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DON VELLER, PH.D., FOOTBALL COACH ELKHART HIGH Don Veller coached Elkhart High School football for just seven seasons but established an enduring legacy. His Blue Blazers won 49 games and tied 4, losing just 13 times. The native of Linton and graduate of Bicknell, Ind., came here in 1935 after a brilliant athletic career at […]

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 […]

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 […]

GLENN SILCOTT, ATHLETIC DIRECTOR ELKHART HIGH Glenn was a fine athlete and coach in his own right, but he is best remembered as a genial ambassador of sports, while serving as the Blue Blazer Athletic Director for 26 years. A native of Kansas, Glenn found his way to Elkhart after graduating from Altamount (Kan.) in […]

ROD ROBERSON, ELKHART CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL, 1977 Rod quickly established his own credentials after growing up in the shadow of older brother Garvin, one of Elkhart’s finest all-around athletes and a co-winner of the Tim Bringle Award. Rod went on to win the Bringle himself in 1977, after a brilliant career which saw him named […]

BOB RILEY, BASEBALL COACH, NORTHWOOD Bob is among the winningest baseball coaches in Indiana prep history, registering 435 victories which was 7th all-time at the time of his retirement in 1987. Bob coached baseball two years at Akron (Ind. ), three at Star City, one at Wakarusa and one at Nappanee, before the latter two […]

TERRY RICKARD, COACH NEW PARIS AND FAIRFIELD Terry was an outstanding athlete at Jimtown High, competing in basketball, baseball and track, winning the Sheetsman Award (MVP) for basketball as a senior, 1952. But Terry is being inducted into the Elkhart County Hall of Fame for his coaching accomplishments at New Paris and Fairfield high schools. […]

IRV PRATT, COACH MIDDLEBURY, NORTHRIDGE Irv achieved a remarkable coaching record at Middlebury, which later combined with Jefferson to form Northridge, where he continued his success. He came to Middlebury in 1964, coaching basketball, cross-country, track and golf. He led the cagers to an overall 67-38 record. (Irv had come from Springfield Township, Franklin County, […]

JAMES POWELL, CONCORD HIGH SCHOOL, 1960 Jim won 10 varsity letters for the Minutemen, four in baseball and three each in basketball and track. He ran the 440 (57.1), the 880 (2:08), mile (4:46) and the mile relay (3:47). A shortstop, Jim had a .927 career fielding percentage and a .424 batting average. His 1960 […]

DAVID (PETE) PETERSON, COACH, OFFICIAL, ATHLETIC DIRECTOR Pete touched the lives of many students and athletes in Elkhart during his 35 years of teaching and coaching prior to his 1989 retirement. Pete coached track for all three grades at North Side Junior High (1953?1989) , winning dozens of city championships. He also won 3 city […]