It was 50 years ago, and in 1956 what is now known as the “Old Gym” in Vevay hosted its final boys basketball sectional tournament.
The nine teams that participated in that tourney all represented small communities — and most have gone away, lost to consolidation: Vevay, Patriot, Rising Sun, Aurora, Lawrenceburg, Bright, Guilford, Moores Hill, and Dillsboro.
Vevay High School won that final sectional; and now all of those schools and the members of those teams will forever be remembered in the gym that the tourney was played.
The Switzerland County School Corporation has announced that it will hang banners in the Old Gym, one for each of the nine schools in their old colors, as a way of remembering the past. The banners will be displayed on the south wall of the gym, and will be placed there after a special ceremony.
On Friday night, February 3rd, the banners will be unveiled to the community at the Switzerland County-South Ripley game. The banners will be shown between the jayvee and varsity games, and all special guests will be introduced to the crowd.
“Since Vevay High School won the tournament, and it’s the 50th-anniversary, we want to invite anyone who had any association with that team to come back,” event coordinator Wayne Daugherty said. “Players, managers, coaches, cheerleaders, anyone. Since Patriot High School is now a part of Switzerland County High Schoo, we also want to honor the people from that team, too. So any of those folks who would like to attend are welcome.”
Plans for the night also include a reception prior to the game, and other special events are being planned. Those people involved with one of the other teams — Wayne Daugherty was a member of the 1956 Aurora team — are also invited to attend.
“We’d like to see all of these schools represented that night,” Wayne Daugherty said. “We need to remember our history and our heritage.”
Are you one of the people who played a part in the 1956 Vevay basketball sectional? Do you know someone who was a part? Do you know how to contact them?
Anyone wanting to participate, or who has information about one or more of the participants, should call Wayne Daugherty at 427-3489. If he’s not there, leave a message and he will return your call.
“We hope to get a lot of the folks to come back,” Wayne Daugherty said. “If they are coming and can RSVP, that would help a lot, but if they just show up that night, that’s okay, too.”