SOMETIMES a look back at history is quite revealing and this is particularly so for those who enjoy reading The Border Watch “From the Archives” weekly section which highlights front pages from 50 years ago.
For many, like me, it is extra special because we lived through that era and can remember the events as though they were yesterday.
It is wonderful to revisit those days through the 50 years ago front pages.
Not only do they reveal our history but also show just how things were in those days compared to today.
It highlights the “self-help” attitude among some sports to get things built – mainly because there was little or no government or council funding, which is much different today.
Just recently there were two archives pages published in late August and early September which caught my eye.
One was when Mount Gambier International Basketball League (as it was called then) secretary Liz Robertson announced 99 senior teams would play the sport for the 1968-69 summer season.
These matches were played on Olympic Park’s outdoor courts.
For those wondering about those figures you are right to be amazed – 99 senior teams – more than double that of today.
There were no juniors at that time.
But it got better.
When the basketball stadium was completed in 1969 the number of senior teams soared past 100, plus with the introduction of under 18, 16 and 14 teams the total numbers swelled further.
More recently the archives page showed the announcement by league president Bern Bruning indicating plans had been approved to build a $27,000 two-court stadium on Commercial Street West through a loan which was paid off by 1972, all self-help without ratepayer or taxpayer money.
With two and then three courts by 1974 it meant some long nights to accommodate all senior teams on Monday through to Friday with the under 18 teams also on Friday night and other under age teams all day Saturday.
There were grades going down to E grade with sometimes eight teams in each of the lower grades.
I can remember refereeing hourly games which started at 6pm and the final game was supposed to begin at 11pm which often meant finishing as late as 12.45am.
Like all sports, basketball has taken a hit in its numbers if the grades and numbers shown on its web site are accurate.
In men and women there is A grade, A reserve and several B grade teams, but no other senior grades.
In all, the website winter premiership ladders indicate there are a total of only 41 senior teams.
These figures jump to about 50 in summer but what it reveals is the huge drop-off in senior participants from the days when the stadium was first built.
In the first season at the stadium there were seven local A grade men’s and women’s teams – Panthers, Waratah, Trotters, Roos, Beagle Boys, YMCA and Colts teams made up of under 18’s from each of the clubs.
There were no social teams and clubs were required to provide lower grade sides but it was a requirement to have under 18, 16 and 14 boys and girls teams.
This meant clever clubs such as Beagle Boys and Panthers got out among the schools and recruited youngsters for their teams.
Beagle Boys’ coach Bob Brown was very active in this and much later Beth Serle got involved and played a significant role in youth development for the league over many years.
Some of today’s players cannot believe that players of my era started by playing outdoors and when shooting from outside the keyway, it required a degree of expertise to allow for the wind and hit the basket
.
Sometimes history shows how strong a sport was, compared to today but also shows how senior sport numbers have declined.
It also questions what the future is for senior sports numbers and whether that has been considered by those wanting a $38m (revised figure) indoor sport and recreation centre.
If sports numbers continue to drop it will mean either ratepayers or other users pay more.
