ST. MARY’S 1934 HILLTOPPERS TO STATE

Recently I was talking to some local citizens and it was brought up that St. Mary’s Catholic School had a high school basketball team that won the Indiana Catholic State Basketball Tournament in 1934 & 1935. (In those days private and parochial schools did not participate in the IHSAA tournament.)

It seemed to me that the Historical Society and, in turn, the Museum should acknowledge any state champion from the county and that such an ‘exhibit’ would fit nicely in the area of the Huntington Catholic display on the upper level where sports photos and trophies are kept.

With that in mind I have received invaluable help from several local citizens in doing further research on the subject. The archives at the library have given some information already and a couple of photos have turned up with the team players and coaches identified. But we could still use more information that is hopefully out there. If anyone has knowledge of St. Mary’s season and/or its players I would like to know. If anyone has photographs or stories from back then please contact me. If anyone has information on where the trophy for the state champions might be please contact me.

Right now we are looking at putting a photo of the team and written information about the state tournament and a team pennant in the available space.

An interesting side note is that the St. Mary’s teams were called the Irish at first. Somewhere in the mid-thirties the students at the school started referring to themselves as the ‘Hilltoppers’ and gave that name to the school newspaper.

Gib Young, Vice President, Huntington County Historical Society