Originally published in The Vidette-Messenger of Porter County on January 19, 1971.
Annual PCC Banquet
“The day of the ‘tramp’ athlete is over,” Bob King, Purdue University, stated Monday night when he addressed the 4th annual Porter County Conference tournament banquet at the V.U. Student Union.
King, a native of Lebanon and a graduate of Butler University, is now employed as a recruiter of athletes for Purdue University.
Introduced by Myron C. Knauff, master-of-ceremonies King pointed out to the players, cheerleaders, coaches, principals, trustees and guests in attendance that the athlete of today must also be a student.
“Competition on the playing court or field is very difficult now,” King stated. “It is also difficult in the classroom,” he added.
He admonished the athletes and cheerleaders to prepare themselves for college or future adult life by putting out in their high school studies. “Take those extra classes in English and math; don’t miss the speech class; take typing; learn all you can about the spoken word,” he stated.
King said that his duties as a recruiter takes him to high schools throughout the nation. “In some of the schools I visit there are bars on the windows and you have a police escort when you walk down the halls,” King remarked. “The persons in this room should all be proud to live in an area such as Porter County.”
“As a recruiter, I must learn a lot from year to year,” King said. “And I must learn from the young men I interview,” I must be able to speak the language of the players,” he added.
He asked the athletes to respect their coaches and teachers. “A coach wears a lot of hats,” King stated. “He actually becomes involved in all phases of the lives of every player on his squad.”
Participating schools at the banquet were Boone Grove, Hebron, Kouts, Morgan, Washington, and Wheeler.
Knauff, former Hebron principal, assistant to the superintendent of the Valparaiso Community Schools, recognized the patrons, donors and news media.
Knauff remarked that the Porter County Conference had lost two outstanding coaches and friends in the past year in the death of Melvin Taylor and Evar Edquist.
Head coaches were introduced by Wheeler Principal Charles Kennedy and the trustees by Calvin B. Wilis, county superintendent of schools.
John Starks, Morgan Principal, was the tourney chairman. Morgan will be the sponsoring school for the 48th annual tourney that opens Thursday night at Boucher gym.
Co-chairman of the banquet committee were Clarence Hattabaugh, Union Township, and John Blastick, Morgan Township. Other members of the committee were Marshall Mohler, Washington; Lawrence Ludington, Porter; Willis Werner Boone; and Merle Schoon, Pleasant.
Fourth annual Porter County Conference banquet was held Monday night at V.U. Student Union. Pictured are, from left, Calvin B. Willis, county superintendent of schools; Myron C. Knauff, master-of-ceremonies: Bob King, Purdue, featured speaker; and John Starks, Morgan principal and chairman of 1971 Porter County tournament.
