Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 21 March 1997 — Page 12

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By JIM NELSON Sports Writer 'The game of basketball may not have been bom in Indiana, but it grew up here,” says WNDY (INDY-TV) Sports Director Vince Welch as he introduces the three-hour special, Hoosier Hysteria Remembered, which will air this Saturday, March 22 at 4 p.m. Although the show is three hours long, it will only seem like it is three minutes in length to basketball fans because of die outstanding effort put into presenting die entire history of Indiana high school basketball in a lively and entertaining way. That’s exacdy how captivating Hoosier Hysteria Remembered is. Capturing 83 years of Indiana high school basketball is not an easy thing to do. In fact, it is an impossible thing to do. There are so many great moments in the history of Hoosier Hysteria that something had to be left out, but the staff at INDY-TV, along with Sports Director Vince Welch, deserve credit for creating a show that is clearly the definitive history of the greatest high school sporting event in American history—the Indiana boys state basketball tournament. The show, appropriately enough, begins at the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in New Castle, bid. and die journey through Hoosier Hysteria is one that movies are made of. Just as the movie “Hoosiers" captured the feeling of frhat was accomplished with the fictional Hickory team patterned after the incredible feats of Milan High School led by Bobby Plump in 1934, Hoosier Hysteria Remembered is something you must see to get a true understanding of what basketball means to the people of Indiana. “The display cases contain all the hardware. We hope to bring you the heart. The heart and soul of a game that for whatever reason helps define the word “Hoosier.” We’ll hear from the people who have lived Hoosier Hysteria, and by the time we’re finished, you will have lived it, too,” Welch says.

There are interviews with some of die greatest players in Indiana basketball history and there is footage of games played before packed houses highlighting every segment of Hoosier Hysteria, but the best comments on the importance of basketball in Indiana are offered by George McGinnis, who also does the color commentary to Welch’s play-by-play on the WNDY-TV High School Game of the Week. “I think one of the great things about playing in this state and growing up in this state and especially being a part of the state high school basketball championship team is that the memories last forever,” McGinnis said. “People just don’t forget and I think dot’s what makes our state and our tournament so unique is that it’s a part of our fabric.” Welch and McGinnis will team up to bring to basketball fans the final single-class state tournament this weekend on INDY-TV. Hoosier Hysteria Remembered will quickly become a part of die fabric of Indiana high school basketball history and the show features interviews with Bobby Plump, Oscar Robertson, Tom and Dick Van Arsdale and comments from Crispus Attucks Coach Ray Crowe. These are just a few of the highlights of the program and there are many, many more. Probably the greatest moment of Indiana basketball history was die the 1954victory by Milan over Muncie Central which featured the shot by Plump which gave the small school of 160 students a victory over the much larger school from Muncie Central. “I think we played equally as good a ballclubs against Crispus Attucks and Terre Haute Gerstmeyer as we were going to face in Muncie Central,” Plump said, “I don’t remember any type of fear of playing Muncie Central. I don’t remember a fear of playing Attucks or Gerstmeyer. We didn’t know we were going to win, but we had enough confidence that we never went on die court thinking we were going to lose.” From the Final game at Hinkle in 1971, which featured the East Chicago Washington team which is

considered by many to be the greatest Indiana high school team of all time, to the crowd of over41,046 to watch Damon Bailey capture the state tide, all of the excitement that is Indiana basketball is there. “I don’t think there has ever been anything that I’ve done that has been able to recapture the feeling I had here on the night in 1969. It was absolutely die greatest thing that has ever happened to me in my sporting life,” McGinnis added. The show also captures the magic of Hinkle FieMhouse. “Whenever I walk in this building I always get tingles because the floor itself, the baskets, it’s all the same,” says Steve Downing, a teammate of McGinnis and a member of die 1969 state championship game. “I’ll always sit down. I’ll sit in a comer and FB just reminisce. I'll play the game over. I’ll play scenes from that game. I can still remember the game just as if it were yesterday. This arena has a lot of history and I’m glad I had the opportunity to play in it as opposed to being at the dome or Market Square or any place like that.” Hoosier Hysteria Remembered ends with a wonderful discussion of the move to class basketball which is also a can’t miss part of the show and it really sums up the feelings many former players have about the move the class basketball. Although Hoosier Hysteria and basketball in Indiana will never be the same beginning next year with the move to class basketball, the show Hoosier Hysteria Remembered captures Indiana basketball the way it ought to be—with one class—and it was done the way the definitive tribute to Indiana high school basketball ought to be — with first class. Hoosier Hysteria Remembered is a history lesson that everyone should see so be sure to tune in this Saturday, March 22 at 4 p.m. to INDY-TV for Hoosier Hysteria Remembered it is a program you will never forget.

Vince Welch brings Indiana’s final single-class stale tonmament to Me

BY JIM NELSON

Sports Writer

sier Hysteria by announcing last year’s) thrilling double-overtime state

If you are not lucky enough to be in championship game won attendance at the final single-class state by the Bea Davis Giants tournament at the RCA Dome, make on Jeff Poisel’s last-sec-sure to tune in to WNDY-TV (INDY- ond shot TV) Channel 23 for the play-by-play of But before the teams Vince Welch, a man who knows about make to the RCA Dome, Hoosier Hysteria. Welch had some final He ought to, he grew up in the middle thoughts on what apof it and now his play-by-play will signal peared to be die last great the end of an era that has become sym- Semi-State matchup at bolic of Indiana — he will describe die Hinkle Fieldhouse. final single-class state basketball tour- “To me there is noth-

Vinee Welch

But Welch adds every- end they go out to a high school.” one has been a little nos- Welch said some of the people who talgicrealizingthingswill had a big impact on his early career were bedifferent after this year. Joe McConnell and Bob Lamey and he “I love high school bas- said he would love to have the same ketball,” Welch adds. “I impact they had on him on someone else, grew up in Indiana as a “If I can do that for somebody, that’s player. I wasn’t any good, something special.” but I’ve always rejected Welch also said it is a pleasure for him other people’s talent” to work with George McGinnis, a person

he has admired while growing up. It was only natural that Welch would cheer for McGinnis and the Washington Continentals, both his mother and gnmd-

He also said he can remember listening to the games on the radio and taking his pairs of socks

and pretending they were father graduated from the West-side

ing better than a full Hinkle Fieldhouse basketballs as he tried to score the win- school. Welch, who is the official voice of all for high school basketball,” Welch said, ning buckets. He was that inspired by the “And now I get to sit next to George televised high school championship “The Semi-State weekend is the great broadcasts. and share the game he excelled hi at the events on INDY-TV, will provide the weekend of the tournament You've got Now asatheofficial voiceof the Fmal highest level, that means a lot to me.” play-by-play beginning with the morn- to be a good team to win. You don’t get Four, he hopes to have a positive impact Welch will leave his mark on Hoosier ing contest between the Bloomington lucky and win a Semi-State. on those who tune in for the games. Hysteria with the call of the fmal singleNorth and Kokomo as well as the second “You cannot get a better atmosphere “Hopefully, somebody out there class tournament, and if you are not game between Delta and LaPorte. than Hinkle Fieldhouse on Semi-State watching ourbroadcast gets excited about lucky enough to be there in person, you He has already left his mark on Hoo- weekend,” he said. high school basketball md the next week- can see it all on INDY-TV 23.