CHAPTER 5 “26-0” MARCH 9, 1965 HERBY JUNIOR CAN YOU BELIEVE IT - A FULL TRIAL OVER JACK RUBY’S SANITY - OUR TEACHERS WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS TODAY.
GRAMPS WELL - BEFORE JACK IS LOCKED UP PERMANENTLY - WELL HE DESERVES HIS DUE PROCESS OF A FAIR DETERMINATION OF HIS SANITY. I DON’T NECESSARILY AGREE WITH IT - BUT IT IS THE LAW.
HERBY JUNIOR GIVE ME A BREAK - HE SHOT OSWALD RIGHT ON TV - IN FRONT OF THE ENTIRE WORLD - HE KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING. COACH LEE MITCHELL AND THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY
GRAMPS WELL - WE’LL NEVER KNOW WHAT OSWALD THOUGHT OR KNEW.
HERBY JUNIOR WELL LAST NIGHT WAS A GREEN COUNTY MASSACRE - BRODHEAD WENT DOWN CONVINCINGLY 92 - 63. THEIR TEAM COMPOSED OF ST. JOHN, JONES, SPETH, GARTHWAITE, CONDON, KNIGHT, NEDERMEIER, PETERSON, AND THE TWO OLSONS WERE QUITE GOOD OFF THE BENCH AND ON THE FLOOR AS STARTERS.
GRAMPS IT WAS A REAL FREE FALL FOR BRODHEAD WITH BURINGTON HAVING 29 AND DEARTH 24. BUT JONES HAD 24 ALSO. BRODHEAD’S STALL THEY TRIED IN THE FIRST QUARTER DIDN’T WORK WELL. OUR MONROE CHEERLEADERS COMPOSED OF VICKI LYSSER, DONNA HOLCOMB, SALLY SIMPSON, ROGENE STEENSRUD, AND PAM MILLER COULDN’T HAVE BEEN LOUDER - AND THE GYM WAS ABSOLUTELY PACKED WITH EVERYONE FROM GREEN COUNTY PRESENT AND EXPECTING A CLOSE GAME.
HERBY JUNIOR The cheesemakers 1964-65
BUT NOT TO BE. MONROE’S LOW POST SPIN MOVES, JUMP HOOKS, FACE UPS, AND BASELINE REVERSES WORKED TO PERFECTION. I FEEL MONROE IS UNSTOPPABLE NOW.
GRAMPS LET’S HOPE SO - I MEAN BRODHEAD MADE A BIG DEAL ABOUT SPORTSMANSHIP WITH DAVE JAMES THE PRINCIPAL AND SUPERINTENDENT THOMPSON NOT ALLOWING A SINGLE BOO. WILL KIND THE COACH SAID HE WOULDN’T ALLOW ANYONE TO GET OUT OF LINE. BUT AFTER THE FAILED STALL ATTEMPT BY BRODHEAD, WELL THE GAME WAS OVER WITH A BIG LEAD.
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HERBY JUNIOR NOW THERE ARE ONLY 64 TEAMS LEFT. OTHERS WHO ARE 20 - 0 ARE CUMBERLAND, BARABOO, HOLMEN, AND ALMA. THE CHEESEMAKERS NEXT PLAY MONTICELLO - HOME OF COACH JIM ZWEIFEL - WHO PLAYED AT VALPARAISO COLLEGE. LOOK AT THE UW - 42 POINTS AND 24 REBOUNDS AND THEY STILL LOSE TO THE VAN ARSDALE BROTHERS.
GRAMPS WE SHOULD EASILY TAKE CARE OF THE PONIES FROM MONTICELLO - BUT I’M TELLING YOU - GETTING OUT OF JUST GREEN COUNTY IS TOUGH - THERE ARE MANY VERY GOOD TEAMS - NOT JUST MONROE. HERE COMES MY DAUGHTER TO PICK YOU UP AND GRAMS SAYS IT’S SUPPER TIME. LOVE YOU AND GOOD BYE.
HERBY JUNIOR LOVE YOU.
