Memories

My memories article this time will be a little different as I will write about several individuals who I knew, played sports with, or who brought back memories of years ago. The past articles in the Eagle about "Carter County Greats" was great, informative and I agree.

Those people triggered names of individuals that I would like to share with you, including the Eagle article about George Yelloweyes. I remember when I was a basketball referee and he came with the Miles City 600 Club Independent team to play in the 1960 Ekalaka Independent Basketball Tournament. I still have that team picture and the score book shows he scored 39-19-18 points in the three games.

Now back to some of those individuals including the year of graduation and a thought or memory of them.

CARSTON (Dutch) LOKEN: 1942 - After graduation he worked for Frank Laird one winter and played independent ball with us. He later moved to Billings where he had a son who played on the Billings West team.

JOHN McCUMSEY: 1944 - Played both football and basketball. He married Minnie Jean Brady and they moved to Washington state. She and I still correspond. She is 92 years old.

ERWIN SCHWEIGERT: 1945 - Always a high scorer in basketball and served in the U.S. Army.

KENNETH (Whitey) SCHWEIGERT: 1951 - An all-around athlete.

LEE CASTLEBERRY and BENNY PADDEN: 1948 - Teammates through all years of high school in all sports.

JIM COURTNEY and WILBUR ANDERSON: 1950 - The Albion kids who filled the sports uniforms during all of their Carter County High School years.

HARLAN (Pod) WASH: Played independent ball with us one winter. Went to college at Dickinson, N.D. and came back each spring to play in the Ekalaka Independent Tourney. He was Most Valuable Player in 1957 and All Tourney in 1958. Became a successful coach and teacher in North Dakota. We still correspond occasionally.

ROBERT (Bob) LASATER: 1954 - Voted number 1 in the Eagle. When attending college at Dickinson he always came to help greatly during those tourney years. Also successful coach and teacher in North Dakota.

BUDDY MORRISON: 1956 - High School basketball great and "All Tourney" player for the years of 1956 and 1958 at the Ekalaka Independent Tourney.

JIM (Doak) WALKER: 1957 - Better known for his football game, but also played basketball during his high school years. His picture shows up in the 1957 independent team.

ROSS MAJOR: 1964 - Excelled in CCHS basketball and went on to play for the Glendive Junior College. He became a basketball referee and when I worked out of the Glendive pool we were assigned to work together at Circle one night. As we came on the floor we heard a spectator say: "Well it looks like we have Jeff and Mutt tonight." Ross was around 6'6" and I was about 5'5". Cancer took him early in life.

Well, Loyd how about the ladies? As the February 28th Eagle reports, the name of KAREN (Markuson) KREITEL: 1978 - Her record can't be topped.

Yes, let's not forget this year's girls basketball team who went to the state tournament. That doesn't happen very often. Remember, every team is made up of TEAMMATES who have to work together.

After remembering all of these individuals and others, I was reminded of another, my brother Robert Townsend. Robert played both basketball and football and I would like to share the 1940-1944 basketball teams records.

1940-41: First place at districts at Miles City.

1941-42: First place at Miles City but lost both games at divisional in Glasgow.

1942-43: Fourth at Miles City.

1943-44: First at Miles City and moved on to divisional at Poplar where the team defeated Malta and Scobey, but fell to Wolf Point to take second place.

Robert, like so many CCHS grads, joined the United States Armed Forces by joining the Navy on May 10, 1944. That was a long time ago as the picture above, taken in 1947, will show. I was a junior in high school when it was taken, along with Georgetta (10), Gary (3) and Robert (22).

Years after the picture was taken and I was refereeing a basketball game at Miles City (Custer County vs. Wolf Point). I was introduced to the Wolf Point coach (I believe his name was Bob Lowrey). The coach's question to me was: "Are you any relation to Bob Townsend?" Evidently, Robert had made an impression on several.

Well, so many names but many, many more come to my mind and I am sure to yours. Enjoy the memories!