IU Football Alum Bill Holzbach,

[4IUSox2]

from the early 50’s passed away on Christmas Day at the age of 92. He was a 3-sport star at East Chicago Roosevelt, where he won 3 mythical state championships in football in ‘47, ‘48, 49 (25 years before Indiana state football playoffs). All-state in football and baseball, would play 1 year of baseball and 3 years football at IU at DB.

Is in the EC Sports HOF, the Indiana HS Football HOF as a player, and the Indiana Basketball HOF as a coach at ECR, where he coached the 1970 Rough Riders to an undefeated basketball state championship with star Jim Bradley.

Have to believe at 92, one of the older “I” men who was still around.

 

[vesuvius13]

from the early 50’s passed away on Christmas Day at the age of 92. He was a 3-sport star at East Chicago Roosevelt, where he won 3 mythical state championships in football in ‘47, ‘48, 49 (25 years before Indiana state football playoffs). All-state in football and baseball, would play 1 year of baseball and 3 years football at IU at DB.

Is in the EC Sports HOF, the Indiana HS Football HOF as a player, and the Indiana Basketball HOF as a coach at ECR, where he coached the 1970 Rough Riders to an undefeated basketball state championship with star Jim Bradley.

Have to believe at 92, one of the older “I” men who was still around.

RIP

 

[red hornet]

Dr. Brad Bomba played end for the Hoosiers in the '50's His son Matt played for Bill Mallory & his grandson James plays TE currently for the Hoosiers.

 

[Cap99]

RIP Bill - a good football player and a good man

 

[destewart]

I did play by play of the 1970 Lafayette semi state when EC Roosevelt beat Lafayette Jeff by 2 and Michigan City by 4. They never got the respect they should have despite going unbeaten. Overshadowed by the perfect Washington and ECW teams. Amazing to have had three different teams go unbeaten in three years. Only 14 in state’s history.

 

[4IUSox2]

A little before my time, but learned through my dad and older brothers, how dominating a player Jim Bradley was for them. Not much of a student, so ended up at NIU. Met a violent ending in Seattle, iirc after his pro career ended.

Des, did any school NOT from the Region make it out of the Lafayette Semi-State in the following years? I may have some of the years wrong, but Region Hoops of the late-60’s and early-70’s was a real monster…Michigan City won it all in ‘66. Gary Roosevelt in ‘67 or ‘68. ‘69 Gary Tolleston (in its last year as a school) lost to Indy Washington by 3 in the state final. ECR undefeated champs in ‘70; ECW in ‘71. Gary West Side lost in ‘72 final at Assembly Hall.

 

[DANC]

I did play by play of the 1970 Lafayette semi state when EC Roosevelt beat Lafayette Jeff by 2 and Michigan City by 4. They never got the respect they should have despite going unbeaten. Overshadowed by the perfect Washington and ECW teams. Amazing to have had three different teams go unbeaten in three years. Only 14 in state’s history.

So you remember the Rossville Hornet teams that went to the Semi-State 1969-1971.

They usually started their tournament run by whipping our ass by 30+ points.

They were great teams, no matter the size of the school, which was around 200, I think. I know they didn't play football, so basketball was the main sport there.

 

[red hornet]

So you remember the Rossville Hornet teams that went to the Semi-State 1969-1971.

They usually started their tournament run by whipping our ass by 30+ points.

They were great teams, no matter the size of the school, which was around 200, I think. I know they didn't play football, so basketball was the main sport there.

Didn't Rossville have a player named Bonebrake who could the eyes out of the basket?

 

[DANC]

Didn't Rossville have a player named Bonebrake who could the eyes out of the basket?

Sure did. But the big scorer on that team was Garry Kamstra. His brother John also played and was Knight's first recruit. He tore up his ankle, I believe on his first year at iU. Garry had a good career at Cincinnati. By the way, the Kamstras arenephews of IU's Phil Buck, who also played at Rossville in 1947 and was on the Indiana All Star team. Phil also coached a couple pretty good IU players at Madison Heights in Anderson.

Randy Reed played center on those Rossville teams and was pretty good at 6'5" - a big center in those days.

I forget who the 5th starter on that team was - I'm sure someone on the board will remember.

One of the saddest things in sports I witnessed was Garry Kamstra's team losing to Frankfort in the Sectional in '72. The other 4 guys had graduated and Garry was the only leftover and he had a great senior year. You could tell after the game, he felt he'd let the school down by not continuing their tournament tradition. Those kids were real winners.

 

[UncleMark]

Sure did. But the big scorer on that team was Garry Kamstra. His brother John also played and was Knight's first recruit. He tore up his ankle, I believe on his first year at iU.

I know Kamstra was in that class, but I had always heard that Steve Green was Knight's first recruit.

Didn't Kamstra go on to be a doctor? Knight mentored a bunch of them. Kyle Hornsby is my wife's cardiologist.

 

[DANC]

I know Kamstra was in that class, but I had always heard that Steve Green was Knight's first recruit.

Didn't Kamstra go on to be a doctor? Knight mentored a bunch of them. Kyle Hornsby is my wife's cardiologist.

I thought John Kamstra went on to become a CPA. Last I heard, I think he still lives in Bloomington.

Who knows if he was first - that's just what the locals - and I thought Bob Hammel - said.

 

[UncleMark]

I thought John Kamstra went on to become a CPA. Last I heard, I think he still lives in Bloomington.

Who knows if he was first - that's just what the locals - and I thought Bob Hammel - said.

Long time ago.

Quick Google makes me think he landed at Cook along with a bunch of other ballplayers from the earlier Knight years.

 

[DANC]

Long time ago.

Quick Google makes me think he landed at Cook along with a bunch of other ballplayers from the earlier Knight years.

Yes, pretty sure he was a Cook.