MARCH 12, 1965 GRAMPS HEY HERBY JUNIOR - DID YOU LISTEN TO WEKZ AND SEE THE TROUNCING OF MONTICELLO BY THE CHEESEMAKERS.
HERBY JUNIOR YES I HEARD EVERY MINUTE - STAN NEUBERGER FEELS WE WILL GO UNDEFEATED WITH A TOUCH OF LUCK. AND I DIDN’T KNOW HOLLING’S DAD HAD A CHURCH IN MONROE AND MONTICELLO - WHAT A CONFLICT OF INTEREST FOR THE MINISTER AT THE GAME.
GRAMPS AT LEAST WE DIDN’T HAVE TO PLAY BUD WAINRIGHT’S TEAM IN NEW GLARUS IN THE TOURNEY - HE WAS A FORMER GREAT MONROE ATHLETE.
HERBY JUNIOR WELL - THE BIG NEWS NATIONALLY IS THAT THE UNITARIAN WHITE MINISTER WHO HAD KIDS AND FLEW DOWN SOUTH TO MARCH WITH MARTIN LUTHER KING DIES FROM HEAD INJURIES INFLICTED BY THE POLICE. RACE IS GETTING SCARY.
GRAMPS I KEEP SAYING THE CIVIL WAR ENDED 100 YEARS AGO TO THE DAY AND WE STILL DON’T GET IT. ALL PEOPLE IN THE US ARE FREE AND THE LAWS SHOULD APPLY EQUALLY. WE NEED TO MOVE ON.
HERBY JUNIOR ALL OUR TEACHERS THINK SO - BUT EVERYONE DOWN SOUTH ISN’T IN AGREEMENT - WELL MAYBE IT WILL TAKE TIME.
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GRAMPS THERE HAS BEEN ENOUGH TIME - YOU SAW PHILLIPS SCHOOL PLAY HERE - THEY ARE A GREAT TEAM - WONDERFULLY COACHED - WELL MANNERED - AND WELL WE ARE ALL THE SAME - I’M SORRY.
HERBY JUNIOR I’M WORRIED ABOUT OUR NEXT OPPONENT - MADISON WEST WITH GLENN DICK - WHO AVERAGES 21 POINTS PER GAME - FOLKS IN MADISON FEEL THEY WILL WIN THAT GAME.
GRAMPS IT WILL PROBABLY BE CLOSE - MAYBE TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT - BUT I FEEL OUR FREE THROWS WILL WIN IT IN THE END.
HERBY JUNIOR I HOPE YOU ARE CORRECT - OUR HIGH AND LOW POST GAME MAY BE SOMEWHAT DEFENSED BY THESE MONSTERS FROM WEST.
GRAMPS NO ONE PLAYS THE HIGH LOW POST BETTER THAN KEITH BURINGTON - HE SPLITS DEFENSES, COMES OFF LOW BLOCKS WELL, AND HAS A SUPERB TURN AROUND JUMPER - THE VERY BEST.
HERBY JUNIOR YES KEITH’S SPIN MOVES, REVERSES, AND COUNTERS ARE SECOND TO NONE - HE ALWAYS FINDS A WAY TO THE RIM. BUT EVEN AN OFF NIGHT MAY CAUSE US TO LOSE TO A GOOD TEAM THAT IS ON. MADISON WEST IS A VERY GOOD TEAM - WITH 32 OUT OF 424 IN THE STATE PLAYOFFS LEFT IN THE TOURNAMENT.
GRAMPS YOU BET - EIGHT SECTIONAL SITES - FOUR TEAMS AT EACH SITE. 32 OF THE STATE’S VERY BEST TEAMS. HECK IN MANY OTHER STATES NOW THEY CLASSIFY TEAMS BASED ON SCHOOL SIZE - THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT DOING THAT HERE. I HOPE THEY DON’T.
HERBY JUNIOR BUT IT WOULD BE MORE FAIR. BUT THEN AGAIN MONROE WOULDN’T EVER GET A CHANCE TO PLAY THE BIG SCHOOLS FROM MADISON, MILWAUKEE, OR RACINE.
GRAMPS EXACTLY - WE NEED ONE DIVISION TO CONTINUE. OH - HERE COMES DAD - SEE YOU LATER AT THE NEXT GAME AND WE’LL KEEP OUR FINGERS CROSSED.
