BLAST FROM THE PAST: LOCAL SPORTS HISTORY
Following are summaries from area sporting events from the past.
November 1969
Slam the Rams.
That could have been the Dewey High School motto for a football showdown against Owasso.
The Dewey Bulldoggers flattened the Rams, 38-14, in the final Verdigris Valley Conference game of the season.
Less than two minutes into the contest, junior Dewey quarterback Steve Dittman hurled a bomb to halfback Myliam Rogers on a scoring play that covered 54 yards.
Dewey never relinquished the lead.
Dewey's second possession saw Dittman again put the ball in the end zone, this time in the hands of Paul Forester.
Dittman later zipped the ball to Jeff Starr for another touchdown strike.
Scott Overfield also powered into the end zone, from one yard out, to add to the Dogger score.
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September 1947
The Douglass High School Dragons spun a football shutout against the Joplin Lincoln (Mo.) High School team.
Hard-running Dragon running back Fred Ponder broke loose for two touchdowns.
Cecil Littles played quarterback for Douglass and scored a touchdown.
Leo Branham booted an extra point.
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April 1990
Talk about your painful victory.
Bartlesville High School's baseball team had every reason to celebrate -- except one -- after it defeated the state's top-ranked Broken Arrow Tigers, 5-3, in the first game of the doubleheader.
Muting the Bruins' joy was the somber reality of an injury to all-around top-notch player Spence Rigdon.
In the bottom of the seventh inning -- with two outs -- Rigdon and teammate Aaron Bucher collided, while converging on a line drive, in left-center.
The results of the close encounter of the shattering kind included a broken bone, and possible knee injury -- and lengthy rehabilitation -- for Rigdon.
Rigdon's loss also deprived the Bruins of one of their top pitchers.
Bruin head coach Jerome Gibson reported to the E-E that Rigdon had suffered a broken bone and possible severe ligament damage.
The luck hardly got better for the Bruins.
In the second game, they were leading, 4-1, when the game was suspended, due to rain, in the fifth inning.
Despite the instant shock of the injury, Rigdon managed to make the relay to the infield, which prevented a run.
Bucher pitched the second game and gave up one run in 4-plus innings. He also went 2-for-2 at the plate, including a double and RBI.
Jeff Shoaf collected the pitching win in the first contest.
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September 1969
George Tyner whittled out an impressive round of 67 to take the lead in the championship flight in a Hillcrest Country Club tournament.
Bob Estes and Woody Spies both remained close, with 68s.
Tom Hill sat at 64 to lead the president's flight.
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April 1948
Of all the fantastic achievements on the basketball court notched by Phillips 66ers amateur men's team, perhaps none matched the significance of the win on March 1, 1948, at New York's Madison Square Garden.
That magical evening witnessed the 66ers declaw the University of Kentucky Wildcats, 53-49, in the championship game of the United States Olympic Basketball Tournament.
By capturing that game, Phillips became the king that season of all amateur basketball (AAU or college) in the United States.
More importantly, the triumph meant the 66ers qualified several players for the US Olympic Basketball team, and that 66ers head coach Bud Browning became the US team's head coach for the 1948 London Olympic Games.
Kentucky head coach Adolph Rupp became Browning's assistant for the Olympic team.
In order to beat the Wildcats in the final of the US Olympic tourney, the 66ers relied mainly on defense.
After having scored 33 points in the semifinals, Kentucky's Alex Groza scored just six points against the 66ers.
In fact, Kentucky failed for the first time in the tourney to score at least 75 points.
The Phillips team boasted a plethora of big-name former college players, including basketball's original seven-footer, Bob Kurland, and former Oklahoma A&M legend Jess 'Cab' Renick.
Gerald Tucker's free throw put the 66ers on top for good, with 5:30 remaining.
More than 18,000 fans watched the combustible contest.
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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.