THE ROAD TO HERE:
LENOIR CITY TO NASHVILLE
Credits
THE STORY OF THE 1958 STATE BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
Dateline: March 16, 1958
More than 100 vehicles filled with boisterous, exuberant, happy, loud and long-deprived sports fans and proud citizens roared into the blocked-off street in front of the War Memorial Building following the Tennessee Highway Patrol escorting the newly crowned State of Tennessee Basketball Champions for 1958.
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Some had met the team as they left Nashville; others joined the caravan in Crossville, while others joined up in Kingston for the final lap home. It was estimated by some that the crowd gathered at the Memorial Building to greet the Champs as being 3000. One paper reported 7000! |
Among those in attendance were Mayor Bill Hamilton and members of the 1930 State Champions Henry Foster, Pete Littleton and Gene Conner.
The Chattanooga Times reported the next day that when an out of town motorist going through Lenoir City during the big welcome home festivities the day before, encountered a small boy and asked what the celebration was about. “Mister”, the boy replied, “this is Lenoir City, home of the State Basketball Champions.” |
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LOOKING BACK
In an effort to bring history back alive, a look at how the season began, comments by those who were there at the time; the team members and coaches as they look back 50 years is needed. A look also at the season, the District 11 Tournament, the Region III Tournament and finally the State Tournament as reported by the different newspapers.
THE TEAM
At the start of the school year 1957-58, a new basketball coach was named to replace Coach Tommy Bartlett who had earlier resigned to take over as head coach at Carson-Newman College. Coach Bartlett’s 1957 team had compiled a record of 22-5 and the new coach would inherit a seasoned group of players.
The new coach was Elvin Little who had played for The University of Tennessee Volunteers and had just completed a tour with the U.S. Army. Much was expected of him by the city and it wasn't’t long before the fans realized they had the right man.
| Coach Little’s team was made up of (L-R), Wayne Anthony, 5’10” Junior, Tommy Harvey, 5’10” Senior, Woody Martin, 6’0” Junior, Bill Bostic, 6’2” Senior, Preston Allen, Co-Captain, 6’2” Senior, Bill Bolton, 6’3” Junior, Roy Wright, 6’4” Junior, Dan Barton, Captain, 6’3” Senior, Alton Pace, 6’2” Junior, Mike Thomas, 5’10” Senior, Harry Wilkerson, 5’10” Senior, Richard Pickell, 5’10” Junior. |
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His starting line-up quickly became Wilkerson and Pickell at guards, Barton and Allen at forwards and Roy Wright at center. The bench was, arguably, the best in the state as they proved time and again that they could step in and the team would not miss a beat. They did this often and in a long season, they showed they could have started on almost any team in the state. They played a big part throughout the season. Allen agrees “…. could not have won it without those guys.”
Starting 5 (L-R): Harry Wilkerson, Preston Allen, Roy Wright, Dan Barton, Richard Pickell and Coach Elvin Little. |
The managers were Dink Adams, Eddie Tom Smith and Charles Kizer and they will tell you whether you ask or not that they were a vital part of the team though they did not score a point all year.
Assistant football coach Willie Joe Smalley joined the team to help Coach Little and quickly earned a reputation for his ability to scout and keep up with the statistics of the team. His ability to detect the weaknesses and tendencies of the opposition made a difference. Wright says “…. he could tell us if his man liked to go left or right and if he could use both hands”.
Coach Little stated “I don’t see how we would get along without him”.
The cast of players are set… now it’s….
GAME TIME
A 25 game regular season awaited the team as they were scheduled to play teams from Knoxville, Nashville, Chattanooga, Bradley County, McMinn County, Maryville, and Alcoa and in the Kingsport Invitational during the Christmas holidays.
Confidence, through experience and the attitude of Coach Little quickly became a noticeable aspect of both the players and the fans as it became apparent very early that this team was special. The first few games would support the belief of Coach Little that “... defense wins ball games”, but it doesn't’t hurt to be able to also score.