HERBY JUNIOR LOVE YOU AND IT WILL BE REALLY CLOSE. I AGAIN FEEL IT WILL COME DOWN TO FREE THROWS.
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MARCH 14, 1965 GRAMPS DIDN’T I TELL YOU IT WOULD BE CLOSE. I THOUGHT THE SEASON WAS OVER.
HERBY JUNIOR YES THIS MADISON WEST TEAM with 15 - 4 record NEARLY ENDED OUR SEASON WITH BUCKY FOULING OUT. WHAT A NIGHT OF TERROR!
GRAMPS BUT TOM MITCHELL’S PROPER FORM ON FREE THROWS REALLY PAID OFF. WE SNEAKED BY WITH A 65 - 64 WIN.
HERBY JUNIOR AND WE WERE DOWN BY 5 WITH LESS THAN 3 MINUTES TO GO. WHAT A BARN BURNER GAME. I THOUGHT THE ANNOUNCERS ON WEKZ WERE LOSING IT !
GRAMPS YES THEY NEARLY CRIED UNTIL THOSE CLINCHING FREE THROWS BY TOMMY MITCHELL. AGAIN PERFECT FORM - COCKED WRISTS, REVERSE SPIN, RELAXED SHOT, AND HE WAVED AT THE BASKET WITH THE BASKETBALL ROLLING OFF HIS 2ND AND THIRD FINGERS. PERFECT FORM WITH 13 SECONDS ON THE CLOCK.
HERBY JUNIOR YES - DAVE HOLLING OBTAINED GREAT POSITION AND HAD SEVEN STRAIGHT REBOUNDS. AMAZING !
GRAMPS WELL MITCHELL LED THE TEAM WITH 22 POINTS AND BURINGTON AND BUCKY HAD 15 EACH, DEARTH SEVEN, AND HOLLING SIX. WE WERE 19 OF 25 FREE THROWS - A GREAT STAT UNDER PRESSURE.
HERBY JUNIOR WE WERE BOTH RIGHT - I THOUGHT FREE THROWS WOULD WIN AND YOU FELT MADISON WEST’S BIG GUYS WOULD BE FORMIDABLE DEFENSE.
GRAMPS BETTER YET - THERE WERE 3000 FANS IN ATTENDANCE AT THIS SECTIONAL GAME. I FEEL THE BIG KEY WAS THE POSITION OF HOLLING DURING THE REBOUNDS - SUPERB.
HERBY JUNIOR DAVE HOLLING HAS AN EYE FOR THE BALL - HE KNOWS WHO IS SHOOTING, WHERE IT’S GOING - LONG SHOT EQUALS LONG REBOUND AND VICE VERSA.
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GRAMPS I AGREE HOLLING AND DEARTH REALLY TIME THEIR JUMPS CORRECTLY, TIP THE BALL TO OTHER TEAM MEMBERS, KEEP POSSESSIONS ALIVE - DO WHAT IT TAKES TO WIN.
HERBY JUNIOR I KNOW COACH MITCHELL MAYBE DOESN’T FORMALLY COACH SOME OF THIS INSTINCTIVE BASKETBALL - BUT OUR PLAYERS REALLY DO SPIN AROUND THE DEFENSE AND POSITION THEMSELVES WELL.
GRAMPS NEVER A BETTER GAME. NEVER ! HERBY JUNIOR MOM’S HERE TO PICK ME UP ! LOVE YOU TONS GRAMPS !
MARCH 15, 1965 GRAMPS WE ABSOLUTELY KILLED BARABOO IN THE SECTIONAL FINALS 78 - 57 WE’RE ONTO MADISON FOR THE STATE TOURNEY -THREE MORE GAMES TO WIN AND WE’VE GOT OUR FIRST STATE BASKETBALL TITLE FOR MONROE.
HERBY JUNIOR IT WAS A BRUTAL KILLING OF THE HOME OF BARNUM AND BAILEY. TWO TEAMS WHO WERE EACH 22 - 0 GOING INTO BATTLE. WE ARE ONTO THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN CAMPUS.
