1057:. Melrose dominated early in the first half, but Geneseo stormed back and took the lead in the second half. Melrose was down four points with 3:30 to go in the game, but rallied to win the game 35–34. The final basket came after Walt O'Connor made a floor-length pass to Jim Thynne who then made a sensational shot. Some of the Melrose players had problems handling the ball in the first half because their hands were slippery from the hair grease they put on to impress the big city crowd. They cleaned their hands at half time and did not have the same problem in the second half.
50:
held a single tournament to determine the boys' basketball championship. Eight larger schools (Class A schools) and eight small schools (Class B schools) were invited to the tournament. Although the large Class A schools were favored, several small schools won the state championship during this era,
1145:
In May 2012, the Iowa House of
Representatives officially congratulated the 1937 Melrose Shamrocks basketball team on the 75th anniversary of their championship. The resolution recounted the accomplishments of the 1937 team and encouraged "all Iowans to follow its example in striving to accomplish
1066:
was a much larger school than
Melrose. Newton's enrollment of 1,426 dwarfed the Melrose enrollment of 66 and far surpassed the population of the entire town of Melrose, which was only 420 people. Melrose played tight defense and defeated the heavily favored Newton team 20–15. Melrose defeated
69:
High School did not have a gym for the 1937 team to use or for its home games. Instead, they used the floor of the town opera house. The court measured 30 feet (9.1 meters) in width by 40 to 45 feet (12 to 14 meters) in length. One corner of the playing floor featured a pot-belly wood stove, which
1109:
Melrose beat
Marshalltown by playing only five players (Walt O'Connor, Jim Thynne, Jim Carr, Ray Parks, and Mike Kasper). Coach Hlubek stated afterwards that he was so excited it did not occur to him to substitute some of the other players into the game when they had a big lead. O'Connor, Thynne,
554:
Melrose finished the regular season with a 19–0 record, having outscored their opponents 794–417. The team had two close games at the beginning of the season, when their center Jim Thynne was out with broken ribs. The other big test for the
Shamrocks in the regular season was the game
77:
During the 1937 season, the teams had a center jump ball after each score. This allowed teams with a tall center, like
Melrose, to control the tempo of a game. It would also allow a team that was behind to more easily rally as the players could regain possession of the ball after each basket. The
1105:
High School (1,077 vs. 66), but the
Marshalltown team was one of the pre-tournament favorites. The game was close at the half, with Melrose leading 14–12. However, Melrose dominated the second half to win easily 35–17. The 18–point win was the largest margin of victory for any
85:
The
Melrose coach was Adolph "Ad" Hlubek, the school superintendent. He told people that he learned most of what he knew about coaching basketball from a 10 cent paperback book. He also said that he learned the sliding zone defense they used from a friend in Kansas.
243:
The
Shamrock's season consisted of a regular season and five tournaments. The tournaments included the Monroe County tournament, the Chariton Valley Conference tournament, the sectional and district qualifying tournaments, and the State tournament.
37:
recognized the
Shamrocks as one of the ten best State tournament teams in Iowa history. In May 2012, the Iowa House of Representatives officially congratulated the 1937 Melrose Shamrocks basketball team on the 75th anniversary of their championship.
1077:
pitted the tournament's remaining two undefeated teams. Melrose entered the game with a 31–0 record. Rolfe brought a 29–0 record into the match. Although Rolfe was favored, Melrose easily beat them 29–13.
32:
Shamrocks were the smallest school ever to win a single-class state basketball title in Iowa. The team finished their season 33–0, the first undefeated boys basketball team in Iowa history. In 2012, the
1141:
in 1980. O'Connor was also named to the Drake
University All-Century Basketball team. In March 2012, the Iowa High School Athletic Association inducted Coach Ad Hlubek into the Hall of Fame as a coach.
103:
1456:
106:
1937 Melrose Basketball Team Front: Robert Parks, George Pavlik, Walt O'Connor, Jim Carr, Mike Kasper. Back: Ray Parks, Ed Callahan, Jim Thynne, Ray Navin, Bernard Lee, Coach Ad Hlubek
99:
The team roster had only one change during the 1936–37 season. Freshman Bernard Lee joined the team part way through the season when Dan Ryan had to quit to help out at home.
926:
Fieldhouse from Thursday, March 18, 1937, to Saturday, March 20, 1937. The tournament used a single elimination format with the semifinal and final games held on the same day.