Lenoir City played Oliver Springs the first game of the season, winning 99-45 with Allen hitting 25 and Barton adding 24 leading the way. As reported by Pickell, during the warm-up prior to the next game against Knoxville Farragut, one of the opposing players told Wilkerson “… you’ll never score 99 points against us like you did Oliver Springs”. He was right! Lenoir City 100, Farragut 48! Wilkerson scores 30 points, with Allen at 22 and Barton adding 18. An average of 99.5 points per game really increased the pulse rate of local fans and made the opposition take note. Knoxville Powell fell to Lenoir City the next game 76-40 and the Panthers went on the road to Nashville, beating Nashville Hillsboro 62-40 and Nashville David Lipscomb 69-51 where Barton was seriously hurt by an errant elbow and was unable to start the next game against Alcoa. He came off the bench to score 16 points as they beat the Tornadoes 47-42. Bradley County fell next 68-54 and Knoxville South lost 76-44 before going into the holidays undefeated for the year.
KINGSPORT INVITATIONAL
Their first draw in the tournament was Elizabethton, winning by 8 points, 56-48. Barton and Wilkerson each tossed in 16 to lead the Panthers. At this point, Lenoir City was ranked number 1 in the state according to Dr. E.E. Litkenhous. This ranking would change the next game when they played undefeated Hampton, led by All-State Milburn Ellis, who handed Lenoir City their first loss, 46-55. Later in the year, Milburn Ellis would break the record for career points held by the great Albert Ellison of the reigning 3 time State Champion, Linden. The team bounced back against a strong Boone’s Creek team which was led by Monroe Ellis, winning 57-48. Allen scored 18 points followed by Barton with 13 and Wilkerson 12. Barton and Allen made the All-Tournament Team along with the two Ellis boys, among others.
After the Invitational Tournament, Lenoir City enjoyed wins over Knox Powell 70-43 with Barton scoring 23 points and controlling both backboards with the same number of rebounds as points and joined by Pickell with 17 points, Loudon 61-42, McMinn County 48-46, Knox Farragut 72-34, Tennessee Military Institute 84-48 with Barton hitting for 24 and Allen adding 12, Knox West 69-62, TMI again 55-50 and a tough Chattanooga City 58-52 as Allen scored 26 before meeting Alcoa for the second time of the year and this time taking only their second loss 53-60.
Again, they rebounded after the loss to Alcoa with a 5 game win streak over Bradley County 86-51, McMinn Co. 66-53, Loudon 95-51, Oliver Springs 68-42, and Knox West 69-55 to close out the regular season with a record of 23-2.
During this 25 game regular season, Lenoir City scored 1710 points (68.40 avg.) while allowing their opponents 1204 points (48.16 avg.) or a 20.24 point per game plus differential. The most points scored against Lenoir City were the 62 points by Knox West. Wilkerson received the honors as having the highest game total of the regular season with his 30 points against Farragut with Allen coming in next with his 26 points against Chattanooga City.
DISTRICT 11 TOURNAMENT
Meigs County and Lenoir City entered play as favorites in the District 11 Tournament, held as usual in Rockwood.
Lenoir City opened with an 85-44 win over Loudon as Wright hit 18 points followed by Wilkerson with 16, Barton with 15 and Pickell with 13. These 4 starters combined to outscore the entire Loudon team.
The next opponent was South Harriman who fell to the Panthers 78-52. Allen burned the nets for 28 points with Barton hitting 15 and Bostic 10.
In the final game of the District, the 2 top seeds faced off with Lenoir City coming out on top of Meigs County 79-63. Pickell scored 25, including 11-11 free throws, with Barton close behind with 21 and Allen with 16. Barton, Allen and Wilkerson made the All-District Tournament Team with Barton named as Outstanding Defensive Player.
The 3 wins for Lenoir City yielded 242 points for an average of 80.66 points per game. Their opponents scored 159 points with 53.66 points per game average which gave Lenoir City a whopping 27.66 points per game plus differential.
Region III
Chattanooga Central and Lenoir City began Region play seeded 1 and 2, respectively, with Cleveland’s Bradley County Gym as the host site.
Their first game was with Ooltewah with Lenoir City coming out on top 76-41.Scoring honors went to Allen (20 pts.) and Pickell (14 pts.) with “…Wright and Barton controlling both boards brilliantly”, according to the Chattanooga Times.
The next game was with a tough Chattanooga City, with Lenoir City winning 62-54. The lead changed hands 5 times with the rebounding edge going to Lenoir City 40-29 with Wright and Barton leading the way. Coach Little decided to slow the tempo, which allowed Wilkerson and Pickell the opportunity to show off their dribbling talents. Allen led all scorers with 22 points, with Wilkerson tossing in 18 and Barton with 14.
