Inductees THIS CATERPILLAR TEAM, which finished fifth in the six-team National Industrial Basketball League with a 15-15 record over the 1957-58 season, surprised the basketball world by roaring through the Amateur Athletic Union postseason tournament in Denver for their fourth national championship in seven years.
The Cats, coached by Warren Womble, needed four overtimes to turn back the Denver Truckers 74-71 in the championship game following victories over the Phillips 66 Oilers 90-53 in the semifinals, 70-59 over the McDonald Scots of Louisiana and 94-58 over the Navy All-Stars.
B.H. Born, Howie Crittenden and Jim Palmer of Peoria were named A.A.U. all-Americans. The balanced team had six players whose scoring average was in the 9.1-13.7 point range - Dean Kelley, Jack Sullivan and John Prudhoe in addition to Born, Crittenden and Palmer - and held the opposition to .374 field goal shooting for the season while out-rebounding opponents 53.1 to 45.5.
Six members of this team were later named to the United States AAU All-Star squad that toured Russia.
1984 Elmwood Cross Country Team  Left to right: Coach Tom Meyers, Bill Troutt, Mike Heffron, Curt Smith, Joe Harkness, Jeff Kalteux, Stan Johnson, Brian Opper, Tony McCoy, Brent Simpson. Not pictured: Assistant Coach Greg Silzer. The 1984 Elmwood Cross Country team accomplished what no other Elmwood team has; they completed their season undefeated. The schedule included three large "AA" invitation wins, against most of the "AA" powerhouses from Central Illinois and several Chicago area "AA" schools. The ’84 team finished their record-setting season by winning the state meet over runner-up Rushville 68-149. Elmwood placed five runners in front of Rushville’s #1 to complete the 81 point win. The Elmwood runners were: Sr. Mike Heffron, 11th in 15:14; Sr. Joe Harkness, 19th in 15:24; Sr. Jeff Kalteux, 24th in 15:32; Sr. Brian Opper, 27th in 15:37; Sr. Curt Smith, 28th in 15:38, So. Tony McCoy, 50th in 16:01, and So. Brent Simpson, 78th in 16:15. |