Steve Brooks
Steve Brooks has spent 16 seasons as the head women’s basketball coach at Indiana Wesleyan University. Brooks has 27 years of coaching experience overall. Brooks has led the Wildcats to two NAIA Division II National Championships, coming in 2007 and 2013. The 2007 squad was the first ever NAIA women’s basketball program to finish undefeated with a 38-0 mark. In 2013, Indiana Wesleyan went 35-3 and went on a 22-1 run in the second half of the national championship game to defeat Davenport (Mich.). For the team’s accomplishments, Brooks has been honored as the...Read more
Earl Brown
Earl Brown’s father got him interested in playing basketball by putting up basketball goals in the barn. He practiced many hours with his brother Marvin. His basketball success came about in high school after some of his coaches showed interest in his ability. His coach at Sweetser High School, Taylor Hayes taught him fundamental skills and hard work. He played his freshman and sophomore years at Sweetser High School. After the Oak Hill School Corporation was formed, Earl played there his junior and senior years. He lettered eleven times by participating in basketball, cross cou...Read more
Vonda Cawthorn
Vonda Cawthorn began her passion for gymnastics at Madison-Grant High School as a gymnast on the sectional championship team. It was the first time gymnastics was included in the IHSAA Tournament. When she was a senior at Ball State University she coached the Madison-Grant Argylls gymnastics team. In 1979 Vonda began her teaching career as a substitute at McCulloch Junior High School and was hired as Marion High School’s head gymnastic coach. When she began coaching, she coached three separate teams beginning, intermediate, and optional. This later changed to all optional with a juni...Read more
Bob Chapman
Bob Chapman played on the 1926 Marion Boys’ Basketball State Championship Team that featured Charles “Stretch” Murphy, the 6’3” Chapman and 6’7” Murphy were giants of their day and they were credited with giving the school’s athletic teams their nickname, the Marion Giants. The two of them led the Giants to a sparkling record of 59 wins against 15 losses in those three years. Following the State Tournament Bob was named to the All-State Team. He was outstanding in the classroom as well, for he was a High Honors student and served as President of the Senior Clas...Read more
Bob Davenport
Bob Davenport played fullback in 1953, 1954, and 1955 for the UCLA Bruins. During those three years he scored 25 touchdowns and the Bruins posted a 26-4 record. At UCLA, Bob played for three Pacific Coast Conference Championships. Two of those years he played on New Year’s Day Rose Bowl Game and in 1954 was on the National Championship team. Bob was the first Bruin to earn back-to-back All-American honors in 1954 and 1955. In 1955 he was the team’s MVP. In the Senior Bowl, played in Honolulu, in which senior All-Americans played against the Pros, Bob was named MVP. ...Read more
Jay Edwards
Edwards’ gracefully, effortless play and picturesque jump shot earned him the nickname “Silk”, and he helped lead the Giants to some of their greatest moments. The 6-foot-4 Edwards provided the scoring spark for the Giants’ three consecutive state champion teams of 1985-87 and he shared Indiana Mr. Basketball honors with teammate Lyndon Jones. Edwards first gained attention as a sophomore when he starred for the 29-0 “Purple Reign” Giants team that breezed to the school’s fourth state title. During the next two seasons his reputation grew as the Giants chased down tw...Read more
Bob Holloway
While attending Madison-Grant High School, Bob Holloway earned varsity letters in three sports: golf, basketball and tennis. He earned MVP honors in all three. In golf, Bob led MG to an undefeated regular season in 1972. He also earned all-state, all-conference, regional and Grant Four medalist honors. He still holds the school record for lowest score for 18 holes. In basketball, Bob led MG in scoring and rebounding for two seasons. He was also all-conference and all-county. In tennis, he played number one in singles and doubles. Bob attended college at Eastern Ken...Read more
Ronnie Horn
The powerfully built 6’6” Horn starred for Mississinewa’s basketball teams in 1955-56 and 1956-57. The Indian junior led the county in scoring and helped the Indians to a 22-1 record. The only loss came at the hands of the Marion Giants in the sectional finals 57-56. In his senior year they had a record of 20-3, again losing to the Giants in the sectional finals 68-62. The six point deficit was their largest in a defeat. Ronnie averaged 27 points his senior year. Ronnie Horn held every Mississinewa scoring record. Most of those records were previously held by 1954 Indian...Read more
Ronald "Pat" Klein
Pat Klein was one of the finest and most revered basketball players ever to come out of Marion High School. He was a late-bloomer as far as basketball was concerned, for he struggled some through his sophomore and junior seasons. His high school coach, Woody Weir, said he was amazed at the progress Pat made between his junior and senior years, it was an outstanding senior year for Pat Klein. He scored a total of 408 points in 28 games, an average of 14.4 per game, a single game high of 28 points and at one point in the season hit 14 free throws in a row. Pat i...Read more
Robert E. Lee
Bob Lee was the Marion Leader - Tribune sports editor for 26 years before his death at 55 years of age. Born in Fairmount, Mr. Lee was a graduate of Fairmount High School where he played 4 years of basketball. Bob was a member of the Quakers’ basketball team that won the sectional in 1929, the first time any team other than Marion had won. After high school Bob graduated from the University of Alabama. Lee began as sports editor of the Marion Leader- Tribune in 1939. He left Grant County to serve in the Army in the Pacific Theater during World War II, returning to hi...Read more
Eugene Linn
Growing up and living his entire life the Gas City Community, Eugene “Beaner” Linn quickly developed a love for his school system and community. At a young age, Beaner immediately connected with athletics and was a consistent example of toughness, determination, hard work and leadership while possessing an all-around athletic skill set. A 1952 graduate of Mississinewa High School, Beaner ended his athletic career after being a four year standout for the Indians in Football and Basketball. At the conclusion of his high school graduation, Beaner had numerous offers to continue his...Read more
Team Category
Twin City Bankers
A Grant County baseball team that was founded and managed by John Atkinson. Their home field was in Gas City and games were played on Sundays and holidays. The team played between 1958 and 1973 with over 125 players during that time period. They mostly grew up, lived or worked in Grant County. The players were post office employees, factory workers, supervisors, barbers, insurance salesmen, car salesmen, bricklayers, dentists, teachers, coaches or bankers. They also were Sunday school teachers and little league coaches in both baseball and basketball. Most did not play high...Read more
1991-92 Marion Boys Tennis Team
The Indianapolis area had long dominated boys’ high school tennis, which makes Marion’s State Championship in 1991 all the more remarkable. Marion finished 26-1 and the only loss was 3-2 against No.1 ranked North Central in the first meet of the regular season. In the state finals the Giants defeated Center Grove 3-2 in a semifinal three-hour meet, and with little rest defeated Carmel 3-2 for the title. Jim Bove was at No.1 singles, Prasad Krishnamurthy at No.2 singles, Robert Rhamy at No.3 singles, at No.1 doubles were Paul Singh and Shelby Bowen and at No.2 doubles we...Read more