Butch Names Our County’s Greatest Basketball Superstar

   In 1975, I wrote a book entitled, “The Golden Era of Montgomery County Basketball–1947-1971.” I interviewed several former players and coaches, and compiled hundreds of statistics. In addition, the public voted for the all-time best players from this era and also the early years 1911 to 1946. The top five in the modern era were Charlie Bowerman (Alamo), Daryl Warren (Linden), Don Threlkeld (Darlington), and Bill and Keith Greve (Waveland). The top five from the early years were Homer Stonebraker (Wingate), Howie Williams (New Ross), Pete Moore (Waynetown), Ray Greve (Waveland), and Leland “Bill” Melvin (Alamo).

   I had several people ask me who I considered as the all-time best player. Difficult decision, as quite a few went on to play in college … some even being named MVP on their college teams. But as far as I know, only one ended up playing professional basketball, and he is considered by many experts to be Indiana’s first great superstar … Homer Stonebraker, who led the Wingate Spartans to the state championship in both 1913 and 1914.

   Homer Stonebraker was born in 1895, just a couple of years after the game started up in Montgomery County. He loved the new game, and nailed up a metal ring about half the size of a regulation goal on a woodshed in the barnyard. Using a rubber ball about the size of a tennis ball, he began shooting the ball at the metal ring. In an interview during his later years, Homer told a sportswriter that people passing by thought he was crazy, but “I got to the point where I could put that ball in that ring from any damn place … I also practiced close to the ring and learned to shoot with both hands … I could make them either way, right-handed or left-handed.”

   Wingate High School didn’t even have a gym, so the boys traveled seven miles to New Richmond to practice once or twice a week. With an enrollment of only 55 in high school, the Spartans finished the 1913 season with a record of 22-3 … and this included playing against several large schools. The team recorded scores of 75-7 against Waveland, 85-9 against Cayuga and 108-8 against Hillsboro. In the latter game, Homer scored 80 points. They went on to win the state championship, beating South Bend in overtime 15 to 14 … having played five games total on the last day!

   During the 1913-14 season, the team averaged 38 points per game, which was amazing in those days, and Homer averaged 25 points per contest. Wingate also went on to win the state championship that year, defeating Anderson in the final game 36 to 8. Homer had half of the team’s points, and collapsed from exhaustion near the end of the game. He recalled, “I couldn’t dress after the game. I had two broken fingers and three broken ribs … It was rough under the basket!”

   After graduation, Homer went on to play for Wabash and was part of the “Wonder Five.” The Little Giants had a record of 19-2, and defeated Purdue, Illinois, Indiana, Notre Dame and the Indianapolis Emroes, a famous semi-pro team at that time. He then played semi-pro ball for the Emroes, and then professional ball for 10 years in the American Basketball League as a member of the Fort Wayne Hoosiers and the Chicago Bruins. In one game, Homer’s team was down by one point with time running out. He let it go from the opposite basket. The ball went over two beams near the top of the gym roof and hit nothing but net!

   At 6-4, Homer was quite tall compared to others at that time. He grabbed many rebounds and usually got the tip-off, which was held after every basket. But just how good was he as a shooter? He often shot from the MIDDLE of the floor and made the shots without much trouble, even with two players guarding him. And in one game, 11 of his baskets were made from BEYOND the mid-court line. I’d say that was pretty darn good, wouldn’t you! Many basketball experts consider Homer Stonebraker as one of the all-time greatest players in history, and they believe that pro basketball became popular because of him.

   Homer went on to become coach at Hartford City and Logansport high schools. He also served two terms as Cass County sheriff. He was a charter member of the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame, and passed away at age 82 in 1977. Yes, Montgomery County has had some outstanding basketball players through the years, but I consider Homer Stonebraker to be the best ever!                                                                                 

John “Butch” Dale is a retired teacher and County Sheriff. He has also been the librarian at Darlington the past 36 years, and is a well-known artist and author of local history.