Reflections of past glories

KINGFIELD - - The Kingfield High School Wildcats won again to take the North Franklin league championship and the boy's basketball team was heading to the Lewiston Armory to play for the Western Maine Class S championship and state tourney.

There is no bus to transport them, no televisions to distract them, the boys of the Stanley School (now Webster Hall) can only practice in their gym to get ready to play on the biggest court they've ever seen.

Nearly 60 years have passed since Coach Donnell Graham's 1949 Kingfield basketball team won the north county, beat Gray in the semi and defeated New Gloucester for the Western Maine Championships. Many members of that team are no longer with us today or have moved away, but we caught up with Kingfield Wildcats Burchell Morrell, Buddy Dunham and Howard Dunham who spoke of their high school sporting experiences back in the 40s like it happened just yesterday.

The Wildcats went on to play in a state championship game against a scrappy Schenck team of East Millinocket where they regretfully blew a 10-point lead to lose by just two.

"The Wildcats were clearly a better basketball team," the Lewiston Daily Sun reported.

"They were a lot bigger than we were, I was a little disappointed that we gave them that much fight and still didn't come out the winner," Burchell explained. "It was a great experience; we had never gone to that length before."

"There was a lot of pride and rightfully so coming from such a small community," Howard said.

The game before was a victory against New Gloucester for the Western S crown. Howie (as he was called back in the day) scored a record setting 36 points at the Armory in that game. A record which may still stand today.

The Wildcats would pile into cars to get to the games. Graham himself had a nine passenger that quite often Burchell would drive. Teammate Austin Thompson's dad had a car dealership so he could often get a car, the group explained.

The group explained that the entire town came to Lewiston to watch the games.

"It was so close - -we had our chances," Burchell said.

The biggest hall they ever played in was in Farmington, but most of their games were on floors nearly half the size of the Armory. "It was a big floor and we were pooped," Buddy explained, but the Wildcats gave the much larger school a heck of a fight.

According to Burchell, the red-and-white Wildcats had a sizable lead at the automatic two-minute time out that was called by the officials back in those days. The Schenk full court press got to Wildcats and free throws won the game for the Wolverines. "As I remember," Burchell explained, "We didn't do all that well against a full court press."

It was quite an honor, the group explained, the Wildcats along with Class M Farmington who won their state division that year were invited to a prestigious banquet dinner. State Highway Commissioner Lloyd B. Martin honored the two teams at the DeWitt Hotel after the game. School principals, superintendents and other speakers were all present.

The boys of 49 spoke of the courts they played on in their high school years. "At our gym they needed all the floor they could get," Burchell explained. "The foul lines were right next to the walls. You could run into ether of the two wooden posts or the three-foot stage on one end and get caught waist-side. The bleachers were within six inches on both sides."

Buddy broke his arm one year in Phillips after getting pushed or shoved into the nearby wall.

Strong played upstairs in the Grange Hall and there was a giant heating register in the middle of the floor with three collar ties crossing the court at eight or so feet in height.

"Quite a bit different from say the Amory," Burchell said. "There were some places in Strong that you couldn't shoot from because of the bars. You could shoot from the backside of the bars and put it up over like it wasn't there or you could be in front of it and shoot," Burchell explained.

Burchell and John Winter were the point guards for the team. The class of 1949 had 11 members in its senior class.

"I don't think the kids today know what we had back in the 40s for sports and the memories that we have," Buddy said. "Back in the 40s we piled into cars two nights a week and headed off to Rangeley, North Anson and all over. We had great times all year long. Roads aren't plowed like they are now; sometimes we had a heck of a time getting home."

Bud's fondest memories of high school were going from one sport to the next. "We'd have a nice summer; go to track and cross country, then right to basketball, then baseball. There was always something to look forward to all year long."

"Rangeley was always competitive," Buddy said, "they were big boys over there."

"It was really like a family back then," Burchell explained. There was so much pride playing for your home town. It was all you knew and what you went to school for. You didn't go to school thinking about learning English or anything, you went to school to play sports," Burchell explained.

"We wouldn't have had the desire to go to school if we didn't have our sports," Burchell explained. "Our parents may have forced us, but it would have been really tough without sports."

Everybody that wanted to play school ball could, providing their studies were up, the group explained.

The men also spoke of their baseball experience playing on the field now known as the town park. "Right field had a pretty short wall but it was a pretty good shot to get it out in left," Burchell explained.

"I caught Howard when he pitched and I think I caught every game that was played the four years I was there," Burchell said. Don Murray stepped in for one game to take the catching duties when Burchell was not there.

Howard said his fondest memories from 60 years ago were back in high school and the basketball run they had in Lewiston. He also reflects fondly on two baseball games he played when he struck out 36 batters in two consecutive games against Stratton and Strong. Ironically the same number as his basketball shooting record.

Burchell and Bud agreed with the memories of the 49 basketball team. "This was the crown jewel of all of them," Burchell said. He also reflected on another fond memory when they had a playoff game against Strong at Hippach Field. Burchell hit a ball over the fence and into the trees at right center.

Mickey McGuire, who wrote for the Waterville Sentinel at the time, made the claim that it was the furthest school ball hit ever hit at Hippach. The men also spoke of stories like the time that Burchell ran over all the bats while chasing a foul ball in Rangeley or other plays and events like it happened the other day.

"I remember the bat that Buddy and I purchased together for three dollars - -God that was a good bat, then I turned around and cracked it," Burchell explained.

They boys talked about participating in cross-country and how Graham always encouraged them to participate. "It sure helped me out over my last two years in sports in speed and stamina," Burchell said.

"We used to run from here to Tufts Pond and back and Mr. Graham was right there with us the whole way. In the fall we'd get in shape running cross-country for basketball and baseball. I'd don't know if I ever heard of soccer back then," Burchell said.

The boys went on to play Legion Ball after high school with those who were getting out of the war. The joined southpaws Red Tibbotts and Milton Simmons on the West Kingfield field which boarders the former Joneco Mill.

Telling the legendary story from Howard's kitchen table, Burchell explained that it was he and his brother Raynord who hit the ball over the mill. He explained that his ball hit the roof and bounced over in a game against North Anson, but his older brother Raynord's shot cleared the entire building. The ball was found by the mill's fire watchman in the front stockyard.

"It just sticks with ya," Burchell said, "they are such fond memories."