William Spoehr & the 1916 Barret Basketball champions

1916 Barret Manual High School, Undefeated & Un-official Kentucky State High School & National High School Champions.

1916 HENDERSON BARRETT MANUAL & TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL TEAM

Henderson Kentucky

1916 KENTUCKY BOYS STATE HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL CHAMPIONS

1916 NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL CHAMPIONS

Photo ID:

1^st Row Left to Right: Team Captain: R.F. Cottingham, William Spoehr. 2^nd Row: William Gardner, C. Green Fitz-Hugh, Harry Jones. 3^rd Row: Anthony Dishman, Coach: W.R. Leker, Unidentified, Taney McGee.

The 1916 Barret Manual basketball team under Coach W. R. Leker won the first Kentucky State tournament in 1916 at Centre College. At that time it was only an invitational state tournament. Barret is one of only three Kentucky high schools to ever win the Kentucky High School state tournament in an undefeated season. This 1915-16 Barret basketball team was not only undefeated in 12 games, Barret Manual won the first national basketball tournament and defeated Parkersburg, WV at Athens, Ohio 38-32 for the recognized national basketball title. However most sources will not acknowledge the Barret state championship because the KHSAA didn't come into existence until a two years later in 1918, at which time the KHSAA took over the state basketball tournament.

One other undefeated team was the 1928 Ashland High School Blazers. The 1928 undefeated Ashland team is also only the second Kentucky high school to win the National High School Championship. The 1916 Barret High team was the first Kentucky school to win the coveted National title. The third & the last team to go undefeated in Kentucky high school was the 1948 Brewers High School basketball team from Marshall County in Western Kentucky. Brewers High School led by all-state performer Mason Cope, went to the Kentucky state finals from 1944 through 1948, before finally winning it all in that undefeated season with a record of 29-0. After a brief military stint, Cope teamed up with former Barret star Don Gish & former Wayland star Kelly Coleman at KY Wesleyan to finish as national runners-up in the NAIA National Finals tournament.

The only time in KHSAA tournament history that two undefeated teams have ever met in the the State semifinals was in 1933. Horse Creek (24-0) defeated Hazel Green (25-0) 42-41. Neither team won the state tournament that year.

William Spoehr, Barret 1916
One of the greatest of the early Barret athletes, he starred in
three sports for Barret High teams in 1915 and 1916. The 1915-
1916 basketball team was undefeated in 12 games, won the first
state basketball tournament and defeated Parkersburg, WV
at Athens, OH 38-32 for the recognized national basketball
title. He also played football for three years and was a
member of the 1912 Barret track team as an eighth-grader.

This web-site is dedicated to the Barret Manual &

Henderson City High Sports teams from 1954-1963.

Especially the Henderson City High 1955-56 sports teams

that had so many great gifted student/athletes.

Property of
SAR2 CREATIONS of NEVADA
©, TM, ®, 2008, 2009, 2010

The contents of this web site are intended to be used

only for the educational value and entertainment enjoyment.

An alumni of Henderson City High School stated to me:

"Once a Flashman, always a Flashman".

Truer words have never been spoken.

Many thanks to the people listed below for their contributions.
Jim Adams (HHS '59),
Elaine Benson (HNHS: '59),

Pascal Benson (HHS '56)

Don Gish (BMTHS '55),

Glenda Alexander Guess (HHS '57),

Shirley Hagan (HHS '56),
Billy Haynes (HHS '59),
Sonda Keach Nolan (HHS '56),
Dr. Fred Schuette (HHS '56),
Sammy Joe Shelton (HHS '56),
Bud Bayard Walters (HHS '59),
Coach T. L. Plain

all artwork/photos are the property of SAR2 CREATIONS of Nevada,

Please contact webmaster for any use of artwork or photographs.

All photographs used are public-domain,

there are no violations of copyright laws

or Hippa Laws of Privacy.

Shelby A. (Lex) Riggs II

web-master

Please note that all photographs were sent in by former students of Henderson City High School. They have all been edited, corrected & cleaned up as well as they possibly could. If you are displeased with a photo, simply scan the photo that you want replaced and I will be more than happy to replace it.

Thanks for your support,

Lex Riggs, webmaster