GRAMPS SHIRLEY MITCHELL - COACH LEE’S WIFE - SAID WE THE TEAM IS LEAVING WEDNESDAY BETWEEN THE SECOND AND THIRD PERIODS. THE TEAM PRACTICES AT THE UW FIELDHOUSE AT 1 PM.
HERBY JUNIOR AND THE TEAM GETS TO STAY IN THE UW DORMS - WOW !!
GRAMPS SHIRLEY MITCHELL SAYS THE TEAM ABSOLUTELY PLAYED THEIR HEARTS OUT. CHEERLEADER DONNA HOLCOMB AND THE TEAM MASCOT, DANNY MITCHELL, ARE WILDLY EXCITED ABOUT OUR TEAM ACCORDING TO THE TIMES.
HERBY JUNIOR IN FACT, THE 6 FOOT FIVE INCH 240 POUND VAUGHN CONWAY FROM BARABOO - WHO THE CHEESEMAKERS JUST BEAT - IS ROOTING FOR MONROE.
GRAMPS WE HAVE 321 STUDENTS AND 521 ADULTS GOING TO THE GAME. AND ALL THE MINISTERS AND FATHER KUNZ WILL BE THERE TOGETHER AT THE GAME.
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HERBY JUNIOR AND WE PLAY APPLETON FIRST ON THURSDAY - THE FOX RIVER VALLEY CHAMP AND WINNERS OF 14 STRAIGHT. OTHERS INVOLVED ARE WAUWATOSA EAST - THE MILWAUKEE SUBURBAN PLAYOFF CHAMP, BROOKFIELD CENTRAL - THE MILWAUKEE SUBURBAN LEAGUE CHAMP, STEVENS POINT - THE WISCONSIN VALLEY CHAMP, EAU CLAIRE MEMORIAL - THE BIG RIVER CHAMP FOR THE NINTH STRAIGHT YEAR, MADISON EAST - ONE GAME BEHIND THE BIG EIGHT CHAMP, AND CUMBERLAND 22 - 0 FROM THE HEART OF THE NORTH CONFERENCE. AND CUMBERLAND NOW HAS BEEN TAGGED THE CINDERELLA BECAUSE OF JOHN SHELL - THEIR GREAT ALL AROUND PLAYER.
GRAMPS A QUITE FORMIDABLE LINEUP - BUT MONROE IS RANKED #1 IN BOTH POLLS. WE DESERVE THE RANKING - BUT WE MUST EARN THE CHAMPIONSHIP. THIS IS THE EXACT ATTITUDE I’VE BEEN HEARING AT THE KIDS HANGOUT - MARCO’S A GREAT PIZZA JOINT ACROSS FROM THE GOETZ.
HERBY JUNIOR AND WE WILL - HEADING HOME BECAUSE BOTH MOM AND DAD ARE HERE TO DRAG ME HOME. LOVE YOU GRAMPS !
MARCH 18, 1965 GRAMPS HEY HERBY JUNIOR - DID YOU KNOW TOMMY MITCHELL WAS THE TEAM’S MASCOT IN 1955 ?
HERBY JUNIOR I DIDN’T KNOW THAT BECAUSE I WAS TWO YEARS OLD. GIVE ME A BREAK GRAMPS.
GRAMPS TOMMY LIKE ALL THESE CHEESEMAKERS GREW UP WITH BASKETBALL. HECK BURINGTON, THE BROWNTOWN BOMBER, AVERAGED 28.4 POINTS PER GAME THIS YEAR - AND WAS SECOND ONLY TO DAVE GRAMS IN MONROE HIGH SCHOOL SCORING.
HERBY JUNIOR AND THE TIMES SAID BURINGTON HAD 193 REBOUNDS - TOPS IN THE BADGER LEAGUE. BUCKY WAS THE BEST BALL HAWK IN THE LEAGUE AND HAD 23 POINTS AGAINST BARABOO. HECK BUCKY WAS ALL CONFERENCE IN FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL THIS PAST SEASON. BUCKY MY FAVORITE PLAYER AVERAGED 16.2 POINTS PER GAME THE PAST TWO YEARS.
