WALES-LINCOLN
Home of the Wolves! 
Wales-Lincoln Alumni AssociationWales-Lincoln Alumni Association |
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A Basketball Dynasty By Roy Marshall (reprint by permission of Roy Marshall (I think) in a response to an article that Mr. Marshall had done in a 2006 story in Red Oak Express)
A recent column regarding the Wales-Lincoln High School basketball dynasty of the 1940’s and ‘50’s prompted calls from former Wales alumnus who were there at the time. Among other things, they brought to my attention the Wales-Lincoln Alumni Association website, www.waleslincoln.com, The site reminds us there comes a time in life when recollections of the past carry more importance than dreams of the future. And even those not connected with Wales may find the site of interest, as it can serve as a model for anyone wishing to produce something similar for their school.
Eddie "Bud" Barnett, who graduated from Wales-Lincoln in 1957, developed and maintains the site. He has also recently published a book that includes hundreds of photos and newspaper articles on Wales-Lincoln boys and girls basketball games during three seasons; 54-55, 55-56, and 56-57. The articles, many of them written by the venerable Jim Logan, document the triumphs and occasional failures of the little school that all but owned the Montgomery County basketball tournament. He is currently working on a similar clippings book for the seasons; 51-52, 52-53, 53-54. Barnett is interested in hearing from alumnus that may have kept clippings during their time at Wales and in particular the period of time during the Fuller era of the 40s. Barnett credits Dennis Good '57, Donna (Wetzel) Corliss '55, and others with contributing to the first book. Good's contribution came from the collection of his late wife, Nina (Rolf) Good '58. Barnett is contemplating a similar tribute to the Everett Fuller era.
We find no fault with the size of high school coaching staffs of today, but cannot help but note that Fuller was school superintendent and taught a few classes, while at the same time serving as coach of both boys and girls in all sports, and during his career at Wales his boys and girls teams won nearly 90% (won 389 - lost 62) of his basketball games. Fuller, perhaps in part because no one could do all he was doing indefinitely, stepped down as coach after the 52-53 season. Subsequent coaches brought continued success, but the good years for Wales came to an end when the high school closed at the end of the 1960 school year.
Driving through Wales, a person would have little reason to suspect the community was once the home of a high school basketball powerhouse. But once there was a school superintendent named Everett Fuller, who also coached boys and girls basketball, and what a coach he must have been. When the following article was printed, Coach Fuller’s girls team had just won their seventh county championship in nine years, and the boys had taken their sixth during the same period of time.
From The Red Oak Express of January 31, 1952:
Most schools would welcome the problem facing Supt. Everett F. Fuller of Wales-Lincoln Consolidated school. The school’s trophy case is full and overflowing and still the trophies keep rolling in.
Few schools can equal the won and lost record of the Wales basketball teams under the coaching of Supt. Fuller. With more trophies on hand than can be crammed into the trophy case, the problem will be solved by next year since two trophy cases are to be built and placed inside the entrance of the school’s new gym, now being used for the third season. But let’s go back to that coaching record.
When Everett Fuller came to Wales in the school year of 1943-44 the school’s basketball teams averaged poor to mediocre. That situation changed immediately under the guidance of Fuller.
For the eight seasons he had completed at the Wales helm up to the start of this season his girls teams had won 134 regular season games and lost only 11, had won 17 county tournament games while losing 2, had won 18 sectional tournament games and lost 4, and had won 4 district tournament contests.
During that stretch the girls captured six county titles, four sectional championships, and one district tournament. They compiled a regular season victory percentage of 92.4 and a tournament victory mark of 78 percent. This year the girls notched their 7th county title in nine starts.
And it isn’t only the girls. The boys’ record is nearly as enviable and the current edition of the Wolves is rated among southwest Iowa’s leaders. For the eight seasons leading up to the present, coach Fuller’s boys teams had won 138 regular season games and lost only 16, had racked up 19 county tournament wins while losing just 2, and won 9 sectional games. The boys won five county titles, three sectional championships and one district crown during Coach Fuller’s first eight years. Their regular season winning percentage for that stretch is 90.2, and they won 75% of their tournament games. Last week the boys added three more victories in county tournament play for their sixth county title in nine tries under Fuller. Their season’s record before the tournament was 14-2 with the two losses being in early season play and both were avenged in their second meeting.
Including their county tournament trophies this season, Fuller’s boys and girls have combined for 23 first place trophies and five consolation pieces of hardware since he became coach in 1943. The high school student body has averaged around 50.
( The article goes on to tell us that Fuller brought more than his own talent to Wales—his wife was a teacher and most of their seven children were basketball starters.)
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