I didn't have a picture of the keg.

I have received several requests for articles on different subjects lately and I intend to get around to all of them in time. Keep in mind that my mind doesn't function well anymore so I tend to progress at a snail's pace more often than not.

Awhile back, there were questions posed in a Chris Pruett blog about the origination of the Greene County Keg. I had every intention of finding this out and now I have the answer, but not due to any diligence on my part. When I arrived home last night, the answer was stuck in my door. Two pieces of paper were left in my door by an unknown individual, but I have my suspicions. Regardless of who ran this information down, my thanks to you.

The two papers were copies of articles from the Linton Daily Citizen dated October 23rd, 1952 and from the Evening World dated November 18th of the same year. I will attempt to summarize both articles. The Citizen article began with this lead paragraph:

"A plan for a travelling "keg" to be used as a trophy by Greene County high school basketball teams in the future, was adopted this week at a meeting that also organized the Greene County Coaches Association."

The article lists the following individuals as members present for the first meeting: Edward Longfellow of Bloomfield, Frank Gourdouze of Jasonville, Charles Hoskins of Linton, Bill Aydelotte and Bill Tislow of Lyons, Jim Oxby of Midland, Eugene Bovinet and Jim East of Scotland, Guy Glover of Solsberry, Channing Vosloh of Switz City, plus Don Miles and, our old buddy, Richard "Wheezer" Richeson of Worthington. The Citizen article goes on to explain the purpose of the Keg, "...to create a more meaningful desire for one Greene County team to defeat another." As I think back on my playing time at Shakamak, I always had a "meaningful desire" to beat every County team, but more often than not, we lacked the ability to do so. My memory is one of the worst in the world, so maybe someone can help me with this. I could be wrong, but I don't think we ever took the Keg from anyone during my high school years.

The Evening World article, written by Dick Riddle, included this statement, "For an apparent reason not worth mentioning", the "Keg" was given to Worthington to keep until another Greene County team defeated them." So the Worthington Ramblers were the first county basketball team to own the Keg. This evidently lasted until their first game, when they were beaten by Chink Vosloh's Switz City Tigers. Consequently, for you trivia buffs, the Tigers were the first team to win the County Keg.

As soon as I see Wheezer, I shall ask him why Worthington was chosen as the first team to receive the Keg.

Linda Long has some nice photos of the Keg (and some old guy in a red shirt) at this URL, http://greenecountyindiana.com/photos/vi...