Mystery surrounds Hoover’s basketball season.
Someone, call the Shadow.
The mythical sleuth, introduced to American radio audiences early in the decade, had gained so much popularity that a movie “The Shadow Strikes” was released in 1937.
The Shadow‘s alter ego Lamont Cranston, or more important, an enterprising newspaper reporter, would have determined why, after Hoover celebrated the Coast League championship with a 7-1 record, essentially disappeared.
CARR: MORE GAMES
Cardinals coach Lawrence Carr told Mitch Angus of The San Diego Union after the final, regular-season game that the Cardinals looked forward to the upcoming CIF Southern Section playoffs and likely would play additional nonleague contests and in possible tournaments at San Diego State and Redondo Beach.
Angus’ story appeared Jan. 20. The playoffs were to begin Feb. 25. Plenty of time to get in some extra work and win a few more games.
Strangely, nothing was heard of the Cardinals for almost seven weeks, save for announcements of varsity letters awarded; the all-Coast League teams, and an intrasquad game against underclassmen who would represent the 1938-39 club.
Nothing about the playoffs and postseason.
One clue that Hoover’s campaign may have been complete and contrary to Carr’s statement was in an oblique sentence in the middle of Angus’ game account of the Cardinals’ regular-season-ending, 20-19 loss to San Diego:
“It was the last start for the Hooverites and deprived them of a clean sweep (of the season series), wrote Angus.”
If that were the case….read on.
It gets more mysterious.
SAINTS ENTER PICTURE
A list of results of the 20-team playoff bracket for the ’37-38 season provided years later by Southern Section historian John Dahlem, revealed a St. Augustine victory by forfeit over Hoover in the second round.
The Cardinals really were finished. Abruptly and quietly.
A Saints-Hoover playoff, had it been played, would have been geographically and financially desirable to the Southern Section and would have made for a tremendous local matchup, considering Hoover’s run through the Coast and a sensational record by Coach Cletis (Biff) Gardner’s North Park team.
A Saints squad photo in the Union on Jan. 27, 1938, declared that the private school had won 22 games in a row, including six at the conclusion of the 1936-37 season.
But, like Hoover, the Saints also appeared to go underground. Possibly because playoffs were beginning long after Coast League squads had completed their seasons, while others still were playing league games.
Late-season nonleague contests probably were not easy to schedule, especially for the independent Saints.
There was not even an account in the newspapers of St. Augustine’s forfeit victory over the Cardinals in a second-round game apparently scheduled for March 4. Both teams had first-round byes.
FINALLY, ACTION
A local story on March 9 began: “Having gained the third round without as much as doffing their sweat clothes, St. Augustine’s varsity basketballers are slated to get some opposition in the annual Southern California CIF Class A playoffs this week.”
The Saints were scheduled to visit undefeated El Centro Central, which had beaten Brawley for the Imperial Valley League title and had eliminated Ramona, 53-18, in the first round.
The Spartans also played on a court short of regulation length. Their crackerbox home court figured to give the Saints problems, according to a pregame story.
St. Augustine won easily, 32-15, for a reported 23rd straight win, but the great season, sparked by the play of four-year veterans Bob Menke, Ed Vitalich, and John (Red) Keogh, ended in the semifinals.
The Saints bowed to legendary power Whittier, 49-28, before “2,000 fans and several hundred others turned away.” The Cardinals topped Chino, 43-27, for the championship the following night.
Whittier was home team for each game, although the CIF was said to have a rule preventing such an advantage.
St. Augustine defeated Fillmore in the consolation, third-place game, 28-17.
TIGHT MONEY
Don King wrote in Caver Conquest that because of the Great Depression San Diego High played only eight games, all Coast League contests, finishing with a 5-3 record and second place behind Hoover.
Hilltoppers coach Ed Ruffa apparently did not have budget to expand the schedule, but Ruffa managed to get in one more game.
Kenny Hale, a star on the 1936-37 San Diego High team, haunted his alma mater as Hale led the downtown San Diego Club with 10 points in a 37-26 win.
PLAYERS VOTE
The Coast’s all-league players were the players’ choices as they were charged with picking all-opponent clubs in a poll conducted by the Long Beach Press-Telegram.
Hoover’s Dick Mitchell and Felix Aquirre were on the first team. Teammates Hal Prusa and Ed Tazelaar were on the second team, as were Al Martinez and Bud Mundell of San Diego.
Mitchell led Hoover with 56 points in 8 league games.
Hoover defeated Muir, 47-28, behind Mitchell’s 17 points and then routed Santa Ana, 48-19, and Ontario Chaffey, 45-32, to win the December Huntington Beach tournament.
TWO-HAND SET SHOTS
Point Loma (Class A) and Grossmont (Class B) repeated as champions in the Metropolitan League, Point Loma winning for the third consecutive year…as usual, the Pointers chose not to participate in the playoffs…after 15 years the December San Diego Interscholastic Tournament was finished…San Diego High sponsored area-wide Class C and D tournaments in February…Coronado won the Cee competition, 17-15, over San Diego and San Diego was Dee champ, 17-12 over National City Junior High…strange finish to St. Augustine-Army-Navy B game at San Diego State…the contest was tied at 17 after two overtimes when the teams decided to call it a day…perhaps Saints coach Biff Gardner and Coronado mentor Hal Niedermeyer had dinner dates…Mel Skelley’s basket with 4 seconds left gave San Diego a 37-35 win over Long Beach Wilson and clinched second place in the Coast for the Hilltoppers…Duncan Wexler made his dad, Escondido coach Harry, relax after an overtime basket to beat Sweetwater, 26-25…Duncan scored 20 in a season-finale, 41-38 triumph over La Jolla…Ramona’s dominance of the Southern Prep League was never more apparent than in a quadruple rout of Fallbrook, 50-15 in A, 31-27 in B, 50-13 in C, and 33-10 in D…the Ramona Town Team then sent everyone home happy with a 56-32 victory over the Aztec Brewers…Point Loma was “all at sea”, wrote a writer of the Pointers’ 34-12 loss to Ontario Chaffey in the Huntington Beach Invitational…the Tigers soaked coach Joe Beerkle’s peninsula club with a zone defense…Hoover no longer was the dominant Class B team, but the Cardinals dealt unbeaten Long Beach Poly a 25-14 defeat in the second round of league play…San Diego led Alhambra with four minutes remaining and didn’t score again as the visiting Moors pulled out a 32-30 victory…Hal Prusa’s 17 points propelled Hoover to the league-title-clinching, 41-34 win over Long Beach Wilson…future Sweetwater football coach Barney Newlee of Alhambra made the all-Coast team….
