Basketball: Always the Big Dawg

Girls basketball team of the early 1920s, left to right: Marion Dye, Buena Bauldwin, Colleen Seay Spaulding, unknown player, Vaune Peirce King, Dorothy Wright, Viola Peirce Miles, and Elsie Ferguson. FILE Photos courtesy of Guy B. Woodward Museum

By Shirley Wells

Sports fans and school districts all over the county are very much aware of “that little country town” with a winning reputation. It’s been that way since the early 1900s when a handful of Ramona High School students proudly captured annual county championships. This successful trend began under the auspices of the town’s beloved coach, John “Prof.” Wilson, who brought the winning mentality to Ramona in 1917 when he was hired as principal, teacher, coach and, in 1936, the high school’s first superintendent. Citizens credited this man of extraordinary educational leadership, who also served as president of the Board of Education, with the ability to instill the strong- willed virtues of skill, fair play, pride and good sportsmanship in team competition. It is said that because of his excellent coaching, the teams conquered almost every team in San Diego and Imperial counties.

Below left, “Prof.” Wilson and his team won the 1925 Southern League championship. Top row, left to right, “Prof.” John Wilson, Jack Sims, Harry Barnes, Clarence Smyth, George Telford. Front row, from left, John Nieon, Bob Stephens, Guy Woodward.

Robert “Gub” Gamble, Harold Stephens and Jack Jones were part of Wilson’s “D” team who captured the championship from Grossmont in 1933, the last year Ramona was in the Southern California Prep League. It included high schools in Escondido, Point Loma, La Jolla, Sweetwater, and Grossmont. Then Ramona was put into the Mountain League of Julian, Mountain Empire, Fallbrook and San Dieguito.

Otila Woodward Woodhall remembers how the rules for girls basketball were different.

“It was considered the girls couldn’t do as good as the boys,” she said. “We weren’t in a league or able to earn any letters. You had to play in one of three zones; center and the two ends, and you didn’t dare cross over. You couldn’t dribble the whole court.”

According to historical archives, Ramona High School competitive sports began in 1914 with basketball being the favorite sport. The school colors were blue and gold until 1923, when they changed to blue and white.

Ramona’s 1914 basketball team: left to right, Lawrence Anderson, John Dukes, Ernest Green, Frank Stockton, George Sheldon. Kneeling, Ben Wells.

One of the most notable successes of basketball history was in 1921, when the Union High School consisted of less than 50 students and Coach “Prof.” Wilson miraculously formed three teams who ended up as champions. In 1925, Ramona won the county championship and was presented the “Silver Cup.” 1926 was the year that George Roques started the tradition of honoring outstanding basketball players with their names engraved on the Roques Trophy.

Lee Pinkard, who played basketball from 1933-37, remembers when the boys and girls of Union High School played on dirt courts. The Town Hall auditorium also was used as a court. Ramona got its first school gym when the new high school was built on 8th and G streets. The class of ’37 was the first to use the facility, said Pinkard.

Five identified members of the girls basketball team in 1919 are: second from right, Francis Woodward; third, Ethel Castainien; sixth, Faye Butler; seventh, Josie Stockton; ninth, Ida Mae Roques.

The building, now used as the school’s administrative office, was dedicated Oct. 19, 1987 as Wilson Administrative Center in honor of “Prof.” Wilson.

In 1939, one of the graduates was Wilson’s son, Jack, who also played basketball. Although he enjoyed other sports, he remembers Ramona being “King of the County” in terms of basketball and he played from the age of 5 to 40. During his high school years of ’36-’39, he said, “We won the league championship four years in a row, and in my senior year we won 20 straight games and were just two games short of winning the state championship.”

In 1968, students moved to the high school gym located on Hanson Lane.

“Prof” Wilson retired in 1947 leaving a legacy of what “winning” really means.

A former coach in Whittier, he arrived in Ramona with the nickname of “point a minute” Wilson because of his team’s scoring record of 40 points in a 40 minute play. But his expectations of high ideals in all aspects of life played a role on and off the court. Ramona has continued to incorporate these moral standards with the guidance of succeeding coaches: Charles Snell, Bill Hanigan, Glen Forsythe, Dewey Van Clev, Dave Van Madder, Jan Page, Larry Bringam and Al Schaffer.

In 1915, Ramona girls participated in basketball games during the annual “play day” event in Julian. The girls athletic uniforms consisted of bloomers, stockings and various types of shoes in 1919.

The excitement and loyalty to home teams has passed from one generation to another for over 80 years of basketball history.

Reprinted from January, 1999 issue of Ramona Home Journal.

Players on the dirt court in front of Union High School when Ramona had no school gym.