Third on our list of schools that make up the South unit is New Market. The New Market Purple Flyers prominence began in the late 30’s when one of their own graduates, Harold E. (Jack) Hester returned home to coach basketball. Jack played for New Market in the early 30’s graduating in 1934. He then moved up the road to Wabash College as did many of the early Montgomery County graduates. Jack lettered in basketball for three years under the legendary Pete Vaughan, captaining the Little Giants in his senior year. After graduation, Jack returned to New Market and led the Purple Flyers to three straight County Championships in 1939, 1940 and 1941. He loaned the hardware to Bowers in 1942 as the Flyers reloaded then reclaimed the title in 1943, their fourth in five years. The Purple Flyers were led in the first three crowns by three players who played on all three championship teams. The three were Earl (Red) Gardner, Jr., Bud Marts, and Bill Etter. After graduation, Jr. Gardner and Bill Etter went to Wabash for two years before joining the service. After service, Bill Etter returned to Wabash graduating in 1948. He returned to New Market and joined his father and brother in the family automotive business which still exists today. Etter Ford has been a familiar name in Montgomery County for almost 100 years. Bill’s father Lloyd B. Etter and his uncle Ray Etter also played basketball at New Market and Wabash in the middle and late teens. Lloyd lettered in football at Wabash in 1918 and 1919 and basketball in 1920. Brother Roy lettered at Wabash in basketball in 1920. Nancy Gardner (Rogers) told me a story illustrating the love that the Etter Ford Company had for the New Market community in those early days. Nancy’s brother, Wayne Penn Gardner, had rheumatic fever when he was very young. There was no penicillin at the time and no local medical facilities that knew much about the ailment. L.B. Etter told the Gardner family that they should take Wayne Penn to Mayo’s Clinic and that he would provide them with a car and driver to take him to Minnesota. So the Etters took Wayne Penn and his mother to the famous clinic. Wayne Penn later developed a ministry for people like himself and enrolled in Cincinnati Bible College to become a minister. He passed away there at the age 0f 18.
All together, the New Market Purple Flyers would win seven Montgomery County Championships and two sectionals. They were in the final game of the County six other times. Jack Hester claimed six County crowns including five at New Market and one at Ladoga. Jr. Gardner, the subject of a previous article went on to become the only Montgomery County basketball player to play in the NBA as he played on a championship team with George Mikan, Jim Pollard and the Minneapolis Lakers who won the first NBA championship in 1948. Earl (Red) Gardner, Jr., also become one of the five players/coaches from the South unit to be inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame at New Castle. There is one from each of the small schools that went in to make up Southmont. So far, we have introduced Keith Greve from Waveland and Howie Williams from New Ross. We will tell you later about Charlie Bowerman from Alamo and Jerry Steiner from Ladoga. Here is the HOF bio for Red Gardner.
“High School—New Market High School 1941: College: Wabash/ DePauw University 1948. New Market Purple Flyers won the county championship three consecutive years with Red Gardner on the team. Named to the Coaches All-Sectional team in 1941. Attended Wabash College two years prior to enlistment in the U.S. Navy where he was selected for Officers Training Program. Admitted to DePauw University in 1946 where he earned Little All-American Honors two years. All-State selection two years, and was leading scorer for three years. Played with the Minneapolis Lakers pro championship team 1948-49. From the New Market Purple Flyers to the Minneapolis Lakers with a war to interrupt is a long road to travel, but Red handled it well. Coached 25 years of high school basketball in Ohio, retiring in 1983.”
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