GRAMPS AND DEARTH WAS ALL CONFERENCE IN FOOTBALL THIS PAST YEAR.
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HERBY JUNIOR AND ACCORDING TO THE TIMES AND STATE JOURNAL TOMMY MITCHELL MAY GO TO MINNESOTA FOR COLLEGE BALL.
GRAMPS THE PAPERS SAY THAT - BUT I BET HE GOES TO MADISON.
HERBY JUNIOR I HOPE SO - SO I CAN WATCH HIM PLAY - AT LEAST ON TV.
GRAMPS OH WELL - I FEEL TOMMY MITCHELL ISN’T AT ALL WORRYING ABOUT COLLEGE RIGHT NOW - WE MUST MESH WITH THE CHEMISTRY WE HAVE TO WIN THREE MORE BALL GAMES.
HERBY JUNIOR WHAT DO YOU THINK THE KEYS ARE FOR MONROE TO WIN GRAMPS ?
GRAMPS COACH MITCHELL WOULDN’T AGREE TO MUCH OF WHAT I THINK - BUT HE REALLY NEEDS HIS TEAM TO FOCUS - ANYONE CAN GET BEAT - A TEAM A LITTLE OFF AND AN OPPONENT TEAM THAT PLAYS WELL SPELLS A LOSS.
HERBY JUNIOR IS IT REALLY TRUE THAT COACH MITCHELL ACTUALLY LEFT THE FLOOR AND WENT UP INTO THE BALCONY IN BELOIT DURING A SCRIMMAGE ?
GRAMPS YES - IN FACT BERNIE BARKIN, THE BELOIT COACH COULDN’T FIND HIM - AND WONDERED WHAT THE HECK WAS HAPPENING. APPARENTLY COACH MITCHELL TOLD HIS PLAYERS HE WASN’T COMING BACK UNTIL THEY PLAYED WELL.
HERBY JUNIOR I FEEL THE INNER CHEMISTRY OF HAVING PLAYED VARSITY FOR FOUR YEARS, KNOWING WHAT THE OTHER PLAYERS ARE DOING, BATTLING PRESSES AND DEFENSES INSTINCTIVELY ALL WILL HELP.
GRAMPS I FEEL LITTLE THINGS LIKE JUMP BALLS WITH OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE TIPS, SAVING BALLS OUT OF BOUNDS, INBOUNDING BALLS, LIMITING TURNOVERS, AND JUST PERFORMING FUNDAMENTALS WELL WILL GET THE CHEESEMAKERS THE CHAMPIONSHIP.
HERBY JUNIOR HECK, MANY OF THESE PLAYERS HAVE PLAYED TOGETHER NOW FOR YEARS FROM EAST MONROE AND ST VICTOR’S ELEMENTARY ONTO JUNIOR HIGH - THEY KNOW HOW TIGHT THEIR TEAMMATES LACES ARE ON - THAT WILL BE THE DIFFERENCE, MCCAULEY BASKETBALL CAMPS
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IN ST. LOUIS, DEFENSE IN A BIG WAY FROM THE START TO THE FINISH, FOUL MANAGEMENT, AND........
GRAMPS SINCE YOU ONLY GET FIVE FOULS PER GAME - LIMITING THE FOULS RIGHT AWAY, PLAYING CALCULATED RISKS, AND MAKING THE OPPONENT WORK VERY HARD JUST TO SCORE A POINT. THIS TEAM SHOT AROUND TOGETHER AT RECREATION PARK, SCHOOLS, BACKYARDS, PICKUP ANYWHERE AND WITH ANYONE - THIS TEAM KNOWS EVERYTHING ABOUT EVERY PLAYER ON THE COURT - THIS HAS MADE A GIANT DIFFERENCE IN HOW THIS TEAM COMPETES !
HERBY JUNIOR WHAT WE’RE SAYING IS THAT COACH MITCHELL LETTING THE CHEESEMAKERS PLAY THEIR GAME THE WAY THEY CAN WILL MAKE THE DIFFERENCE.
