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The following report and statistics were compiled by Jack Cullen.
1924-25 Basketball seasonThe 1924 Minonk Fans basketball team was regorganized with Jake Meierhofer as manager and Folkert Vissering as Secretary- Treasurer. The players were Dickie Devon, Bucky Jones. Gary Phillips, Jack Manley, George Halfmann, and Coach Bill Whitler.Sip Wolf and Jake Meierhofer were expected to play when needed. In addition, Smiley Halfmann was available for most of the games, but not all because of the hardship in coming from Bloomington, playing a game and getting back the same night. The following writeup is from the Minonk News-Dispatch of December 11, 1924. "Those who saw the practice on Monday night did not see the polished play that will be shown later in the season, but they saw a bunch of past masters at work and recognized the possibilities of a fast, powerful, versatile outfit. With that bunch going good it will take one sweet team to beat them." During 1924 George Halfmann played for the White Sox in an indoor baseball league. The Wenona coalmine closed in August of 1924 and 100 miners were out of work. The average weight of the Minonk High School football players was 132. The Royal Troubadours appeared at the Minonk Lyceum House. Admission was 25 cents and 50 cents. |
First row left: Richard "Dickie" Devon, Mascot Raymond Ketchmark "Little Sip", George Halfmann; Second row left: Joseph "Sip" Wolf, Manager R. R. Sutton, John "Jake" Meierhofer; Third row left: Floyd "Bucky" Jones, Herman "Smiley" Halfmann. Folkert Vissering was secretary-treasurer.
1924-25 record (10-6)Pontiac Infantry 30 - Minonk Fans 28Minonk Fans 38 - Henry Merchants 26 Champaign 23 - Minonk Fans 18 Minonk Fans 35 - Washington Independents 34 Minonk Fans 28 - Minneapolis WhizzBangs 27 Minonk Fans 24 - Pekin A&E 13 Washburn Grays 37 - Minonk Fans 28 Canton 51 - Minonk Fans 35 Highest score ever made against Minonk Fans Minonk Fans 28 - Washburn Grays 21 Minonk Fans 42 - Cambridge 33(1924 State Champions) Peoria Fans 31 - Minonk Fans 23 Minonk Fans 17 - Roanoke Alumni 16 Minonk Fans 35 - Fairbury Bon Ton Limits 23 Minonk Fans 18 - Roanoke Alumni 16 Minonk Fans 27 - Long Point 22 Fairbury Bon Ton Limits 18 - Minonk Fans 17 |
1925-26 Basketball seasonIn 1925 the Minonk Fans changed their name to the Minonk Indees for awhile. The gymnasium in the Schlitz Opera House was referred to as Ryan's Hall. The Minonk News-Dispatch wrote the following article about the game with the Streator Baskins."The Baskins are considered to be a pretty good outfit, but my God, man, those boys of Manager Whitler made them look like a lead dime in a furnace. As to who made the points the score will tell; but if you didn't see the game you missed something." When the Fans beat Peoria Portmans the News-Dispatch reported it as follows. "Arrayed in their natty new blue panties and shirties the Minonk Fans went out Saturday night and gave the Peoria Portmans a neat trimming. It was no cinch, nor a pink tea affair and only the whistle stopped two worthy quintets from battling to the queen's taste." |
1925-26 record (14-2)Minonk Fans 26 - Streator 15Streator Alumni 16 - Minonk Indees 14 Minonk Indees 48 - Streator Baskin Collegiates 9 Minonk Indees 44 - McNabb Cardinals 31 Minonk Indees 37 - Washburn Golden 21 Peoria Portman 42 - Minonk Indees 30 Minonk Indees 37 - Eureka Alumni 26 Vissering Mercantile 24 - LaSalle Cardinals 22 Minonk Indees 43 - McNabb Cardinals 33 Minonk Fans 33 - Peoria Portman 28 Minonk Fans 41 - El Paso Fans 17 Minonk Fans 48 Wenona Tom Cats 27 Vissering Mercantile 19 - Flanagan Blues 16 Minonk Fans 28 - Streator Purples 27 Minonk Fans 35 - Chenoa 25 Minonk Fans 70 - Gridley 13 |
1928-29 Basketball seasonAfter laying off for the 1927 and 1928 season, the Minonk Fans resumed play for one more season in 1928-1929. The players now included Bill Whitler, Louis VonBehren and Wiggy Eihausen who became a room-mate with Ronald Reagan at Eurka College in the 1930's. Legend has it that Reagan used to come to Minonk on weekends with Eihausen to visit. These new players joined George Halfmann who still played for the Fans. Dickey Devon, Bucky Jones, and Jake Meierhofer no longer played.Isadore Leiken was the timer at the ballgames at the Schlitz Opera House. There were several girls basketball games played during the year. The Royal Theatre admission was 15 and 40 cents. Matinees on Saturdays were 10 and 35 cents. |
1928-29 record (6-1)Minonk Fans 44 - Peoria Shoups 23Minonk Fans 48 - Lacon Merchants 22 Minonk Fans 34 - Wenona Fans 28 Minonk Fans 36 - Streator Metal Stampworks 7 Minonk Fans 42 - Lowpoint 24 Bloomington 39 - Minonk Fans Minonk Fans 40 - Normal Fans 28 Minonk Fans 57 - Lowpoint 22 |