Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, January 28, 2009 - FIVE
Heppner overcomes tragedy
By Mark Deuel
Editor s Note: The Heppner
Gazette-Times received this
article in an email from the
author, Mark Deuel. Deuel
came across information
about the 1921 Heppner
High School basketball team
while doing research on
small school basketball.
This story and other in
formation can be viewed
on his website at http://
oregonhoops history, blog- wagon roads.
H elp from o th e r
spot. com/2009/01/heppner-
co
m
m
u
n ities w as quick
overcomes-tragedy. html.
Sports are often used
as a diversion. Something
else to think about for a few
hours until reality hits again.
It can be therapeutic. It can
be healing.
For tow ns bound
to g eth er by tragedy, the
gymnasium on Friday night
is a chance to get together
with an extended family that
extends from Main Street to
the fields and farms outside
o f town.
For H eppner, O r
egon, no doubt the healing
process from a devastating
June day in 1903 was helped
along by the sports teams of
the Heppner High School.
At the turn o f the
century, Heppner, Oregon
was a boom ing shipping
center, with a “spider web
o f roads” leading in and out
o f the city for goods coming
inland from the Columbia
River. Formed at the con
fluence o f three creeks, the
land in and around Heppner
was perfect grazing land.
By 1900, the town had over
1,000 citizens, two banks,
nine saloons and two major
hotels.
The grow ing city
became the victim o f one
o f the worst natural disas
ters in Oregon state history
when a devastating “wall
o f water” shattered the city
and the w ay o f life. On
June 14, 1903 after an af
ternoon o f rain and storms,
an enorm ous and deadly
flood punched the town and
in an instant knocked it to
its knees.
The flood passed in
two hours but left behind a
trail o f destruction. Nearly
tw o-thirds o f the hom es
w ere gone, the business
district was wrecked. Main
Street was littered with trash
and homes that had floated
from their lots and came
to rest. Telegraph and tele
phone lines were decimated
and the railroad line from
Lexington to Heppner was
destroyed. The only way in
or out was badly damaged
and nearly un-navigable
to arrive but Heppner lost
many residents who moved
soon after the flood. The
1910 census counted 880
people, a substantial drop
from the 1900 census count
ing nearly 1,400. By 1990,
the town was back to its pre
flood count o f 1,412.
The healing m ust
have been slow. Recovering
possessions and in the worst
case, dead family members
is an unthinkable and tragic
task.
The ch ild re n and
babies, who survived that
horrible event, became key
figures on a basketball team
that helped their parents re
cover from that day.
H e p p n e r H ig h
School, with a student popu
lation o f 87 students, had a
few years o f success before
reaching the state tourna
m ent in 1921. The team
returned five lettermen, in
cluding center Jared Aiken,
who was on the champion
ship team of 1918-19. [Au
thor’s Note: No information
was given on this champion
ship won by Heppner. Often,
papers would declare their
town the champions even
though no formal league
or cham pionship to u rn a
ment was created. Heppner
probably won the m ajor
ity o f its games that year
and probably beat a mix
o f neighboring towns that
had teams, club teams and
alumni teams.]
Heppner opened the
season with 24-16 win at
home over Lexington on
January 15. They followed
the opener with a close win
at home over Pilot Rock 17-
15. After the game, the girls
o f Heppner “entertained at
the school house in honor
o f the visiting team.”
I found many stories
like this, where after the
gam e, both team s would
gather at the school and
have parties and gatherings
and rehash the game over
punch, pie and cookies.
It’s an incredible show o f
sportsmanship and pride. I
BASKET BM1 TEW 60ES
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i u a a .W K tL .n - u j . . t k a
.
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f.om** [jlf
,
k iv i * a «ood aff< w h ( o ( 'h.'M M -h. i ’
fit th e b i t rm »t and th e ir c ap tain .
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«ndlvirtu ' tally <*orert if* the
• ta t# .
