Kristine Schmucker, HCHM Curator
With fall sports winding down, it is time to thing about basketball!
Burrton High School Gym, 2017.
Today, most of the gyms student athletes play in are spacious with plenty of room for spectators, but this has not always been the case. Brian Stucky in his book Hallowed Hardwood: Vintage Basketball Gyms of Kansas described gyms built before the 1950s as “old crackerbox basketball gyms . . . with tiny courts, balconies, the wall for out-of-bounds.”
Walton High School was one “crackerbox“gym and a recent donation of photos gives a glimpse into a time gone.
Walton High School after the gym and community building (white structure) was added on, ca. 1925.
Tip Off!
Walton Gym, ca 1945. Walton v. Sedgwick. #11 is Ozzie Schmidt.
Champions!
Walton Basketball Team, ca. 1947. (lt-rt) Arnold Buhler, Ozzie Schmidt, Art Morris, Vernon Yoder, Marion Esau, Clinton Fisher, Laren Woelk, Jack Brubaker, Mr. Nosen.
1948 Team
Walton High Basketball team, 1948. Coach Arnold Buhler and Mr. Nosen
The Coach
Arnold Buhler
Arnold Buhler graduated from Bethel College and then enlisted in the army during WW2. When he returned home, he worked as superintendent for the Walton school system. He was also the boys basketball coach.
Walton High, Nov. 1964, the edge of the community building and gym is visible on the left.