#TBT: Making Hoops History

October 9, 2014

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

With nearly 90 years of our own to recall, we enjoy history quite a bit at the Michigan High School Athletic Association. 

And we also enjoy when those who have been part of our events send us a souvenir like this 1939 Boys Basketball Regional program from March 9-11, 1939, at what became known as Western Michigan University. 

Regionals for Class A, C and D were played at the then-Western State Teachers College, with Kalamazoo St. Augustine, Watervliet and Burr Oak emerging as champions, respectively. 

Also participating were Battle Creek, Holland, Benton Harbor and Kalamazoo Central in Class A; Bangor, Decatur, Eau Claire, Constantine and Kellogg in Class C; and Augusta and St. Joseph Catholic in Class D. 

Of note:

  • The cover of the program included a list of Regional champions at the site dating to 1920. The MHSAA began in 1925 from a previous body.

  • "Rules Changes to Watch" listed on the inside pages included the lane violation and a rule for overtime in which the first team scoring two points was declared the winner. 

  • The back cover showed an artist's sketch of the football/track and field and baseball stadiums then under construction at a cost of $270,000. 

Below is the inside pages in full, including filled-in brackets for all three tournaments. 

State Champs! Michigan: Hangtime 2-17-23

February 17, 2023

Join Lorne Plant, TJ Kelley and Scott Burnstein for the seventh episode this season of STATE CHAMPS! Hangtime.
0:00 – Open
1:10 – Undefeated teams across the state
1:35 – Birmingham Groves, Return of Marc West
3:55 – OAA White
4:55 – Game Recaps
5:12 – Brother Rice vs UofD Jesuit
6:27 – Detroit PSL/CHSL Operation Friendship
6:59 – Rice’s big 3
7:57 – Saginaw vs Arthur Hill, last game ever between the two programs before merger
11:21 – MAC Red
15:03 – Warren Lincoln vs Orchard Lake St. Mary’s
16:34 – Hudsonville vs Grandville
17:11 – BCAM Chalk Talks with North Farmington Head Coach Todd Negoshian
19:00 – The guys talk about North Farmington
22:06 – TJ’s Top 20 Rankings
25:01 – Weekend outlook and conference playoffs
29:44 - Close