T h e boy* a r e a ll v e il pt<-a»cd w ith .
th e ir tr i p a n d w ith th»* tre a tm e n t
they jocoivi • o' - * • ■*»
T h e f r c a tiM h a n d ic ap they went
u p 4 a g a in st n*** in th e *l*o of t!u*
flo o r oo w hich th e )
A reas
to in e d , a*
w #re. to th * ir own
»m all floor wis*-re* th*-> vv*»r«> a!»}.* to
piny In
■ tot i i l l ............
r a th e r lost Ml th .
flofci . t Solent
# rd railed ir. Ih#tl to o t wi>r1 on th a t
a cc o u n t. ^
"If
M ar slj fs .d «! b u n c h mi o u r in. n .I t»'r.
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have not experienced this in
my many years o f sport, as a
player or as a coach. I think
we would do well to get
back to this but I fear that we
are moving in the opposite
direction instead.
Heppner won their
third straight game to open
the season over “the crack
basketball team from Wheel
er County High School at
Fossil.”
On Friday, February
4, Heppner met Lexington
for the second tim e that
season. Lexington took the
game 20-12 and it showed
that the “ Lexington boys
have been doing some prac
ticing and that our boys need
a little more.”
The article appeared
on page 8 o f the Herald, and
was untitled. Clearly, Hepp
ner’s press was not fully into
Heppner’s chances just yet.
Next cam e a road
trip to Condon on February
10 and Fossil on February
12. C ondon's slick floor
could not deter Heppner,
who bolted to a 17-2 half
time lead. Condon couldn't
make up much ground in
the second half, outscoring
Heppner 15-11 for a final
scored o f 28-17.
Fossil gave Heppner
all it could handle two nights
later. The Fossilites jumped
to a 10-6 halftime lead. The
second half proved to be a
nip-and-tuck affair, as Hep
pner battled back to even the
score at 19 with under a min
ute to play. Heppner scored
a field goal and a free throw
to win the game 22-19.
On F e b ru a ry 18,
Child Care Resource and Referral
announces upcoming classes
Child Care Resource
and Referral will be holding
the following classes:
-Family Child Care
O verview on February 2
from 6-9 p.m. in Pendleton
and March 2 from 6-9 p.m.
in Hermiston. This free class
is required by the Child Care
Division for anyone wish
ing to become a Registered
Family Child Care Provider,
and for in d iv id u als that
want to learn more about
O regon's laws governing
child care.
- D H S F a m ily ,
Friends and Neighbors Ori
entation will be held on Feb
ruary 5 from 6:30-8:30 p.m.
in H erm iston and March
5 from 6:30*8:30 p.m. in
Pendleton. This is a free
class.
-R ecognizing and
Reporting Child Abuse and
N eglect w ill be held on
February 12 from 6:30-8:30
)
p.m. in Hermiston. The cost
of this class is $5 and will be
taught in Spanish. This class
is required by the Child Care
Division for anyone wish
ing to become a Registered
Family Child Care Provider
and for DHS listed Provid
ers who want to qualify for
the enhanced rates. It will
cover Oregon's mandatory
laws and how to recognize
child abuse and neglect.
-Children with Dis
abilities will be held Febru
ary 19 from 6:30-8:30 p.m.
in Pendleton. The cost for
this class is $5. This training
will focus on young children
with disabilities. The trainer
will be Niki Brown from the
ESD.
-Building Blocks for
Social Emotional Develop
ment 4 Week Series will be
held February 25, March 4,
II, and 18 in Hermiston.
been made and Heppner had
been declared the districts'
entrant to Salem. But one
problem remained: finances.
According to the Heppner
i uotai grmw?
•TATE tuOWAMtVT
yearbook, “our school fi
nances were rather low and
it looked as though the team
would not get to go, but the
to* * «* * •
* *
(• * to •***« «-W* «4
»t > - [1 business men o f Heppner
ilk»
to
!»«%'*• offered to finance the trip
* M %■*#■■■ K»t»i UK **♦*» A**« 1»*^ *
*
t* *
s * f i# a n » | «
and the boys were able to
fintiiw
go after all.”
fto
4 + f fto •** ***-«♦ to * j •
to** !• 4*-*V*. Vyt *•»
»to :
Plans were quickly
f»-»«»«to
«HMWêlkg.
