CITY BEAT: COACH GAY KINTNER REMAINS A DECATUR, STATE LEGEND OF HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL

 

     Each year when “March Madness” gets underway and high school basketball teams start state tournament play, I think of Decatur’s “Master of March Madness”, Coach Gay Kintner.
     Even though Kintner died during the halftime of a game between Stephen Decatur and MacArthur high schools in 1960, 66 years later his legendary coaching success lives on in the hearts of so many area residents, former area residents and longtime fans across the state and beyond.
     Kintner’s teams (as this week’s “Scrapbook” feature on pages 4 and 5 of the Decatur Tribune points out) won three state championships and a fourth state championship with team members that he had coached for a few years before passing away.
     Even more amazing was that, back then, state championships were won when there was only one division in the state tournament!

     • RICH REMEMBERED — Rich Bobbitt, one of my longtime basketball buddies, who passed away a year ago, mentioned to me several times over the years that he was present at the Stephen Decatur/ MacArthur basketball game when Coach Gay Kintner passed away during halftime.
     Although Coach Kintner’s passing was a huge shock to the community and beyond, those who were at the game when it happened, like Rich, vividly remember the feelings they had by witnessing his passing, when they talk about it decades later.

     • WHEN the new Stephen Decatur High School was built on the city’s northside in the 1970s, the new gym was named after Coach Gay Kintner.
     His son, Galen, was on hand to say a few words about his father during the dedication ceremony.
I shot the photo of Galen speaking in the new gym that is printed in today’s column. As I recall, Galen was living on the west coast at the time and he subscribed to this newspaper.
     We had a chance to chat following the dedication ceremony and we wrote to each other about high school basketball in Decatur at the time.
As the “Scrapbook” article on pages 4 and 5, points out, Galen was an assistant coach to his father and later the basketball coach at Eisenhower and there were games between Stephen Decatur and Eisenhower where the head coaches were both named Kintner.
Although Galen Kintner moved away from Decatur, I don’t believe that Decatur was ever very far from his heart.
     He died of lung failure in Hemet, California on April 20, 1997, at the age of 76, and was buried in Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside County, California.
     One interesting note that I didn’t know until now, was that Galen Kintner was born in LaPlace in Piatt County in 1920 and served in the Navy during World War II.
     LaPlace, as most of you know, is a small community on Route 36 East, between Decatur and Hammond.

     • ANOTHER SON — Gay Kintner’s other son, 2nd Lt. 9th Air Force 86th Sq. Pilot James A. Kintner, was killed in an air crash in France shortly after the end of WWII. He was 21 years old when he died.
     He is buried in Grace-land Cemetery in Decatur.

     • COUNTDOWN — We are less than two weeks away from the March 17th General Primary Election.
     You can early vote at the Early Vote Location at 151 West Wood Street, which I intend to do.
     Hours for early voting can be found on page 13 of this week’s print and online editions.
     Whether you are an early or election day voter — be sure to vote!

     • OOPS! I turned left from East Main Street and onto North Franklin Street and I hadn’t driven far before I looked up and saw a big white pick-up truck heading south towards me! (Franklin is one-way north)
     Apparently, the driver realized that, since all the traffic on the street was heading towards him, he must be going the wrong way on a one-way street!
     Suddenly, like a scared jack rabbit, the truck veered off of Frankin Street and headed west on North Park Street — which, of course, is one-way heading east!
     I guess, some days, regardless of which street you are on, everybody else is heading in the other direction!!

     • I WALKED out of a fast food restaurant on Eldorado Street one late morning last week when a man just outside the front door stepped up and asked me if I could give him some money to get something to eat.
     Normally, when that happens, I take the person inside, have him or her order what they want, and pay the cashier for the meal — so I know that the money is going for a meal.
     Since I was in a hurry this time, I did give the man enough money to buy a meal inside and he thanked me for it.
When I got to my car and looked back, I saw that he was still outside and apparently asking another person for some money for a meal!
     I should have taken the time to go inside the restaurant with him.
     Oh well….

     • HOPEFULLY, we will get several inches of rain this week (not all at once). Lake Decatur is way down as a result of the drought conditions. With the “Polar Plunge” coming this weekend, it may be the “Polar Wade” because of the low water level!

     • I JOIN Brian Byers on WSOY’s Byers & Co. most Thursday mornings at 7:00 to discuss the news of the day on the City Hall Insider — something we’ve done for nearly a quarter century!

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