Out of The Past
Volumes of sports history have been written in the Uniontown gym Some years ago a libation ad featured a very nattily dressed man-about-town, high hat and all, moving in full stride, and the notation, “born (year) and still going strong.”
But how about noting in a similar respect, from a local angle, “born 1955 and still going strong.”
That was the year Uniontown High School opened its new gymnasium, which at that time was described as a sort of showcase facility for the area, and, in some respects, for the state.
A lot of games have been played there since then, and when you stop to think about the volumes of basketball history bounced into that floor, it can boggle the mind of even the most dedicated cage partisans.
In the Morning Herald, for Jan. 6, 1955, sports editor Bob Wood (whose friendship I still cherish) wrote, “The Uniontown Red Raiders found their magnificent new gym, a Western Pa. showpiece, a successful site for launching their WPIAL basketball season last night. An overflow crowd of 2,300 watched the Maroon and White turn back Connellsville, 60-44, in a Section Two encounter, which dedicated the new facility.
“The doors were open free to the public for an open-house inspection, but closed 45-minutes before the opening tip-off to prevent the crowd from exceeding the safety limit.”
As for the game itself, it looked like Uniontown might have a big night, grabbing an 8-0 lead in the first two minutes on goals by Jim McLee (2), Dick Fisher and Geeza Lux. Then Connellsville charged back, with baskets by Jack Smarto and Jack Taylor, cutting the Coker deficit to one, 14-13, at the quarter.
The Raiders were still up by one in the second, 17-16, then broke away with a 13-point run and rolled from there to the win.
Duane King led Uniontown with 16 points, and Fisher had 12. Taylor led CHS with 12.
In other games that night:
-North Union used an 11-2 edge on the foul line to edge Georges, 59-58. Phil Zoretic (22), Frank Turpin (17) and Mose Payne (12) led NU, and Jim Beckwith was high for Georges and the game with 28, all on goals.
-Jim Walters laid in a goal with: 22 left to give Carmichaels a 61-59 win over Mapletown, and finish a 30-point night for him. Arkie Smith added 18. Grogan (22) and Hood (14) paced MHS.
-Pete Duda’s layin short of the buzzer was Redstone’s edge over St. John’s, 50-49. Joe Clark (16) and John Rohaley (14) led the winners. For SJ, Buckets Barkett had 12, Tom Yezbak 11 and Larry McKay 10.
-Point Marion had a 10-point edge in the second half to trip Masontown, 64-56, paced by Sam Rose (19), Moore (15), and Phillis (12). Tom Croftcheck had a game-high 20 for Masontown.
-Rostraver 71, Dunbar Twp. 39. A 2-for-1, 38-19 edge in the second half, clinched the win, led by Trimbush (24), Bumgardner (11), and Smzovich (10). Cleveland Glenn had 19 and Soberdash 10 for the Mules.
-Perry-Lower Tyrone led 52-48 going into the fourth, then held off a closing rush by Youngwood to win, 67-64. Bob Jenkins led with 24, Frank Wright had 14, and Bill Oldham and Joe Lafko 10.
Along with its basketball win in the first week of the new year, Uniontown’s wrestling team joined in by pinning Waynesburg, 30-23. The Raiders, coached by Charley Kalmanek, trailed 23-11 with four bouts left, then swept out from there to come back and win.
Ron Crossland (145) pinned Jim Rush in the first, Lloyd Anderson (154) pinned Bob Hoy at: 35 of the second, Chuck Myden got UHS the lead for the first time, decisioning Dave Hopkins, 5-2, and Ray Miller (185) clasped Dick Rattigan at 2:17 of the second to clinch the win.
Back then, first period pins were worth six points, and after that it was five. UHS also counted wins by Dick Faris (pin at 95), and Dave Patterson (120), while Greg Cudzillo wrestled John Wernecke to a 6-6 tie. No overtime in those days.
In other rasslin’ action, Mapletown nipped Georges Twp., 30-25. There were no details on the match, other than noting Georges counted Richard Stoyko and Arnold Leichliter (95) pins, Joe Skala (120), Ray Doce (127), and Lou Skala (145) got decisions, and Wendell McGinnis (133) and Dave Vidovich (138) had ties.
Back to basketball:
-Tom Yezbak (12), Jim Petko (12), and Barkett (10) led St. John’s to its sixth win, 53-26 over St. Vincent Prep.
-All-Saints 60, Fairchance 53. Bertovich (20) and McKula (15) led the winners, Tarpley (19) and Walton (12) paced FHS.
-Duane King scored a basket with: 30 left and Jim Edenfield a free throw to pull Uniontown from behind, into a 61-60 win over Greensburg. Down 13 at one point, UHS clawed back to a 56-48 deficit, then with 5:00 to go, King got a goal, Edenfield a 3-point play, Lux a basket, and Jim McLee two free ones for a 57-56 UHS lead at 2:04. Bill Lashock put GHS back on top with a goal, then King and Edenfield responded with the wrap-ups.
-Sam Mitchell’s free throw with: 40 left was the edge for Redstone over Point Marion, 64-63. Joe Clark (18), Mitchell (18), and Ron Litchney (14) led RHS. Ray Phillips (19), Sam Rose (15), and Bob Moore (12) paced PM.
-German Twp. 57, Masontown 50. Ray Trincia, who would later lead Albert Gallatin to many basketball victories, paced GT with 17, and Jim Carter and Otto Cavalcante had 12. Don Franks had a game-high 20 for Masontown.
-South Union 66, Georges 62. SU led all the way, paced by Charley Davis (22), Jim Stottlemeyer (13), Jim Brown and Bucky Barton (11). For GT, Jack Smiley scored 15, Jim Beckwith 14, Bob Early 13, and Wilbur West 11.
-Scottdale ran away from Dunbar Twp., 87-32, paced by Hunker (22), Banasick (19), Mehallick (14), and Cox (12). Steich led the Mules with 13.
-West Newton pulled away in the fourth to trip Perry-Lower Tyrone 64-56. Jenkins (18) and Novak (16) led PLT.
In wrestling action to close out the week, Uniontown nipped Greensburg, 28-21, as Rich Ford (88), Chuck Myden (165), and Ray Miller (185) had pins, Murray (133), Marino (138) and Anderson (154) won decisions, and Cimini (103) had a draw.
And in this day of multi-million contracts for pitchers who can’t work a full nine innings in one day, consider that the New York Yankees announced then that because Bob Grim had won 20-games for them the previous year, they were doubling his 1956 salary – to $12,000. That’s right, 12-G for the whole season. Some of today’s weepers get that much for one inning and can’t work a full game.
Remember?
Jim Kriek is a Herald-Standard sports correspondent.