1321:
1179:
1502:
1122:, not only because they were a small school that defeated many large schools, but also because they were the first Iowa high school team to have an undefeated season.
543:
479:
70:
heated the building. The circles around the foul lines intersected the circle at center court. The Melrose opera house floor was less than 30 percent the size of the
1438:
List of all players and coaches admitted to the hall of fame from 1969 to 2011 and lists the players and coaches to be inducted during the 2012 State Tournament.
1243:
1448:
1211:
1412:
1313:
1171:
1419:
1283:
1263:
1126:
1118:
When the team returned to Melrose on Sunday, it kicked off a large celebration. The team was celebrated around the State of
915:
79:
47:
1487:
555:
against Rathbun. Melrose trailed 34–28 with 1:45 to play. They rallied and scored nine straight points to win the game.
1482:
1368:
1133:
and was named the "outstanding Iowa amateur" for 1940 by the Amateur Athletic Association and was inducted into the
1191:
Melrose did not originally have a nickname, but as the 1937 season went on the popular nickname "Shamrocks" stuck.
934:
The following teams qualified for the State tournament from the various sectional tournaments around the State.
74:
Fieldhouse floor, where the State tournament was played. That floor measured 50 by 94 feet (15 by 29 meters).
1094:
had to prepare for the finals that night. The teams played in front of a sold-out crowd of 7,800 fans in the
972:
1492:
1497:
1219:
1067:
Newton by playing only five players (Walt O'Connor, Jim Thynne, Jim Carr, Ray Parks, and Ed Callahan).
1032:
910:
Melrose finished the season with a 33–0 record and outscored their opponents 1,304–702.
1334:
1138:
1091:
984:
899:
1150:
erected a monument in the center of town honoring the 1937 basketball team and its selection in a
1423:
1277:"Great Moments from 100 Years of State Basketball Tournament History (Updated January 31, 2012)"
52:
8:
1356:
1317:
1276:
1215:
1175:
1151:
1134:
1101:
Marshalltown was heavily favored. Not only was Marshalltown High School much bigger than
1025:
34:
913:
82:, like other associations, changed this rule after the 1937 season to its current rule.
1364:
1262:”Remember the Giant Killers?” 2011 State Basketball Tournament Souvenir Program p.60
948:
812:
1452:
1130:
1095:
1020:
923:
741:
656:
431:
323:
71:
780:
960:
60:
1476:
1333:
Article describing Walt O’Connor’s 1980 entry into the Des Moines Register's
1147:
1102:
1087:
1037:
1013:
965:
953:
672:
640:
527:
511:
447:
401:
385:
66:
56:
29:
102:
1063:
1054:
996:
989:
867:
851:
291:
275:
1086:
After the semifinal games were over in the afternoon, the players on both
1154:
poll as the top team in the first 100 years of boys’ basketball in Iowa.
1074:
1008:
1001:
977:
883:
796:
725:
586:
495:
463:
355:
339:
307:
25:
1413:"IHSAA Hall of Fame Players and Coaches (Updated January 15, 2012)"
1125:
Years later, Walt O'Connor and Jim Thynne were inducted into the
1449:"Five All-Americans Headline Men's Basketball All Century Team"
1397:, Moravia, Iowa: Moravia Printing Company, pp. 272–282
1119:
21:
1129:
Hall of Fame. O'Connor went on to play three sports for
1395:
But of Course They were Irish – History of Melrose, Iowa
1146:
goals that seem impossible." In late 2012, the city of
1110:
and Parks were named to the tournament all-star teams.
1081:
1363:, Provo, Utah: Lighthouse Publishers, pp. 27–44,
1503:High school basketball teams in the United States
1407:
1405:
1307:
1305:
1303:
1301:
1299:
1474:
1402:
1296:
28:champions. With an enrollment of only 66, the
1351:
1349:
1347:
1345:
1343:
1388:
1386:
1384:
1382:
1380:
1205:
1203:
1201:
1199:
1197:
1361:All About Jim – The James Leo Thynne Story
1340:
922:The 1937 State tournament was held in the
1377:
1209:
18:1937 Melrose High School (Iowa) Shamrocks
1355:
1194:
1045:
101:
1392:
1238:
1236:
1475:
1212:"100 years: The top 10 all-time teams"
1420:Iowa High School Athletic Association
1311:
1284:Iowa High School Athletic Association
1264:Iowa High School Athletic Association
1169:
1127:Iowa High School Athletic Association
1073:The semifinal game of Melrose versus
916:Iowa High School Athletic Association
89:
80:Iowa High School Athletic Association
48:Iowa High School Athletic Association
1233:
1106:championship team up to that point.
