"The Clarion Club think the referee was rank, and that the game was rightfully won by them, and there was considerable friction on the grounds." This is a passage from the earliest article about a basketball game that I could find in the archives. Dating back to August 29, 1900, the earliest record of basketball in Clarion is about girls basketball. There is coverage of two games in 1900 and then not much for a few years. The coverage that does exist is a great example of the style of writing from the day. A road game for the "Clarion basketball nine," as they traveled to the neighboring community of Eagle Grove. Eagle Grove has been a rival of Clarion for a long time, but from this article it is clear that it dates back to at least 1900. I find it fascinating that the earliest mention of basketball in Clarion also has mention of officials that don't seem to be up to par. So much so that the outcome of the game itself is disputed in the article. This is something that I hope that we can move past. | This is the beginning of a project that will aim at telling the story of basketball in Clarion, IA. Clarion is a small town in North Central Iowa that has a population of about 3,000 people. If you talk about the sport in and around Clarion, it is no secret that success has been scarce in the history of the community. All the same, there are many fascinating stories that deserve to be told. This blog will focus mainly on boys basketball. There will be mentions of the girls side, but most of the research will contain boys results. Much of the research for this project will come from the archived issues of the Wright County Monitor. |
It is also fascinating that after the game, the players and coaches were entertained with a nice evening of entertainment. This article stands in stark contrast of the coverage of the second game of the series that was to be played in Clarion the following week.
On September 20, 1900 The Wright County Monitor published a report about a basketball game that was played between the same two teams as the month before. This article is written in a way that just doesn't happen anymore. This really seems to fit with the era of yellow journalism. The article is shown below.
On September 20, 1900 The Wright County Monitor published a report about a basketball game that was played between the same two teams as the month before. This article is written in a way that just doesn't happen anymore. This really seems to fit with the era of yellow journalism. The article is shown below.
They just don't write stories like that anymore. These are the oldest mention of basketball in The Wright County Monitor. It should also be noted that basketball itself was not invented until 1891 be Dr. James Naismith. So this game would have taken place just 9 years later. The first girls basketball game was played in 1892. What a start! If you have anymore information, or have any questions, please ask. I would love this to be a springboard for future posts! Until next time, keep moving down the trail and GO COWBOYS!