GRAMPS SUBTLE SMALL DIFFERENCES THAT WIN GAMES. MOM IS HERE. SEE YOU TOMORROW AND WE’LL TALK ABOUT THE APPLETON GAME.
HERBY JUNIOR GOOD BYE - LOVE YOU MUCH.
MARCH 19, 1965 GRAMPS WHEW - A MUCH CLOSER GAME THAN REALIZED. MONROE WAS TOTALLY OUT OF TOUCH AGAINST APPLETON IN THE SECOND HALF.
HERBY JUNIOR NOT ONLY THAT - WE HAD A 16 POINT LEAD THAT TOTALLY MELTED.
GRAMPS I DON’T KNOW WHY COACH MITCHELL STALLED - IT TOOK US OUT OF OUR GAME - FROM A LAUGHER TO A NEAR LOSS. NEVER A DOUBT WAS BEING QUOTED BY THE MEDIA AS TO WHAT CAME OUT OF COACH MITCHELL’S MOUTH. BUT IT WAS A TOUCH SHAKY AT THE END OF THAT GAME. TRUST ME I WAS SWEATING ! WE SHOULD’VE STAYED WITHIN OUR GAME PLAN - PLAYING LOOSELY WITH BACKDOORS AND CLEAR OUTS - WITH OUR CHEESEMAKERS INSTINCTIVELY KNOWING WHAT TO DO.
HERBY JUNIOR BUT THE BROWNTOWN BOMBER SMOOTHLY NAILED 27 POINTS - HECK I’VE HEARD KEITH HAS BEEN DRIVING WITH A FARM LICENSE SINCE HE WAS 14 - MUST BE AWFUL NICE ! AND GRAMPS THE CHEESEMAKERS WERE 25 OF 40 IN FIELD GOAL SHOOTING - A .625 MARK - PROBABLY A STATE TOURNEY RECORD.
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GRAMPS BUT IF IT HADN’T BEEN FOR DEARTH’S CLUTCH 16 POINTS, 15 REBOUNDS, MITCHELL’S’s 13 POINTS, AND 14,068 SCREAMING FANS WELL WE WOULD’VE LOST.
HERBY JUNIOR MUCH TO CLOSE - HECK I STARTED WATCHING THE NEWS WITH THE GEMINI MOLLY BROWN AND ASTRONAUTS VIRGIL GRISSOM AND JOHN YOUNG SET TO LIFT OFF SOON.
GRAMPS IT WAS GOOD TO SEE OUR TEAM MASCOT, CHEERLEADERS, PEP BAND, MAYOR WALTER EKUM, AND WALTER BABULA - THE PRINCIPAL - ALL THERE SCREAMING !
HERBY JUNIOR MOM IS DRIVING UP AND IT IS LATE - GOOD BYE AND LOVE YA !
MARCH 20, 1965 GRAMPS WE ABSOLUTELY CRUSHED BROOKFIELD CENTRAL 83 - 67. AN AMAZING GAME WITH SUPERB FUNDAMENTALS, BALANCED SCORING, AND.........
HERBY JUNIOR ON THE EVE OF MONROE’S 50 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF PLAYING IN THE STATE HIGH SCHOOL PLAYOFFS IN 1916 - WELL THE CHEESEMAKERS ONLY SHOT 23 OF 25 FROM THE LINE FOR A .920 PERCENTAGE - A RECORD. WE WERE AGAIN 25 OF 40 IN FIELD GOAL ATTEMPTS AND BALANCED SCORING WITH MITCHELL HAVING 20, BURINGTON, 25, DEARTH 17, BUCKY 12, AND HOLLING 7.
GRAMPS THIS GAME HAD IT ALL - BEHIND THE BACK DRIBBLING, A REBOUND ADVANTAGE OF 38 TO 25 OVER BROOKFIELD, AND......
HERBY JUNIOR ALL OF MONROE AND GREEN COUNTY IT SEEMED WAS AT THE GAME - A SELLOUT AT THE UW FIELD HOUSE. ALL THE HEADS OF THE CHURCHES IN MONROE WENT TO THE GAME INCLUDING DAN STOVEK, CALVIN FISCHER, JOHN MASTERS, BURTON HOLLING - DAVE’S DAD, JAMES PLYMIRE, REVEREND HINEBAUGH, AND FATHER KUNZ. HECK - BRAT STARR WAS AT THE WILHELM HOTEL IN NEW GLARUS - HE MAY HAVE EVEN BEEN AT THE UW FIELD HOUSE FOR OUR GAME.
