From time to time Bob Chance and

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One Farm House, Six Players, Two Schools, Over 6000 Points Farm House on County Road 600 S.

interest to everyone who enjoys reading this wonderful magazine.

1 One Farm House, Six Players, Two Schools, Over 6000 Points Farm House on County Road 600 S. 13 By: Emerson Houck / August 2015 From time to time Bob Chance and I get together for lunch and some hoops conversation which invariably turns to tales of our mutual friend, Hall of Famer John Collier. Recently Bob brought another friend of his along named Gene Baugh who is a significant part of what is an only in Indiana high school basketball story that I found fascinating and am sure will be of interest to everyone who enjoys reading this wonderful magazine. Gene brought an article with him that was written by Jeff Wolfe in March of 1991 and published in the Columbus Evening Republic that caught my attention. It concerned a farm house in Decatur County which had produced over 6000 points scored by high school basketball players over a span of just over 30 years. As a bit of background, Gene and his brothers, Steve and Shelley, grew up on a farm on County Road 600 South and all three played basketball for the Jackson Township Tigers. The other schools in the part of the county south of Greensburg were the Burney Panthers and the Sand Creek Indians, formed by the merger of the Letts Bearcats and the Westport Warriors in These three schools would unite to form the South Decatur Cougars in But our story begins in 1956 Jackson Township Marker when Gene Baugh entered Jackson Township High School. He would play varsity for the gold and black uniformed Tigers for four years. Baugh Garage Basketball Court Shortly after Gene graduated, middle brother Shelley would play guard on the varsity for two years, graduating in Shelley was briefly joined by Steve who, like Gene, was also a four year varsity player, graduating in The boys not only honed their skills at school, but at home as well where their father had hung a rim, no backboard required, on the garage and another

with a 21-3 record - that will become an important part of our story a bit later in the telling.

He was an excellent shot and recalls enjoying shooting anywhere from the free throw line to the top of the key.

2 inside the barn. They were often joined by neighbor Will Mulroney who played point guard on Steve Baugh s team and would later coach South Decatur for nine years including a stellar sectional championship in 1991 with a 21-3 record - that will become an important part of our story a bit later in the telling. Gene Baugh played guard for his first two years, then forward, during which time he also jumped center even though he stood just 5 9. He was an excellent shot and recalls enjoying shooting anywhere from the free throw line to the top of the key. He Baugh Brother, Then Baugh Brother, Now rang up over 1,200 points during his four years as a Tiger, setting the Decatur County scoring record in the process. It should be noted that Jackson Township had enjoyed several excellent seasons over the course of its existence to that time, racking up a sensational 84-7 three year 1965 Team record from 1937 through 1939 for Coach Gerald Carter and winning the Greensburg Sectional with an 18-4 record in 1951 for Coach Wilber Meyer. The Tigers bested St. Paul and Burney before edging the host Pirates in a heart stopping final game. Five years later Coach Jess White led his Tiger team to a memorable 19-2 season. The school s second sectional title came in Gene s freshman year, 19-6, for Coach Bob Lautenslager. That feat was accomplished rather impressively by defeating Sand Creek 62-47, Vernon 74-46, and New Point In 1958 Glen Whitaker took over the reins at Jackson Township, a position he would hold until the consolidation of His best records were 17-6 in 1962, 18-6 the following year and 18-5 in 1965, Steve s senior year. Coach Whitaker s overall record during his 11 years at the helm at Jackson Township was a very respectable 146 wins and 89 losses. Not bad for a school with a total enrollment ranging from the upper 80s to just over 100 throughout that period. I spoke with Coach Whitaker, who now lives in Madison, and discovered that his wife is in the same Seniors Center where John Collier currently lives and that he sees 14

death double overtime final game to St. Paul s Blasters. Steve Baugh was just one inch taller than Gene but had the ability to dunk the basketball with both hands.

3 John almost every day. He promised to give Coach Collier a hug for me and one for Bob Chance as well. Coach Whitaker also told me that while Steve Gene Baugh Baugh was playing, Jackson Township won the County Tournament twice and that during Gene s days they lost a heartbreaker one year in a sudden death double overtime final game to St. Paul s Blasters. Steve Baugh was just one inch taller than Gene but had the ability to dunk the basketball with both hands. What he gave up in height he made back in leaping ability. Leg strength is not uncommon in young men raised on a farm where the chores can be both demanding and persistent. Gene Baugh remembers many an impromptu game on the farm that was interrupted to pitch hay or assist in some other task required with some urgency. Although listed as a forward Steve Baugh played all over the court. During the course of his four years as a Tiger he amassed 1,982 points which would remain the record for the school until it closed its doors forever. 2,023), Woody Austin (#48 with 1,990) and Buster Briley (#51 with 1,985) and ahead of such notables as Troy Lewis (1,966 points), Tom Coverdale (1,911), Kellen Dunham (1,899), James Blackmon, Sr. (1,897), Pat Graham (1,886), and Kevin Yogi Farrell (1,853). My records show that the Tigers won a solid 66 of 91 (73%) games during Steve s playing days, although the Republic s article showed a record. Due to the loss of records following the school s closing it has not been possible to determine which figure, if either, is accurate but fortunately they are reasonably similar. (Gene Baugh s figures do agree with mine.) Again, due to a scarcity of records, we can South Decatur Boys Varsity not determine exactly how many points Shelley Baugh scored during his two years on the Jackson Township varsity but Gene believes the correct figure to lie between 250 and 300, as does Coach Whitaker. This brings the total for the three Baugh brothers to approximately 3,500, not at all a bad family total! This figure places Steve Baugh 52nd on the list of all time top scorers according to the Indiana High School Athletic Association and puts him in some very respect- of this incredible farm house. In 1978, after However, there s much more to the story able company such as Ron Bonham (#40 owning the farm for 21 years, the Baugh with 2,028 points), Steve Collier (#41 with family sold the property to the Proffitt fam- 15

ily, whose son Randy played for the South Decatur Cougars, graduating in 1983. Over his career he accumulated a scoring record of 593 total points.