1082:Final Game: Melrose vs. Marshalltown
13:
14:
1514:
1393:Tierney, Evelyn Sinclair (1984),
1071:Semifinal Game: Melrose vs. Rolfe
1314:"Walter O'Connor, Melrose, 1980"
1172:"Walter O'Connor, Melrose, 1980"
1459:from the original on 2011-10-01
1441:
1324:from the original on 2012-07-23
1210:Schoffner, Chuck (2012-02-15).
1182:from the original on 2012-07-23
1053:The first test for Melrose was
1269:
1256:
1163:
94:
1:
1157:
929:
41:
1113:
7:
1312:White, Maury (2005-07-05).
1170:White, Maury (2005-07-05).
238:
10:
1519:
1488:High school sports in Iowa
918:Boys Basketball Tournament
613:Chariton Valley Tournament
235:Coach: Adolph "Ad" Hlubek
1483:Basketball teams in Iowa
1335:Iowa Sports Hall of Fame
1139:Iowa Sports Hall of Fame
559:Monroe County Tournament
90:The 1936–37 Season
1244:"House Resolution 148"
107:
1046:Lead Up to the Finals
105:
1055:Geneseo Consolidated
684:Sectional Tournament
1493:Monroe County, Iowa
1429:on December 2, 2008
1318:Des Moines Register
1216:Des Moines Register
1176:Des Moines Register
1152:Des Moines Register
1135:Des Moines Register
1051:Melrose vs. Geneseo
753:District Tournament
35:Des Moines Register
1498:1937 in basketball
1061:Melrose vs. Newton
108:
24:state high school
1357:Yorgason, Brenton
1043:
1042:
908:
907:
821:
820:
750:
749:
681:
680:
610:
609:
552:
551:
233:
232:
1510:
1468:
1467:
1465:
1464:
1453:Drake University
1445:
1439:
1437:
1435:
1434:
1428:
1422:. Archived from
1417:
1409:
1400:
1398:
1390:
1375:
1373:
1353:
1338:
1332:
1330:
1329:
1309:
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1273:
1267:
1260:
1254:
1253:
1251:
1250:
1240:
1231:
1230:
1228:
1227:
1218:. Archived from
1207:
1192:
1190:
1188:
1187:
1167:
1131:Drake University
1096:Drake University
937:
936:
924:Drake University
828:
827:
824:State Tournament
757:
756:
688:
687:
617:
616:
563:
562:
544:Central Catholic
480:Central Catholic
252:
251:
110:
109:
72:Drake University
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1185:
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1168:
1164:
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1116:
1084:
1048:
1021:Sioux City East
932:
920:
589:Frosh-Sophomore
241:
97:
92:
44:
12:
11:
5:
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248:Regular Season
240:
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202:
198:
197:
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163:Forward/Guard
161:
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139:
136:
132:
131:
128:
125:
121:
120:
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88:
43:
40:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
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1370:1-928845-31-2
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1285:
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1272:
1265:
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1245:
1239:
1237:
1222:on 2013-01-21
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1062:
1058:
1056:
1052:
1039:
1036:
1034:
1033:Waterloo East
1031:
1030:
1027:
1026:Mitchellville
1024:
1022:
1019:
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1015:
1012:
1010:
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1006:
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582:
579:
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253:
250:
249:
245:
236:
228:
225:
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217:
214:
211:
210:
206:
203:
201:George Pavlik
200:
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195:
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188:
184:
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178:
177:
173:
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167:
166:
162:
159:
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148:
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129:
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124:Walt O'Connor
123:
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100:
87:
83:
81:
75:
73:
68:
64:
62:
59:in 1937, and
58:
54:
49:
46:In 1937, the
39:
36:
31:
27:
23:
19:
1461:. Retrieved
1443:
1431:. Retrieved
1424:the original
1394:
1360:
1326:. Retrieved
1287:. Retrieved
1271:
1258:
1247:. Retrieved
1224:. Retrieved
1220:the original
1184:. Retrieved
1165:
1144:
1124:
1117:
1108:
1100:
1098:Fieldhouse.
