James (Jim) Miller, Middlebury High School (1945) Jim earned 12 letters in basketball, baseball, and track with the Middies. In baseball, his teams were Elkhart County champions all four years as he played shortstop and had a batting average of .335. In the 1950s, he played first base for the Keene Machine softball team. As […]

Glenn Jay Miller, Middlebury High School, 1945 A four-year letter winner in basketball and baseball, Glenn also lettered in track and field his senior year when Middlebury added the sport. He played basketball under four different varsity coaches and scored a career total of 649 points, including his senior year when he finished as the […]

ROBERT (BOB) SIMPER, JIMTOWN HIGH SCHOOL, 1945 Bob was one half of the famed Simper twins, who helped propel the Jimmies to the 1945 Elkhart basketball Sectional Title and a Regional upset of Culver, prior to losing the regional title game to powerful South Bend Riley. The Jimmies beat Middlebury and Nappanee in the sectional […]

RICHARD (DICK) SIMPER, JIMTOWN HIGH SCHOOL, 1945 Dick was one half of the famed Simper twins, who helped propel the Jimmies to the 1945 Elkhart basketball Sectional Title and a Regional upset of Culver, prior to losing the regional title game to powerful South Bend Riley. The Jimmies beat Middlebury and Nappanee in the sectional […]

BOB HAYDEN, Jimtown High School, 1945 Bob played basketball, baseball and track at Jimtown HS. He set the Elkhart County scoring record in 1945, when he scored 353 points in 24 games for a 14.7 average. Hayden helped lead Jimmies to the 1945 sectional championship and advanced to the regional title game. He was named […]

CHARLES BERTCH, Bristol High School, 1945 Played four years of basketball and baseball at BHS; named to all-tourney team and was Bristol MVP in basketball in 1945. His ability blossomed in his late high school years and matured in his playing days in the U.S. Navy and on independent teams around Elkhart County. He served […]