Again, the finals came down to the 2 top seeds going for the championship, Chattanooga Central and Lenoir City. Central led the entire first half until Pickell’s 2 free throws with 3 minutes remaining put Lenoir City ahead to stay. Each team scored 20 field goals but the free throws proved to be the difference to give Lenoir City the win 61-54. Allen, Wright, and Pickell all scored in double figures to offset the 30 points scored by All-stater and the pick as the top player in the state, 6’2” Eddie Test. Test would later commit to the University of Tennessee Vols for a full scholarship. Allen and Wright made the All-Region team.
Lenoir City scored 199 points in the three games won in the Region giving them a 66.33 point per game average while holding the opposition to 149 points or 49.67 points per game, a 16.67 points per game plus differential.
STATE TOURNAMENT
The Lenoir City Panthers are now at the “HERE”, as in “THE ROAD TO HERE”. They were back at the “big show”, their first appearance in the State Tournament since 1955 when they came in fourth place. All-Staters Billy Henry and Jerry Bostic led the Panthers that year and were the crowd favorites.
The tournament, held at the Vanderbilt Memorial Gymnasium expected to be, and was later announced, a record crowd to show off the likes of Kingsport Dobyns-Bennett (32-1), Chattanooga Central (30-3), Nashville Dupont (24-1) and Oak Ridge (29-1) as ranked by Dr. E. E. Litkenhous, noted prognosticator. Lenoir City (29-2) was ranked 8th. (No respect-The Rodney Dangerfield of their day).
The Lenoir City Panthers, Region III champions were paired with the runner-up of Region V11, the Rives Panthers (Enrollment-87) in the first game. Lenoir City got off to a fast start, leading 37-14 at half time. Rives went over 7 minutes without scoring beginning the third period and for all practical purposes, it was over. Showing a well balanced team, 5 players scored in double figures for Lenoir City, winning 84-54. Pickell, with 26 points (including 10-10 at the foul line) led the way with Wilkerson at 14 points (4-4 at the foul line), Allen at 13, Barton with 11 and Bolton, off the bench, scored 10. Lenoir City hit a hot 47 per cent from the field (32 of 66) and out-rebounded the smaller Rives 58-34 with Allen pulling in 12, followed by Barton and Wilkerson with 10 each. Lenoir City’s 84 points are second only to record holder Meigs County’s 89 in the 1956 tournament. Pickell’s 26 points later proved to be the high for any player in the entire tournament. After the game, Coach Little was quoted as remarking that “We came over here to win this tournament. The players and I think we are going to make it.” Confidence was beginning to build!
Game 2 for Lenoir City would be with the Dibrell Wildcats (Enrollment-173), runner-up in Region IV, who had upset Region VI champion Centerville Bulldogs 47-43. The Panthers started strong but forgot to show up in the second quarter, scoring only 3 points to go into the dressing room behind 20-21. Led by Barton’s 17 and Allen’s 16 points, the Panthers came back and won 50-38. The winning edge was rebounding, led by Barton with 12. Lenoir City hit 20 of 39 shots from the field (51%) but out-rebounded Dibrell 35-19. “I’m really glad to get that one behind us…” stated Coach Little.
Lenoir City’s next opponent was the Boones Creek Bars (Enrollment-435), Region I runner-up, who defeated the favored Oak Ridge wildcats in sudden death overtime 40-38. Lenoir City had defeated the Bars in a hard fought game earlier in the Kingsport Invitational and knew this would be a game with both teams wanting to play in the Championship game the next night. Coach Little had promised a “slowdown” if the Panthers had a late lead and true to his promise, when Lenoir City built a 38-33 lead after 3 quarters, he slowed the tempo forcing Boones Creek to foul. This time Lenoir City came out on top, 46-42. Lenoir City and Boones Creek each hit 15 field goals and the game was won at the foul line with Lenoir City making 16 of 26 while Boones Creek made 12 of 16. Three of the Boones Creek starters fouled out, one of them being All-Stater Monroe Ellis who had 22 points before leaving the game. Allen led the scoring with 15, followed by Barton with 10. Allen also pulled in 13 rebounds.
Later that evening, the Chattanooga Purple Pounders were to take on the number 1 seed, the powerful Kingsport Dobyns-Bennett Indians for the other spot in the finals. Led by the # 1 player in the state and All-Stater, Eddie Test, scored 18 points and had 16 rebounds, Central beat Kingsport 53-52 despite All-Stater Charlie Leonard’s 20 points. The stage was now set for the reason why all the players and coaches had worked so hard for over a long 30 plus game season. The next game would determine who would rule Tennessee’s Basketball for 1958.
