Culver High School First Integrated High School Basketball Team

The 1922 CHS basketball team was the first integrated high school basketball team in Indiana.

Whitted and Wade

The Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame confirmed the team’s integrated status and published an article about it in 2009.

Roger Dickinson, executive director of the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in New Castle, plans to publish word of Culver’s possible status as “first” in Indiana Basketball History Magazine, the museum’s publication, in the near future to see if anyone can “beat” Culver’s record.

“I can not confirm Culver High School was the first integrated school in the state,” notes Dickinson. “But I will accept it until someone proves us wrong.” The evidence, at least, is undeniable.

From the yearbook Maxinkuckee:

We never fail to put out a basket ball team that is a credit to a school our size and this year has been no exception to the rule. Russell Burns, a former Culver boy and later a member of Purdue's varsity squad, was secured as coach. He has proven himself to be a coach of the first rank and the school is proud of his work.

The team has made an excellent record this year, having won 23 out of 28 games. Winning the County Championship in a walk and loosing the Distric t Championship to the fast Atwood five in the final tourney game by a scant 3 point margin.

Starting wit h only one player of last year's five Coach Burns developed the best aggregation we have had in years. Much credit is due him for the showing made and the school appreciates the time and effort he has put into his work.

Overmyer, the only experienced player on the squad, and captain of the team, has been the backbone of the Culver ogensive play. He is fast on his feet for a heavy man and his accurate basket shooting at long range has won several closely contested games.

Sautter, a former Culver boy who played wit h Plymouth last year, returned to his home school last fall and since the Christmas vacation has been the high point man for the maroon and white. His accurate foul throwing and heady floor work has made him one of Culver's most valuable men. He was selected on the all district team.

Wade was the find of the season. Starting the play by jumping at center and then dropping to back guard he has developed into one of the best guards in the country. His guarding at the district meet was the talk of the entire crowd and won him a place on the all-district team. He should be a wonder next year.

Mikesell and Crump have alternated at the other guard position all season with the result that both of them have developed into excellent players and should be in fine shape for next year.

Speyer, Whitted and Bartlett have filled the forward position opposite Sautter and as all of them have another year in school they should handle the scoring end of the team in good shape.

Culver Citizen - Articles by Jeff Kenney