Monarchs – Jeff Manes

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Jeff Manes is one of Indiana’s more colorful characters. For 15 years, he wrote a personal interest column, All Worth Their Salt, about the hardworking people of Northwest Indiana. Through his words, you get a glimpse of his personality — you can get a collection of his articles here: amazon.com

Jeff was a steel worker for 20+ years before becoming a writer. Here is Jeff reading a powerful piece titled “Monarchs” based on his experience working atop a steel mill coke battery plant on the Lake Michigan shore.

“Monarchs” by Jeff Manes

 

A Water Bucket & Long Johns: Playing basketball for the Modoc HS Indians – Warren Jones

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Indiana high school basketball is a major component of Hoosier heritage, yet few people have stopped to record the diverse history and the game’s impact on peoples’ lives. Let’s capture Hoosier history while we can! Oral history is an excellent way for us to do this before it’s gone and lost forever.

Do you know somebody who played, coached, cheered, or worked as a student manager in Indiana before 1960 (especially pre-1950)? If so, grab a recording device, whether it be a video camera or your cell phone (audio works just fine), and ask them about their experience. Afterward, spread the word and encourage other people to do the same thing. If you need help with questions, or preparation, send me a message at mwerner97@gmail.com and I’ll be glad to help.

Below is an excerpt of my 2016 interview with Warren Jones. A 1939 graduate of Modoc High School, here Jones described his Indiana high school basketball playing days. Their practice gym had no heat and his brother coached at a rival school, but the good memories never failed this nonagenarian. Read More

Car Crash – Pecha Kucha presentation

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https://www.pechakucha.org/cities/st-joseph/presentations/car-crash-a-photo-book

It’s not all about the twisted metal. It’s about the exploration. These scenes captured a bygone era. The photos captured the human spirit. There is art in everyday life. Learn more from my Pecha Kucha presentation I delivered in St. Joseph, Michigan, about my photobook, “Car Crash: Historic photographs 1937-1948.”

If you’re interested in buying a copy of the book, send an email to mwerner97@gmail.com.

Black History Month – Celebrate, don’t hate

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I wrote a story about the first black basketball players in Michigan City, Indiana, “The Patch Players: Basketball was a respite from life’s daily injustice,” and posted it to my website. To spread the word, I went on social media and shared the link on pages where people might be interested in it. One post went on a friendly Facebook page dedicated to Michigan City history.

“February is Black History Month,” I wrote. “Here is the story about the first black basketball players in Michigan City. Please check out the link and share it with friends. Thanks!”

Within one hour, one man commented, “What is it with this? When are we going to have White History Month?”

He didn’t care about the history or the story—he hadn’t read it and probably never will—but went straight to his antipathy for Black History. Why the hostility? And what would White History Month look like, anyway? Read More

The Patch Players – Basketball was a respite from life’s daily injustice

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Dave Greer releasing a jump shot, 1953.

Dave Greer and I sat in his basement drinking coffee. Behind him was a wall covered with trophies: bowling trophies won by his wife, Vivian, his son and daughter’s awards from Rogers High School, a color silhouette of Greer in a basketball uniform. The largest one recognized Greer as an outstanding scholar-athlete at Elston High School.

Greer remembered the night he became the first area player to shoot a jump shot in a varsity basketball game. It was 1953 and many people considered a one-handed jump shot showboating. It was an away game at an all-white school.

“They called me all kind of negative names,” Greer said. “They called me everything but God. We were the only black thing in there,” referring to himself and teammates Bill Wright and Braelon Donaldson. “The word — never heard it so many times in one day.” Read More

Indiana Basketball Roots Aren’t Where You Thought They Were

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Nicholas McCay, general secretary of the Crawfordsville YMCA, learned the game of basketball from the game’s founder, James Naismith, and brought it to Crawfordsville, Indiana. Subsequently, the first basketball game in Indiana was played on March 16, 1894 between the Crawfordsville and Lafayette YMCAs. Crawfordsville won, 45 – 21. That is why Crawfordsville is the birthplace of Indiana basketball.

Every good Hoosier knows it. We have repeated it a thousand times. But what if it weren’t true? Would that make you angry? Read More

LaPorte County Basketball Tourney – Can It Be Resurrected?

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1946 LaPorte County Basketball Tourney.

Hoosiers are a little happier these days. Varsity girls and boys basketball are now in full swing. Decades ago, the happy feelings peaked with excitement during the LaPorte County Sectional. Every community wanted to see its team win, or to see David topple Goliath, but it was about communities meeting in one place and watching basketball together as much as anything. As the winner advanced to the Regional, everyone hoped they’d represent LaPorte County well. Read More

Stillwell’s Mightiest Viking

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Look around and you will find amazing stories everywhere, tucked away, hoping to be discovered. Sometimes the stories require searching to flesh them out. Such was the case of a glass photo negative discovered in a box. The player wearing number eleven was Leon Antrim. Leon grew up in Stillwell, Indiana. He and his teammate, Clarence Spier, were photographed in the LaPorte Civic Auditorium on March 5, 1937. But, why? Read More