Rabid fans from both schools showed up ready to battle at a packed Vanderbilt Gym. The Nashville Banner Newspaper for March 15, 1958, in big, bold, bright red letters, read “Lenoir City Slim Choice for State Crown Tonight”. This was like waving red in front of a bull; like spitting in the wind or pulling on Superman’s cape! It was crazy! The paper with the headlines screaming out was paraded around the gym floor by Sammy (Jabber) Skidmore, LeRoy Dutton, Cecil Brown, JoAnn Barton, Barbara Allen, Nancy Scarbrough and other Lenoir City Students. When it was in front of the Lenoir City fan section, they went wild. Standing en masse, they let all know that was not right. Boos and hisses rang from the rafters! They took it as an insult since Lenoir City had defeated Central only a week ago for the Region III crown.
In truth, the headlines were proven correct but the perception of the Lenoir City fans was totally the opposite. How dare that uppity big town paper say that about their team!! What did they know?? They were upset that their teams had been knocked out!
THE GAME
Lenoir City (Enrollment-738) and Chattanooga Central (Enrollment-1500) seemed to both be ready to go as an estimated 7000 fans witnessed the beginning of the Championship game. They knew each other quite well as the two teams had played one week before with Lenoir City coming out on top.
The Memphis Commercial Appeal reports “… first quarter started with both teams playing sloppy and uncharacteristic basketball”. They each were guilty of several mental mistakes and physical errors. The effects of a long and stressful season were beginning to show.
The first quarter ended with Lenoir City ahead 9-8. During the first half the lead changed hands 7 times and the score was tied on 4 occasions. Going in at halftime the score was 21-18, Lenoir City. The third quarter was more of the same stalling tactics, ending 30-26, Lenoir City. The fourth quarter saw Lenoir City go into a “deep freeze”, attempting only one shot from the field and that was from Pickell, a “crip” shot that was good with 6:58 remaining. Central had to come out and foul. Five foul shots were attempted after that with Barton making one and Wilkerson making the last one with 1:59 remaining, which would turn out to be the winning point of the game. Central attempted two more shots, one by Test that rolled off the rim and another with :03 seconds left that missed with Allen pulling down the last rebound.
LENOIR CITY- 34, CHATTANOOGA CENTRAL-33.
“Defense won it for us” shouted Coach Little. “I was very proud of the way Preston Allen stopped Test”. “Wright was our standout… He always came through when the going is roughest”…he continued.
“Nobody sleeps tonight”, yells Richard Pickell.
Other final stats: Lenoir City hit 14 of 42 shots from the field for 33%. Central hit 12 of 46 for 26%. Wright pulled down 11 of the 33 Panther rebounds. Wilkerson was high man with 10 points and Wright added 9. Lenoir City scored 214 points during the 4 games for average of 53.50 points per game while allowing the four opponents 167 points or 41.75 points per game giving Lenoir City a 11.75 plus differential.
After the court was cleared of proud Lenoir City fans, Preston Allen and Dan Barton were named to the top five All-Tournament Team, along with Central’s Eddie Test, Kingsport’s Charlie Leonard and Monroe Ellis from Boones Creek. Richard Pickell made Honorable Mention.
The Miracle Season is over! Their final stat is 1958 State Champions with a season record of 33-2.
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| First Row (L-R): Wayne Anthony, Managers Dink Adams, Eddie Tom Smith, Charlie Kizer. Second Row (L-R): Bill Bostic, Roy Wright, Preston Allen, Dan Barton, Harry Wilkerson. Standing (L-R): Alton Pace, Coach Willie Joe Smalley, Richard Pickell, Coach Elvin Little, Bill Bolton, Tommy Harvey. |
L-R: Captains Preston Allen and Dan Barton Present "Winning" Net to Coach Elvin Little. |
FIFTY YEARS LATER
To a person, the players expressed the same nostalgia toward the miracle season just re-lived.
They first appreciated the time in which they grew up and secondly the small town environment that was Lenoir City. It was most definitely a magical time. They had never heard of drugs and probably none had ever taken a taste of liquor (maybe a beer but they never admitted it at the time). They attended church and probably none had ever been called before our principal, Mr. W.F. Henry. If they played more than one sport (and most did), as soon as the last game, they changed uniforms, getting ready for that next sport.
