many of the business houses displayed the flag before their stores.  School was dismissed at the close of the exercises in Fohs Hall for the remainder of the day which otherwise passed in an uneventful manner.