GRAMPS AND CUMBERLAND LOST ITS FIRST GAME TO EAU CLAIRE MEMORIAL THE OLD ABES - BY A SCORE OF 65 - 63.
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HERBY JUNIOR I NOTICED THAT TIME OUTS ARE WELL MANAGED BY MONROE - AND WE REALLY DON’T TAKE MANY - IF WE DO CALL A TIME OUT WE GET THE BALL INTO THE FRONT COURT SO AS TO PREVENT A PRESS AFTER THE TIMEOUT. OUR COACHES EMPHASIZE SIMPLE UNDERSTANDABLE POINTS, AND DON’T OVER COACH.
GRAMPS THAT IS MONROE BASKETBALL IN A NUTSHELL - NOT OVER COACHING - LET THE PLAYERS FOCUS WITHOUT A COACH TRYING TO PLAY WHILE THE PLAYERS ARE CONCENTRATING ON THEIR DEFENSE OR OFFENSE. IT JUST CLOGS THE MIND AND MAKES THE GAME THAT MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO PLAY.
HERBY JUNIOR OUR SUBSTITUTIONS ARE MEANINGFUL - THEY OCCUR FOR COACHES TO GIVE TIMELY RESTS FOR FATIGUE, GO OVER SIMPLE FUNDAMENTALS, AND KEEP A PLAYER’S HEAD IN THE GAME - VERY POISED.
GRAMPS WE POUND TEAMS INTO SUBMISSION BUT NEVER GO OVER 100 POINTS OR PILE IT ON THE OPPONENT. THIS IS CLEARLY THE VERY BEST TEAM MONROE WILL EVER HAVE. AND EVEN BETTER THAN THE TEAM THAT FINISHED THIRD IN 1955 WITH BOB ANDEREGG - WHO PLAYED FOR MICHIGAN STATE AND THE KNICKS AFTER BEING A CHEESEMAKER. WE NEED TO REST TONIGHT AND WIN TOMORROW - SATURDAY - IN THE FINAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME.
HERBY JUNIOR I AGREE - GOOD NIGHT AND LOVE. DAD’S HERE - BACK FROM A GREEN COUNTY BOARD MEETING.
MARCH 20, 1965 GRAMPS WHAT A GAME - NEVER A DOUBT - AGAIN THAT WAS COACH MITCHELL’S FAMOUS COMMENT AFTER THE APPLETON GAME - WE FINALLY WON A CHAMPIONSHIP - ONE OF THE SMALLEST SCHOOL THAT’S EVER TO WIN A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP IN BASKETBALL. THE VERY BEST TEAM OUT OF 424 WHO STARTED THE TOURNAMENT - SINGLE ELIMINATION.
HERBY JUNIOR EAU CLAIRE MEMORIAL - THE OLD ABES WERE VERY TALL AND PLAYED WELL BUT COULDN’T BEAT OUR CHEESEMAKERS - EVEN WITH GARY HALL - A TRULY SUPERB PLAYER WHO WILL PLAY IN COLLEGE.
GRAMPS THE 74 - 71 SCORE DIDN’T REFLECT WHAT REALLY WENT ON. WE HAD COMMAND OF THE GAME FROM THE OPENING TIP. WE ALWAYS KEPT OUR POISE, SHOT WELL, REBOUNDED WHEN WE NEEDED TO, AND LIMITED
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OUR TURNOVERS. OUR GUARDS HAD 48 POINTS IN THIS GAME - SUPERB PLAY BOTH ON OFFENSE AND DEFENSE.
HERBY JUNIOR AGAIN - NO OVER COACHING - WE JUST PLAYED.
GRAMPS THIS CARAVAN WE RODE IN COMING HOME WAS MILES LONG, HAD POLICE ESCORT, AND WE DEFINITELY GOT THE NETS OUT OF THE FILED HOUSE.