Decatur County Player of the Year. The Cougars won the sectional by beating Morton Memorial 55-35; North Decatur 48-47; and Rushville 43-42. Whew!

4 ily, whose son Randy played for the South Decatur Cougars, graduating in Over his career he accumulated a scoring record of 593 total points. In Randy s senior year South Decatur won their first ever sectional crown under the guidance of Hall of Shawn Blaich rebounding Famer Dave Porter, with a 16-9 record and Randy Proffitt was named Decatur County Player of the Year. The Cougars won the sectional by beating Morton Memorial 55-35; North Decatur 48-47; and Rushville Whew! At the regional in Connersville the squeakers continued with a victory over Rising Sun before the dream ended, 63-42, at the hands of Basil Mawbey s state champions-to-be at 26-2, the Spartans. No disgrace there! As an aside, that was Steve Alford s senior year at New Castle and I well remember watching him drop 57 points on a very good Broad Ripple team in the afternoon game at Hinkle. In the late 80s the Proffitts in turn sold the farm to the Parker family whose son, Josh, and stepson, Shawn Blaich, both played for South Decatur, graduating in 1991, the year of the Republic article. That year the Maroon and White of South Decatur had a memorable season, capturing the school s second set of sectional nets. They went through the sectional by defeating Rushville and Greensburg At New Castle they took the Trojans out before losing to Mt Vernon (Fortville) (That was the year of the heralded final between Glenn Robinson s Gary Roosevelt Panthers and Alan Henderson s Brebeuf Jesuit Braves.) During his four year career, Shawn Blaich had poured in another 1,481 points and his step brother, Josh Parker something in excess of 840 points. Adding the 3,500 points scored by the Baugh brothers to the almost 600 by Randy Proffitt and the over 2,300 scored by the Blaich/Parker tandem comes to a total well in excess of 6,000, around 6,400 in fact! How many farmhouses in Indiana, or anywhere else for that matter, can come close to a record like that? All three of the Baugh brothers have led successful and productive lives. Gene attended Ball State (where Josh Parker scoring he frequently played intramural basketball with Hall of Fame Coach Basil Mawby) and is recently retired from his career as a CPA with Price Waterhouse and as Chief Financial Officer for ITT Educational. He lives in Carmel and Bonita Springs, Florida (where his neighbor for a time was, Alan Henderson, who is now my neighbor in Indianapolis). Brother Shelley, now deceased, joined the Air Force where he served our country with honor for 23 years. Steve played basketball for Florida State for one year before 16

joining the Army where he, too, served with distinction. He now owns the State Farm insurance agency in Versailles.

Clearly that was a sound decision as he and his wife recently celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. He is now the Executive Director of Marketing and Communications for Ivy Tech in Columbus.

a strong enough baseball player to receive an invitation to try out for the Cincinnati Reds.

5 joining the Army where he, too, served with distinction. He now owns the State Farm insurance agency in Versailles. Though Randy Proffitt was recruited by Franklin College he followed his heart and attended Ball State. Clearly that was a sound decision as he and his wife recently celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. He is now the Executive Director of Marketing and Communications for Ivy Tech in Columbus. His father-in-law was former Greensburg High School athlete Johnny Bill Moeller, who was named to the Indiana High School All-Star basketball team in 1949, who also played football at Butler and was a strong enough baseball player to receive an invitation to try out for the Cincinnati Reds. Shawn Blaich and Josh Parker added another bit of glory to the house on 600S when they teamed up, Shawn at quarterback and Josh at wide receiver, to help the 1990 South Decatur Cougar football team win the State Class A Championship at the Hoosier Dome by defeating Southwood 44-15, finishing undefeated with a 13-0 record. As to what happened to them following high school I had a most pleasant conversation with their coach and Steve Baugh s teammate Will Munroney, now retired from teaching and coaching and living in Decatur County. Although ready to head off on what would surely be a most pleasant trip with his grandchildren to Tennessee, Will took time to tell me that Shawn attended Rose Hulman where he played more football and received a degree in Chemical Engineering. He later earned an MBA from Bradley University, pursued a career in business, and now lives in Oklahoma. Josh attended Georgetown College in Kentucky and now lives and works in Arizona. Readers can find more on these schools 17 and all of our Indiana high school basketball teams in my book Hoosiers All, which is available from the Hall of Fame store Sectional Champs 1958 Team 1967 County Tourney

February 13, 2013 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE... OHSBCA ANNOUNCES HALL OF FAME FOR 2013

February 13, 2013 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE... OHSBCA ANNOUNCES HALL OF FAME FOR 2013 The Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association is proud to announce the coaches and the date for the Hall of Fame