Browsing by Author "Eskew, Kelly R."

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Hysteria on the Hardwood: A Narrative History of Community, Race, and Indiana's "Basketbrawl" Tradition
    (2012) Eskew, Kelly R.; Morgan, Anita J.; Barrows, Robert G. (Robert Graham), 1946-; Coleman, Annie Gilbert
    In 1964, Muncie Central High School got the “death penalty” at the hands of the Indiana High School Athletic Association’s (IHSAA) new commissioner, Phil N. Eskew, after post-game brawling at a boys basketball game led to a broader investigation of the entire program. In the closing moments of the game, a Muncie Central opponent was bloodied by an inbound pass to the face and fans erupted in violence, swarming the floor. The ensuing investigation revealed racial tensions, issues of sexual mores, political discord, and deep problems in the web of interrelationships that make up the phenomenon of Hoosier Hysteria. After a closed-door hearing and two days of deliberations, Eskew and the IHSAA Board of Control announced their decision, and the punishment prescribed made front page headlines across the state and beyond.