BLAST FROM THE PAST
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
Following are snippets of Bartlesville area sports news from the past:
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December 1950
Answers were few for the Copan Hornets during a boys high school basketball showdown against the Dewey Bulldoggers, in Dewey's new $119,000 gym.
Jerry Gilliand drained 18 points to energize Dewey -- which was coached by Ed Hill -- to a 43-35 victory in its first game in the facility. Gilliand buried seven field goals and dropped in four free throws to score nearly half of his team's points.
Herman Mason added nine points to the Dewey cause. Robert Austin heat up the cords with nine points for Copan, followed by Joe Pruitt and Robert Cummings with seven apiece.
Approximately 1,000 fans squeezed together to watch the historic game.
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March 1932
Famed former Major League pitching great Grover Cleveland Alexander planned to pay a visit to Bartlesville.
Alexander -- who had spun his mound magic in several world games for the St. Louis Cardinals -- had joined the touring House of David team. The House of David and the Tulsa Oilers were scheduled to play an exhibition game at Bartlesville Municipal Athletic Field.
Prior to the contest, the House of David planned to put on its renowned pepper game for the delight of fans.
Many of the House of David players were attractions themselves, as they boasted long flowing hair or beards. Third baseman David Harrison wore a mane that measured 36 inches.
Some other House of David players included Lefty Becker, Lloyd Miller, Dodger Lewis, Ralph Williams, Bill Heckman, Paul Bruski, Harry LaFleur and Harry Laufer.
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Sept. 1947
Bouncing back from a 12-0 loss against the College High School Wildcats, the Dewey High School Bulldoggers slammed Shidler, 27-6, in football action.
Energized by Orville Webber and Andy Davis, Dewey tallied four second-half touchdowns. Dean Williams intercepted a Shidler pass to ignite the Dewey firestorm after halftime.
Davis cashed in on the turnover, with a four-year touchdown smash; Webber then connected with Frank Magana for the conversion. Webber scored the team's second touchdown -- set up by a blocked punt. Davis booted the extra point.
Dewey's offense then proved it could take the ball for the long haul, while running out of the T formation installed by head coach L.D. Bash. Williams finished off the drive by powering to paydirt on a one-yard dive.
Dewey finished off its touchdown assault with its second-string in the game. Young capped the scoring march with a two-yard scoring strike to Cook.
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July 24, 1978
Tulsa Standard Industries outlasted the Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise Braves in an American League AAA baseball battle in the finals of the Tulsa District. Robert Blackmon lashed a leadoff single to spark a seventh-inning rally. Tom Folz clubbed an RBI double and Mark Seaver added a two-run single during the uprising. The Braves finished the season at 33-9.