Sun City Basketball Team, Sun City, Barber County, Kansas. L-R: George Selig (coach), Junior Fittro, Mead Adams, Ernest Keller, Nate Massey,
Mark McLain, Jack Adams, Marlin Kramer, Billy Garten, C.R. McDougal. Supt. ("This was the year we went to the state: I was a soph. this year, Mark was a senior. We only lost 2 games this year, one to Sharon by 1 pt. and to Alamena in the state." - Nate Massey)
Nate Massey - 44, Mark McLain - 99 (First cousins)
Sun City Basketball Team, Sun City, Barber County, Kansas.
Photo courtesy of Brenda McLain.
Sun City Basketball Team, 1938 or 1939, Sun City, Barber County, Kansas.
Front row, L-R: the two seniors, Ellis Bruch and Arly Kaminiski.
Back Row, L-R: Tommy Cornthwaite, Mead Adams, J.R. Massey, Mark McLain, Ernest
Keller, Junior Fittro,
Coach McCoy (full blooded Cherokee from Okla).
Photo courtesy of Brenda McLain.
Sun City Junior Basketball Team, 1938, Sun City, Barber County, Kansas.
Back row, L-R: Jack Adams, Meade Adams, J.R. Massey, Harold Urton, Wesley Urton, Mark
McLain, Marion Hastings.
Middle row: Billy Joe Sooter, Billy Howard Martin, Phil
Davis, James Stranathan, Marlin Kramer, Fred Davis.
Front row: Nate Massey, Harold
Walker, Wayne Davis, Robert "Red" Davis, Harold Hoss, Loren Fager.
Photo courtesy of Brenda McLain.
"Dad (Ralph Nathan Massey) saved clippings from The Pratt Daily Tribune of my basketball games when I was a junior. Dad was very ill at this time and missed a lot of my games, he was really a driving inspiration to all of us boys and some times it was rather difficult playing without him being present to encourage us. Dad never criticized our performances and when we didn't do too well he would point out the positive things, not the negatives. Dad was only 54 when he passed away and had been very ill for about 4 years."
-- Nate Massey, August 2005.
"Thought you would enjoy these excerpts for the webpage you have of the Sun City Basketball team. Nate Massey provided these to me. He wrote: 'Some old men have played basketball also!! Season 1941-42.' The articles are not dated, but it appears they are from The Pratt Daily Tribune -- Kim Fowles, email to Jerry Ferrin, 6 April 2006.
Massey Runs Riot At Sun.
Personally takes Care of Team's Points as Sun City Defeats Wilmore, 79 to 13Sun City, Jan. 21 - Nate Massey established what may be a high school record here last night as he dumped in 24 field goals and three free throws for a total of 51 points as his torrid teammates drubbed Wilmore high school basketball team, 79 to 13.
Massey's exhibition was one of Kansas high school's all-time greats, regardless of whether he actually established an all-time scoring record. His fast-breaking teammates fed him the ball constantly and with an unerring eye he dumped in field goals at the rate of one every 90 seconds.
Sun City Five Goes on Spree.
Score 82 Points in Routing Isabel High School
at Sun City Last Night.Sun City, Jan. 10 - Sun City high school's sensational basketball team had its head in the clouds here last night as it blazed over an amazed Isabel high school cage squad to an 82 to 21 victory. The Sun Citians boomed in baskets from all angles as they averaged more than 2.5 points per minute throughout the four quarters of play. Leading in the higher mathematics was Massey, who totaled 32 points, and Adams, who made 28.
Hardtner is Taken By Sun Sun City, Jan 1. Again it was Nate Massey who paced the Sun attack, dumping in 12 field goals and 3 free throws for a 27 point total. Adams was next high scorer with 17 points.
Sun City Faith is Strong.
The Town Would Pit Team Against AnySun City, Feb. 11 -- It is the general consensus in this rugged little gyp mining cow town that Sun City's 31 pupil high school has the best basketball team in the state of Kansas ... Cowboys and gyp miners and just plain citizens from its environs haven't tried to conceal the fact. It was a happy day when they learned they were going to get a chance to build up their case. Their own high school Hornets will buzz up to Pratt Saturday night to meet Macksville high school another Kansas class B team which has been some tall talking and playing.
For a long time it looked as though the Sun City challenges would find no takers. Sylvia once suggested an exhibition game but after a little more thought decided to take on the easier Buhler high school squad.
"It ain't braggin when you can produce," Dizzy Dean once declared, and that's just the reason Sun City fans don't think they're bragging when they talk of their tams chances in the state tournament this year. Why, last year's team went to the quarter finals and last year's team didn't hold a candle to this year's red hot Hornets.
The Hornets have played 13 teams so far this year. They have won 13 games . . . Nate Massey the fair-haired forward who wears number 44 jersey, to date has chunked in almost 400 points personally, averaging about 30 points a game. He dropped in 51 points in one 32 minute session to set a Kansas high school record. Those, too, are facts. But Massey isn't the entire Sun City team. Jack Adams, who carries number 55 on his jersey, has an average of 17 points per game -- which is nothing to sniff at. Against Coldwater her got 22. If Massey ever should be cold some night -- a rare possibility -- Adams can jump in to bring the Hornets through.
Other starters, all boys who are essential to the high scoring Sun City machine, are Bodenhamer, Garten, and Sooter, who wear jersey numbers 22, 77 and 33, respectively.
Coach is King. Coach of this amazing outfit of goal threaders is Leicester T. King, first year at Sun City and not long ago out of Emporia Teachers. He was on the spot last fall when he took over the Sun City team, but he's sitting on the top of the town right now. . . . He went on record today as saying without reservations "We believe we can defeat Macksville."
Thanks to Brenda McLain for contributing the above photos to this web site, to Nate and David Massey for the caption information and to Kim Fowles for arranging the contribution!