» to « »4«*«« »#*•> #tonr»«tol foto» 1
■ k* » *
■» f * • * «r to * s »4 ~ v
made
and
the Heppner team
« to* I to M a *»to » W to4 to»«» ^ I
K# >**r*to«* »to«
to *
left
for
Salem
on Wednesday
il k « M * * | » 4 • to » H * v
« « to •« *» *« «
** »to rtf» to »1# »**•
March
9.
Once
in Salem,
T>« totto«
«Il Ito
ftoftor I hm Uto» •»
the teams drew lots to de
. *Ui m to to*« totot t+ «W j cide their opponents in the
(tin*
Tto <*«*« **to *« m * '*» * to ?>*«!* L I tournament. When Coach
N*»•»>« **•« »«to **# totoM i <
» . . * * > ■ >• <*• • • ♦
v> «« * *■ • *
Heard's turn came, he drew
M **-**’• *»' »« ' ***•'•
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tot*»*»»to« to » «*
«to* to* • <to I
. « ï
> M**
* Southern Oregon's M arsh
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w
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field, cham pions o f Coos
mm***-* »* ?t »« *» #>to
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County for the third straight
%«*• » - W
t « » to to »«**
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year
and winners o f eight
H
f* <4
*
t» * » #*
i games in a row.
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t
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* 4 «*•*
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R ight aw ay, a fa
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(to
'*»#»*«**»«*
miliar problem greeted the
4* to
flMtowU#
-
to»«*«*» • • *»•
(to Ito . small school teams. Accus
*•>■* ■*■* ***»
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;
«r« Ai«*« t * * r to — »>14»** 'A. {
1 «toi «toto* *1 «♦*# I tomed to playing on their
smaller floors, the spacious
floor at the Salem Armory
was foreign to the boys
the season.
Once again, a dis from Heppner. Ultimately,
trict without a tournament even if Heppner had hosted
had some conflict over who M arshfield on their own
would be their representa floor, it would have been a
tive at the state tournament. tough game to win. Led by
Just like Rainier the year second team all-state guard
before, there was debate Thomas McGinnis, Marsh
over who would represent field handled Heppner easily
the district that consisted of 44-19.
The Heppner Herald
teams from Hood River to
Pendleton according to the claimed “if we could only
Herald. Interestingly to me, have that Marshfield bunch
no mention of Hood River or on our own floor for a game,
Pendleton was mentioned as w e’d show' “em.”
W hile they d id n 't
opponents o f Heppner dur
capture the championship,
ing this season.
No m atter, H epp H eppner m ade a decent
ner was in line for the trip showing at Salem and more
to Salem. Not knowing if importantly, had a great time
Pendleton and. Hood River in doing it. According to the
High Schools were actually paper, center Jared Aiken
in the district, I believe that “brought home the highest
the debate might have been individual tally scored in
over Heppner and Lexington the state.”
Interestingly enough
since the two schools split
the two games during the for Heppner High School,
the basketball team wasn't
season.
The team w aited the only team to have great
several days for word from success in 1921. Indeed,
the committee in Salem and the debate team was also
on March 8 they finally got a noteworthy group and as
the notice that they were debating was a significant
selected to attend the 1921 activity in those days, the
state tournament. For Hep town was equally as proud
o f their debaters as they
pner, it was a big honor.
“All honor to Hep were the hoopsters.
1921 was a banner
pner Hi!” proclaimed the
year
for
H eppner a c tiv i
Heppner Herald. The paper
credited the team with put ties. The basketball team
ting the town on the map gave the town a thrilling
and specifically mentioned ride during the basketball
the work o f Professor John season undoubtedly helping
H eard, who coached the to heal wounds left open by
team to an incredible sea that horrendous day in 1903
when the town was nearly
son.