They knew the mothers and fathers of the other players and spent all their time together when not practicing or at a game. This same close relationship exists today among the players and coaches. They still are interested in the lives of their team mates. They all mourned the loss of Alton Pace and Eddie Tom Smith, who are the two missing from the team.
The town showed the same respect and admiration toward the athletes. They supported them for all sports and the stadium, field and gym were always full. The only sports at Lenoir City High School were football, basketball (boys and girls) and baseball. They had just started golf and tennis and interest began to build for these sports.
The athletes of this era may not have realized it at the time but they were in that “golden” time when, if you were a State Champion of any sport, you were the State Champion of all the towns and cities of the entire state of Tennessee. The word “classification” had not been heard of regarding the sports programs. You may be matched against a school of 87 students like Rives High School or against a school of 1500 students like Chattanooga Central. All had the same chances and the ultimate winner owned the bragging rights of being the absolute best of the whole state for that year.
Every year, as has occurred for about 15 years, all the graduating classes of the 50’s have a FABULOUS FIFTIES REUNION. Although the name implies that the reunion is only for that decade, classes from all decades are invited and welcomed. A golf “tournament” is held, gospel singing at the school or a local church is a high light of the event. The members get together at the old War Memorial Building, meet and greet their old friends and enjoy 50’s music and dancing.
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Members of the Lenoir City High School Hall of Fame who played on the '58 Championship team are: Seated (L_R) Wayne Anthony, Willie Joe Smalley; Standing (L_R): Bill Bolton, Preston Allen, Harry Wilkerson, Coach Elvin Little, Roy Wright, Richard Pickell, Dan Barton. Pictured at the 2007 Hall of Fame Banquet. |
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When asked how he remembered his starting five, Coach Little gave these observations:
DAN BARTON: Complete player---the glue that held the team together---had all the tools---fundamentally sound---led by doing.
PRESTON ALLEN: Great defense---pure shooter---great at driving to basket---good rebounder---free spirit off court---enjoyed good game of pool almost as much as basketball.
HARRY WILKERSON: Great at fast break---sound passer---could score---consistent in all aspects---great athlete---enjoyed fishing as much as basketball---looked after Preston.
RICHARD PICKELL: Play-maker---coach on floor---could score---great foul shooter---great defense---poised and focused…great values.
ROY WRIGHT: Quick---great rebounder---controlled inside with great defense---intimidating with size, strength and intensity---sound and steady---would not back down.
“The rest of the team played a lot of ball for us and could always be counted on when needed. Don’t think the season would have been as successful as it was, had it not been for them”, continued Coach Little.
The players returned the apparent respect and good will toward Coach Little. They knew he was only 8 or 10 years older than they were and knew he could motivate---knew the game---knew how to win---and that he was strict about conditioning and their game-time demeanor as well as their off-court behavior.
They had never met anybody who knew the intricacies of the game or the opposing players as Coach Willie Joe Smalley. They learned to listen when he spoke.
They went to school with the managers and sat with them in class, double-dated, fished and hunted together and deeply respected them for the tough job of seeing that everything was ready when it was needed. They considered the managers as true members of the team.
The 1958 Championship team is now celebrating their fiftieth anniversary of their victory with several events planned. The team will be introduced and honored at half-time by the TSSAA at the Championship game this March. They were honored in the Centennial Parade celebrating the 100 years of the birth of the city and the school. Mayor Matt Brookshire will present them with the “1958 State Basketball Championship Day” proclamation on March 15, 2008. Signs have been erected at the four points of entry into Lenoir City letting the world know that this is the “Home of the 1958 State Basketball Champions”.
Credits:
Credit is given to these newspapers and their great writers, like Sports Writers Hall of Famers, Haywood Harris and Roland Julian, who remembered the game, coaches and players. These newspapers were the Lenoir City News and its Sports Editor, Tommy Bradshaw's "The Panthers Prowl," the Lenoir City High School Panther Press, Knoxville Journal and the News Sentinel, Chattanooga Times and the Free Press, and the Nashville Tennessean and the Banner.
Each and every game box score for the 35 games were found and reported as it happened 50 years ago.
DALE BARTON
Lenoir City, TN
lchshalloffame@bellsouth.net
865-986-5529
