Almont’s most successful basketball team

During the winter of 1936-1937, a group of fourth graders would spend their lunch hours shooting hoops in the gym. This was the start of a very successful period in Almont’s basketball history.

As freshmen, the junior varsity team went to Romeo for a game. The small Almont basketball floor did not have any seating for spectators at floor level. Bleachers were installed on the stage, and all other seating was in the balcony. Romeo’s floor was larger and had court side seating. It seemed enormous compared to the Almont gym. The Almont players raced up court and felt they were near the end of the court but were only slightly past half-court. Their shooting was terrible. They couldn’t even hit their free-throws. At the end of the game, the score was Romeo 25 and Almont 0. The humiliation of that defeat would be motivation for the rest of their high school careers.

As juniors, the Class of 1945 won the conference basketball championship (record not known).

In the fall of 1944, the Class of 1945 would begin what is the most successful athletic year in the school’s history. The football team won the conference championship. The team was undefeated with the only blemish on their record being a tie with Imlay City (Imlay City 0 and Almont 0).

The basketball season was even more successful. The team was undefeated in conference play, thus winning the conference championship for the second straight year. During the State playoffs, they won the District championship–likely the first in school history. They then won the Regional championship–only time in school history.

The team consisted of starters, Bill Roberts, Kendal Frost, and Bob Walton up front and “Buck” Bannister and Art Jackson in the backcourt. Roberts, Frost, and Walton, being tall and strong. dominated the backboards. Jackson was the outside shooter, and Buck was the leading scorer. For the season, he scored 273 of the team’s total of 647 points–over 40%.

Leading substitutes were Bacholzky, Plumb, and Keller. When they entered a game there was very little drop off in the quality of play.

The team averaged about 34 points a game and only gave up 22 points per game. The games were low scoring because the coaches stressed working the ball around until you could get it inside for a layup. Outside shooting was discouraged.

Coach Bill Waytolonis was a fiery coach to whom winning was everything. He spent hours with the team members working on their skills. He was a good teacher and an inspiration. He set a good example for the team, not just in playing to win but in honesty and sportsmanship.

The quarterfinal game was against Akron (now Akron-Fairgrove located north of Vassar) and was at Lapeer.

The Akron team was taller than Almont. Their center was about 6 feet 6 inches tall and he dominated the boards. Much of their scoring was the result of their center getting a rebound and then throwing a full-court pass to their speedy little guard for a layup.

Despite the size difference, Almont was leading in the third quarter. However, both Buck Bannister (Almont’s leading scorer) and Kendal Frost (Almont’s leading rebounder) fouled out. Buck fouled out trying to guard Akron’s speedy guard. Akron eventually took the lead and won the game 36 to 30.

Though initially depressed by the loss, the team members soon realized what they had accomplished. Three of the team members–Frank Bacholzky, “Buck” Bannister, and Bob Walton remained living in Almont for decades and were lifelong friends.

The spring of 1945, saw the baseball team win the conference championship–again with an undefeated conference record.

Three sports and three undefeated championships!

Copies of the Almont Historical Society’s various books can be purchased by contacting Jim Wade at 810-796-3355 or jrwade49@ gmail.com or stopping by the museum on Saturdays from 1-4 p.m.