Dave has a theory that who we are in high school is pretty much who we are. I believe that's true of him but I was in such a survivor mode in high school that I don't believe my true personality emerged until later.
I went to Tech High School in Indianapolis in the 50s. There was a guy in my class who was an outstanding athlete named Don Sexson. He was a basketball player. Basketball was everything in Indiana. And especially in Indianapolis. And especially at Tech.
During the season everybody had Hoosier Hysteria. I understand they still do.
Don Sexson had an older brother named Joe Sexson. He'd graduated from Tech a few years before. He was a sports legend at Tech. I met him a couple of times. Both Don and Joe, besides being rock stars on the Tech campus, were fine young men.
Although at that time I probably thought of them as just fine. They both had really cute noses.
When we were in Indianapolis a few days ago to visit my brother he handed me that day's newspaper article about Joe Sexon. It was his obituary.
Apparently, what I'd remembered about the Sexsons was true throughout Joe's life. Here are some highlights.
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I went to Tech High School in Indianapolis in the 50s. There was a guy in my class who was an outstanding athlete named Don Sexson. He was a basketball player. Basketball was everything in Indiana. And especially in Indianapolis. And especially at Tech.
During the season everybody had Hoosier Hysteria. I understand they still do.
Don Sexson had an older brother named Joe Sexson. He'd graduated from Tech a few years before. He was a sports legend at Tech. I met him a couple of times. Both Don and Joe, besides being rock stars on the Tech campus, were fine young men.
Although at that time I probably thought of them as just fine. They both had really cute noses.
When we were in Indianapolis a few days ago to visit my brother he handed me that day's newspaper article about Joe Sexon. It was his obituary.
Apparently, what I'd remembered about the Sexsons was true throughout Joe's life. Here are some highlights.
- The Indianapolis Star named him Mr. Basketball in 1952.
- A former coach said he was the best high school athlete ever in Indianapolis. He earned 14 letters.
- He was an All-Big Ten first baseman in baseball in 1956.
- He was a star at Purdue
- He was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 1986 and Purdue Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame in 2000.
- Joe Sexson spent his career coaching in high schools, then Purdue, then Butler. He was a winning coach but most remembered for caring about his players.
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