Timeline From The Past: Mr. Basketball, Old Freshman High Fire
From the Files of the Kosciusko County Historical Society
Editor’s note: This is a retrospective article that runs a few times a month on InkFreeNews.
April 15, 1985 — Warsaw’s Jeff Grose today holds the title of “1985 Mr. Basketball,” the highest individual honor an Indiana high school basketball player can receive.
The 6-foot, 2-inch 185-pound Warsaw Community High School senior was the overwhelming choice for the award in balloting of nearly 400 coaches, sportswriters and radio and TV sports announcers throughout the state, conducted by The Indianapolis Star.
April 9, 1985 — The long-sought start for varsity soccer in the Warsaw Community Schools comes to fruition Wednesday evening when the Tigers play the first formal varsity contest against Columbia City on the Grace College Soccer Field.
The contest will mark the start of a 13-game varsity schedule for the Tigers, mostly against teams in the South Bend-The roster of WCHS’ first varsity level soccer team includes Agustin Gonzalez, Chris Hansen, Landon Harman, Scott Helmick, Tim Lewis, Mark Miller, Eric Nesbitt, Chip Tanner, Greg Warner, Kep Crabb, Bill Hartman, Scott Perry, Allan Waggoner, Dodd Cunningham, Tom Egan, Scott Engelhardt, Chris Frazzetta, Steve Hoppas, Aaron Morrison, Greg Sausaman, Steve Haney and Danny Williams.
April 11, 1978 — Warsaw police and fire officials are investigating a blaze early today at the old Freshman High School building, West Main Street, Warsaw, for arson. City Police Capt. Eugene Brown explained that there is no electricity and running water in the empty building, which is supposed to be torn down. The blaze started in the projector room near the auditorium on the second floor of the building. Residents spotted smoke billowing from four windows at 8:40 a.m. and notified city firemen. Warsaw and Winona Lake firemen brought the flames under control within minutes and remained at the scene for one hour.
April 10, 1967 — Warsaw’s Charlie McKenzie and Ben Niles are among 10 Hoosier high school seniors named to join Willie Long of Fort Wayne South, 1967 “Mr. Basketball,” in rounding out this year’s Indiana All-Star squad.
The selection of the local cagers gave Warsaw the distinction of being the only team with two representatives on this year’s Hoosier “blue ribbon” group.
– Compiled by InkFreeNews reporter Lasca Randels