Other names come to mind when I remember the Bowerman era of Wabash basketball, and each deserves a paragraph. It is my hope that some will read this record and add their remembrances to this short trip down memory lane about Wabash basketball in the 50's. Jim Cumming was a classmate, teammate, and Phi Delt brother who played three years on the varsity with Charlie. Jim or "Wilt" as Charlie nicknamed him was the big man of the team-all 6'4 of him. Wilt was solid player, a good rebounder who ranks in the top ten in rebounding in several categories. He averaged 11.7 rebounds in his senior year and had 538 for his career. He had single game highs of 23 against Illinois Tech his junior year and 22 against McMurray that same year. He was a ferocious rebounder and never backed off from bigger, stronger players. Jim was the only player during my years at Wabash who could dunk the ball and when he got free, he really threw it down. Jim was able to balance the demands of a grueling basketball practice with the long hours of a pre-Med program.

Several players stand out in my mind for one reason or another and I will just note an item or two that stick in my mind. Tom Bennett was a member of the class of 1960 and played four years on the varsity. If I recall correctly, he started every game he played at Wabash, some 82 in all. Tom was a wonderful athlete and could have played any sport. He ran track a couple of years and also played golf. He ended his 4-year career just ahead of Charlie with 1,439 points. Duane Axel was one of the members of the "Wonder Five" who has already been mentioned along the way. He was a good shooter and a very intelligent basketball player. He was unselfish and thought about the team first. Mike Costello was one of the Lafayette Jeff players who came to Wabash when I was there. I don't think Mike ever played up to his potential. One day he missed practice because he fell off the front porch of the Delt house and suffered severe lacerations of the butt when he broke a bottle he had in his back pocket. I never did know what was in the bottle. Yeah, right. Jim Price made occasional trips to the end of the bench with the "Wonder Five," but he never got a permanent place because Coach Brock kept starting him occasionally. Once that happened, it took some time for a player to reclaim his place with the irregulars. Jim was from Logansport and had a great high school career. He played in spurts at Wabash. Some times he shot well and played and other times, he watched. Don "Honk" Engler from Benton Harbor was a pure shooter. When he was on, he could fill it up. He was a lot of fun to play with and always kept things loose in practice. I think he transferred in for his last two years. Charlie will have to help me on him. He and Jim Price were Sigma Chis and always came to practice telling us what went on during the latest Huckleberry Hound cartoon. He would imitate Huckleberry Hound and Jim would imitate Boo-Boo. It was a real hoot.

            Sherm Franz 1959                                        John Hollett 1959

Some of the older guys on the team were Bob "Wedgie" Wedgeworth, John Hollett, and Sherm Franz. I will never forget the day that Wedgie went to Indianapolis for his Selective Service physical. He was the only black basketball player in my four years at Wabash and was a great guy. He came back from his physical before practice was over and completely broke up the team and coaches. When someone asked him how the physical went, he broke into the biggest smile I ever saw, held up his right hand and proudly proclaimed, "I flunked-no trigger finger." Wedgie had put his index finger in the spokes of a moving bicycle wheel when he was little and had lost the finger. It didn't interfere with his shot in basketball, but I guess the doctor figured it would be a hindrance on the rifle range. When we played DePauw, Wedgie always wanted to guard "Bing" Davis, the only black that DePauw ever had while I was playing. They had some tremendous battles and although Bing was several inches taller than Wedgie, the advantage usually went to our guy. Sherm Franz was a big (6"5) lefthander from Scottsburg who had some outstanding games for us. I remember one night against St. Joe at Wabash that Sherm really took control and scored over 20 points and was a demon on the boards. John Hollett was a great streak shooter from someplace in Indy, Shortridge I think, who had the smallest hands of any 6"3 player I ever saw. He couldn't even palm the ball and therefore couldn't dunk it. John was also an outstanding tennis player, but was pretty casual about basketball. He seemed to play at the same level all the time. He never really pushed himself, not even in Phys-Chem or comps.

These are some of my memories of my basketball career at Wabash in the late 50’s, beginning in 1956 and ending in 1960. As you read my reminiscences, I hope you come up with some of your own. It seems to me that as I have met with old friends over the years and we have talked about the old times, we all seem to remember different things and need each other to get the whole picture. When you come up with new memories, send them to me and I’ll add them to the narrative. If you know where the Brockmen of the 50’s are now and what they are doing, send me a note and I’ll try to get this literary gem to them.

Here are the ones I remember. Add to the list if I have missed any. If you know anything about their careers, add it to the list.

Ben Fellerhoff—

Hal Traviola—

Jack Kudlaty—Deceased

Sherm Franz—

Bucky Dennis—

Mike Costello—

Bob Wedgeworth—

John Hollett--

Jack Yerkes--

Duane Axel—May be retired from Insurance Sales, but still lives in Kendallville, IN

Dave Kohn—

Tom Bennett—Lives in Arizona. Coached at Mesa Verde Junior College and won National Championship. Has been inducted into the Wabash College Hall of Fame and the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame

Charlie West—

Whitey Wilcox—Deceased

Don Engler—

Gary Jouris—

Rusty Nichols—Recently retired as President of Hanover College

Jim Wood—Lives in Florida

Jim Price--

Jim Cumming—Doctor in Indy

Charlie Bowerman—Recently retired from Phillips 66, living in Bartellsville, OK. Member of the Wabash College Hall of Fame and the Indiana High Basketball Hall of Fame.

Rusty Cleland—

Jim Wells--

Frank Cassell—

Bill Dickerson—

Bob Templin—

Joe Beal—

Bob Hainje—

Jim Johnson—

Bill Wilson--