1092:Marshalltown
1085:
1070:
1069:
1060:
1059:
1050:
1049:
985:Marshalltown
933:
921:
909:
900:Marshalltown
823:
822:
752:
751:
683:
682:
612:
611:
558:
557:
553:
247:
246:
242:
234:
212:Robert Parks
98:
84:
76:
65:
45:
17:
15:
949:Centerville
813:Martinsburg
223:Bernard Lee
179:Ed Callahan
168:Mike Kasper
95:Team Roster
1477:Categories
1463:2012-02-25
1433:2012-02-24
1328:2012-02-19
1289:2012-02-25
1266:March 2011
1249:2012-05-05
1226:2012-02-19
1186:2012-02-19
1158:References
930:Qualifiers
742:Blakesburg
657:Williamson
432:Williamson
324:Williamson
135:Jim Thynne
51:including
42:Background
26:basketball
1114:Aftermath
973:Davenport
781:Hillsboro
190:Ray Navin
182:Sophomore
171:Sophomore
146:Ray Parks
138:Sophomore
119:Position
63:in 1938.
55:in 1933,
53:Dunkerton
20:were the
1457:Archived
1359:(2004),
1322:Archived
1180:Archived
961:Clarinda
943:Class B
239:Schedule
226:Freshman
218:Forward
174:Forward
157:Jim Carr
130:Forward
61:Diagonal
1148:Melrose
1103:Melrose
1088:Melrose
1038:Ottosen
1014:Melrose
990:Geneseo
966:Bronson
954:Blencoe
940:Class A
893:Melrose
877:Melrose
861:Melrose
852:Geneseo
845:Melrose
806:Melrose
790:Melrose
774:Melrose
735:Melrose
719:Melrose
711:Hiteman
705:Melrose
673:Russell
666:Melrose
650:Melrose
641:Cambria
634:Melrose
603:Hiteman
597:Melrose
580:Melrose
537:Melrose
528:Lovilia
521:Melrose
512:Rathbun
505:Melrose
489:Melrose
473:Melrose
457:Melrose
448:Russell
441:Melrose
425:Melrose
417:Hiteman
411:Melrose
402:Lovilia
395:Melrose
386:Russell
379:Melrose
371:Hiteman
365:Melrose
349:Melrose
333:Melrose
317:Melrose
301:Melrose
285:Melrose
269:Melrose
196:Center
141:Center
67:Melrose
57:Melrose
30:Melrose
1367:
1064:Newton
997:Newton
868:Newton
840:Score
769:Score
700:Score
629:Score
575:Score
292:Bussey
276:Bussey
264:Score
229:Guard
215:Senior
207:Guard
204:Senior
193:Senior
185:Guard
160:Junior
152:Guard
149:Junior
127:Senior
113:Player
1427:(PDF)
1416:(PDF)
1280:(PDF)
1075:Rolfe
1009:Rolfe
1002:Maloy
978:Delhi
914:1937
884:Rolfe
834:Score
797:Douds
763:Score
726:Derby
694:Score
623:Score
587:Albia
569:Score
496:Derby
464:Lucas
356:Lucas
340:Derby
308:Albia
258:Score
1365:ISBN
1120:Iowa
1090:and
837:Team
831:Team
766:Team
760:Team
697:Team
691:Team
626:Team
620:Team
572:Team
566:Team
261:Team
255:Team
116:Year
22:Iowa
16:The
1137:'s
904:17
888:13
872:15
856:34
817:20
801:17
785:20
746:25
730:15
714:19
677:15
661:20
645:14
606:23
592:18
548:20
532:20
516:34
500:26
484:18
468:10
452:18
436:34
420:11
406:24
390:32
374:39
360:28
344:21
328:13
312:27
296:24
280:18
1479::
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1418:.
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1316:.
1298:^
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1235:^
1214:.
1196:^
1178:.
1174:.
896:35
880:29
864:20
848:35
809:30
793:37
777:42
738:26
722:34
708:28
669:37
653:39
637:47
600:34
583:37
540:37
524:35
508:37
492:49
476:54
460:65
444:34
428:39
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398:62
382:64
368:56
352:66
336:39
320:33
304:31
288:25
272:23
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