HERBY JUNIOR HECK WE PLAYED LIKE NASA’S RANGER 9 MOON SHOT THAT WENT OFF TODAY - PERFECT. I WAS SO PROUD OF THE MONROE CHEESEMAKERS. I AM THEIR BIGGEST FAN EVER.
GRAMPS THIS WAS QUITE HISTORIC - CAN’T WAIT TO SEE THE PARADE ON MONDAY AROUND THE SQUARE.
HERBY JUNIOR THAT WILL GO ON FOREVER - THE MEMORIES OF THIS 26 AND 0 SEASON WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN.
GRAMPS HOW A TEAM CAN COME TOGETHER AND DO IT FROM A SMALL TOWN IS AMAZING. DOESN’T HAPPEN VERY OFTEN. MONROE AND THE STATE OF WISCONSIN WILL NEVER FORGET THIS CHEESEMAKER BASKETBALL TEAM OF 1965 !
HERBY JUNIOR PLAYING TOGETHER AS KIDS, KNOWING WHEN SOMEONE IS COMING OFF A PICK, PUTTING THE BALL UP WHEN YOU ARE OPEN WITHOUT EVEN THINKING, NOT OVER COACHING, AND PLAYING AGAINST THE VERY BEST COMPETITION.
GRAMPS YOU ARE EXACTLY CORRECT. YOUR PARENTS ARE HERE TO TAKE YOU HOME. GET SOME SLEEP. I’M GONNA SNEAK ACROSS THE STREET TO HUBERS FOR A FREE BEER - SINCE THEY ARE ALL CELEBRATING. GRAMS WENT TO BED AMIDST ALL THE CHEERING. AND SHE DOESN’T LIKE BEER.
HERBY JUNIOR WHY DO MOST GIRLS LIKE GRAMS NOT GET AS EXCITED ABOUT BASKETBALL AS WE DO GRAMPS ?
GRAMPS I REALLY DON’T KNOW. GIRLS ARE JUST DIFFERENT IN A VERY GOOD WAY. ALL I KNOW IS THAT WE WON AND IT WAS THE MOST FUN SEASON ANYONE COULD EVER HAVE AS A BASKETBALL FAN.
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HERBY JUNIOR OH MY GOSH - HERE COMES MOM WITH A BIG SMILE ON HER FACE. SEE YOU LATER GRAMPS. I’M HEADING HOME TO WATCH LATE NIGHT FLIPPER ON WGN IF IT COMES IN. LOVE YOU !
End - cheesemakers EPILOGUE Monroe High School continues to have a strong athletic history. This Cheesemaker championship high school basketball team however boasts success in life endeavors post 1965. Mitchell and Burrington played college basketball for the University of Wisconsin. Bucky, Holling, and Dearth and other Cheesemakers were successful in business, medicine, and family life. Coach Mitchell continued to coach following this season, and is TRULY regarded as a great Wisconsin High School basketball coach. HIs players felt the true success of coach Lee Mitchell was his ability to allow players to play. The 1965 championship Cheesemaker team always played loose without set plays or defenses. Thousands of hours playing “ pick up “ in back yards and at Twining and Recreational Parks, ALONG with a supportive community provided the impetus for Monroe to produce a truly great championship High School basketball team. Many teams have great coaches, players, and supportive schools; however without team “ chemistry “ substantial winning cannot occur. The Cheesemakers of 1965 truly had team chemistry in all aspects of the game including role players, defensive stoppers, clear outs, leadership, and having players consistently provide offensive output when it was truly needed. THEIR RECORD OF 26 - 0 with OVER 450 WiSCONSIN high schools lumped into the final tournament is an aspiring accomplishment. Within this record Monroe beat the big boy schools of Madison, Milwaukee, and Phillips Academy in Chicago - home of the Harlem Globetrotters and a perennial Chicago large school basketball power. The Cheesemakers are truly a Sportademic.com team by signifying that with hard work anything can be accomplished. Credits: photos of the cheesemakers season are courtesy of the monroe historical society and the monroe evening times, to whom sportademics is greatly indebted.
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