The d ecisio n had washed away.
There is a $5 fee for this
class.
-ECO Healthy, ECO
Friendy will be held March
9 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. in
Pendleton. The fee for this
class is $5.
-Learning Through
O bservation will be held
March 23 from 6:30-8:30
p.m. in Hermiston. The fee
for this class is $5.
-Foster Resiliency in
Children will be held March
31 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. in
Hermiston. The fee for this
class is $5. This session
will focus on ways child
care provider and parents
can support resiliency in
children.
For more inform a
tion or to pre-register for
classes, call C hild C are
R esource & R eferral at
1-800-559-5878 or 541-
564-6878.
f
A
**
f
ï»
Condon visited Heppner for
their return game. Condon
led early 6-5, making good
use o f the foul line. Condon
hit four foul shots and a
field goal for the slim lead.
Halftime woke Heppner up,
as “Chidsey and Ferguson
guarded the Condon boys
so effectively that they could
not score a field basket.”
The offense was pow ered by
center Aiken, Elmer Patter
son and Paul McDuffee who
ran Heppner’s second half
score up to 29. The 24- 2
second half explosion more
than cem ented H eppner’s
status as an elite team in the
league.
Heppner continued
their strong play a few days
later w ith a d o m in atin g
perfo rm an ce in H erm is
ton. Not many details were
available on the game other
than the fact that Hermiston
were good sports in the 34-
12 loss and they said that
“Heppner was the cleanest
team that they had played
this year.” Nevertheless, the
clean playing Heppner team
was a team to be reckoned
with in the district.
The win over Herm
iston was H eppner’s sev
enth victory o f the season
and puts “them in line for
the state tournament at Sa
lem.”
Hermiston returned
to Heppner for the second
meeting of the tw o schools
on March 5 and again Hep
pner won, this time 24-10
to run their record to 8-1 on
**% *■«*
It’s St. Patrick planning time again IHS sophomores
The first St. Patrick’s the 2009 Wee Bit O ’ Ireland to hold lasagna
Planning Committee Meet event on March 13-15. The
ing will be held on Tuesday, events and projects that have feed
February 3, at 6 p.m. at City
Hall. Pizza and beverages
will be provided.
This m eeting will
be held to get started on the
planning and be brought up
to date and plugged in on
been planned so far will be
discussed.
C all the H eppner
C ham ber at 676-5536 to
RSVP or send an email to
heppnerchamber@century-
tel.net.
DA’s Report
Morrow County District Attorney Elizabeth Bal
lard has released the follow ing report:
-Christopher Alan Snipes. 31, was convicted of
attempt to commit a class B felony (robbery-2), and was
sentenced to three years probation, 180 sanction units w ith
90 jail units, complete 80 hours o f community service, and
other numerous conditions. He was also convicted o f theft
in the second degree, a class A misdemeanor, and was sen
tenced to the custody o f the local supervised authority for
one year. Total fines, fees, and assessments were $1.893.
-Samuel Amador Hernandez, 43, was convicted o f
manufacturing/delivery o f a controlled substance in sched
ule II. a class B felony, and was sentenced to the custody of
the Oregon Department o f Corrections for six months, two
years post-prison supervision, other numerous conditions,
and pay $598 in fines, fees and assessments.
T he l o n e Hi gh
School sophom ores will
sponsor a lasagna feed on
Saturday, January 31, at
the lone High School caf
eteria. The feed coincides
with a day o f basketball
against opponent, Condon/
Wheeler.
D i n n e r w i l l be
served starting at 3 p.m.
and will last as long as sup
plies last. Dinner includes
homemade lasagna, tossed
green salad, garlic bread
and punch. The price o f the
dinner is $6 per person. A
child's portion is available
for $4.
Advertise with the
Heppner Gazette-Times
Call
676-922Ô