Never did the stage seem larger than 1960 when tiny Edgerton High School located in southwestern Minnesota took home the state title. This is a story that has lived on for 50 years and will be retold for many more. It was our version of the movie “Hoosiers” with Edgerton starring in the role of Milan High, the small town and improbable team that pulls off a miracle Indiana state championship.
Although the Dutchmen were undefeated coming into the tournament, hardly anyone thought they would win the championship. Perhaps not even the Dutchmen. They had a 23-year-old coach named Richie Olson and a bunch of players with memorable names like Darrell Kreun, LeRoy Graphenteen, Dean Verdoes, Dean Veenhof and Bob Wiarda.
Right from the tournament’s start Edgerton was a crowd favorite. Fifty years ago crowds were much better behaved than today but many fans at the 1960 tournament booed Richfield and Austin, casting them as villainous Goliath.
In 1959 small town Carlton had lost to Wayzata in the tournament finals. For many the result wasn’t a Hollywood ending but it sure made for popular entertainment highlighting a tournament that drew more than 80,000 fans.
That kind of attendance made the tournament special and spread its reputation throughout the Untied States as one of the finest high school events in the country. So, too, did the basketball which showcased players who would play for the Gophers and other college programs.
I was mesmerized by the tournament, watching every game from the beginning on a Thursday afternoon and continuing through Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings. In between games I headed to the backyard, cleared snow and ice off the driveway so I could mimic tournament heroes by shooting baskets. I wasn’t deterred by a basketball that hardly bounced in the cold temperature, or a slippery ball difficult to shoot while wearing winter gloves.
Year after year the tournament offered compelling drama and entertainment. Minneapolis Roosevelt won consecutive championships in 1956 and 1957 coached by Wayne Courtney, an emotional leader who looked intimidating even watching him on TV. It seemed like the Bemidji Lumberjacks were in the tournament most years, wearing their distinctive t-shirt style uniforms and playing run-and gun basketball. Other “regulars” included Duluth Central, champions in 1961, and also Edina, tournament winners in 1966-1968.