Post-Tribune |

For first time in half century, old gym will host ‘Hoosiers’-style high school basketball game

From the outside, the Morocco gymnasium looks like any other gym, adjacent to an elementary school with its bright lights peeking through large modern-looking windows.

After entering the gym, it feels like walking into the iconic setting for the high school basketball movie “Hoosiers.” This gym was once considered for that 1986 film classic.

If you recall, when Gene Hackman’s head coach character gave the Hickory Huskers his inspiring pre-game speech, it was in the locker room of their home court, under the bleachers. The Morocco gym, built in 1936, has the same layout.

“Walking into this gym feels like walking into the 1950s,” said Paul Norwine, a social studies teacher at Kankakee Valley High School in DeMotte. “With the exception of a fresh coat of paint, new windows, and a new heating system, it looks like it did when the Morocco High School basketball team last played here in 1967.”

On Dec. 15, for the first time in more than half a century, this time capsule of a gym will again host a high school varsity basketball game, pitting the Kankakee Valley Kougars against the North Newton High School Spartans.

If this mid-season basketball game was played at either high school, it would attract the typical 100 to 150 fans. But here, with the old gym’s long history, nostalgic amenities, and an invitation to former players, organizers are expecting a sold-out game harkening back to its heyday.

“It’s gonna be loud. It’s gonna be fast. It’s gonna be crazy,” said Bob Gonczy, the Morocco Town Council president who lives just a block away. “It will feel like a state championship game in this old gym.”

Neither high school basketball team has yet played in such a wild atmosphere as they will at 5 p.m. Dec. 15 inside this gym.

“What more could you want for your players, students and fans?” asked Gonczy, a social studies teacher at North Newton High School.

Norwine added, “Hopefully those players who played on the DeMotte, Wheatfield, Fair Oaks and Tefft basketball teams will come out and enjoy the evening. Especially those who were on the three sectional title teams from Wheatfield and the two title teams from DeMotte.”

Morocco, which bills itself as “Home of Hoosier Hospitality,” opened its first commissioned high school in 1907. A decade later, the school’s first basketball team was organized. Another decade later, the name “Beavers” was given to its athletic teams to honor Beaver Lake and Beaver Township.

“This is the beaver mascot that was always placed at half court before every game through the decades, including the last game played here in 1967,” said Gonczy, who retrieved the same beaver mascot from a museum in town.

He proudly placed it at half court during my tour of the gym last week.

Norwine added, “When they bring out this beaver mascot for the first time in a half century, and place it at half court that night, I hope everyone in attendance enjoys the nostalgia of yesteryear, from 5-year-olds to 85-year-olds.”

Morocco, a tiny dot on the Newton County map, consists of just over one square mile of land with a total population that can fit into this old gym (seating capacity of 1,250).

“As a social studies teacher, I hope today’s students can get a feel for how athletics and education were prior to all the school consolidations,” Norwine said. “And how important a sense of community was for towns like Morocco, Fair Oaks, Wheatfield, DeMotte and Mt. Ayr.”

Beyond its high school basketball notoriety, Morocco was home to Sam Rice, the Major League Baseball Hall of Famer. And the town also is near where the infamous mobster Spilotro brothers were found buried, just off U.S. 41, in 1986.

In the 1980s, the town’s peak population hit roughly 1,400 residents. High school basketball games routinely sold out during that era.

“Back then, kids didn’t surf through social media after these basketball games, they cruised through town,” said Norwine, who lives in DeMotte. “We hope they do it again, at least on this upcoming Saturday night.”

“This gym has a lot of memories swirling around it,” said Gonczy, who couldn’t resist shooting around with his basketball before I arrived at the old gym.

Larry Bird once visited here before he became an Indiana State University star, a Boston Celtic, and an NBA champion. Also, track legend Jesse Owens once gave a keynote speech here in the 1960s for the school’s graduation class.

Nobody was fully on board with this idea of again hosting a high school basketball game here until they visited the historic gym, Gonczy said.

Norwine said, “After we all got to see the gym, and Bob was able to sell his vision how things would work out on game day, he sold everyone on having the game here.”

Both men envision the gym’s stands again filled with screaming fans, the school band playing on stage, cheerleaders on each side, busy concession stands, and former players from previous eras watching with misty eyes from the balcony.

“The KV high school players recently practiced in this gym and they’re extremely excited about this unique opportunity,” Norwine said.

Kankakee Valley has declared the game a “Red Out,” reflecting its colors, the same as former schools, DeMotte Indians and Wheatfield Red Devils. North Newton has declared the game a “Blue Out,” with commemorative shirts made for the event.

Organizers are inviting former Wheatfield players from the championship teams of 1950, 1965 and 1967, as well as DeMotte players the 1964 and 1970 championship teams, to be publicly recognized during the game. (Email Norwine at pcnorwine@hotmail.com.)

And a welcome mat is out for all former DeMotte Indians, Wheatfield Red Devils, Fair Oaks Cherokees, Teftt Tigers, Mt. Ayr Ayrdales and, of course, Morocco Beavers.

“We built this school to save this gym,” Gonczy said. “It should be intense that night.”