Out of the Past: Jan. 19, 2022

Published 10:15 am Saturday, January 15, 2022

75 YEARS AGO

Winter Grips State; Below Zero Readings Recorded LocallyAll of Oregon was in the tight grip of winter Tuesday, with snow reported throughout most of the state and all reporting stations except along the coast registering below-freezing temperatures.

In Grant County, Tuesday night’s temperature drop was the coldest in a good many years. The weather bureau at Canyon City reported a low of 3 below zero. In John Day thermometer readings varied. The thermometer at the entrance to the Grant County Bank registered 9 below zero; others read all the way from 2 below to 15 below. At Seneca, it is reported the mercury dropped to 23 below.

Wednesday night was considerably warmer here, and at this writing (Thursday noon) weather is moderating, the temperature being only 30 degrees above zero. We will not, however, hazard a forecast of what may come, in the line of weather. January can do all kinds of things. This writer remembers that ten years ago — the middle of January 1937, it dropped to 28 below in John Day and this writer also remembers and remembers well that at that time he made a trip to Burns by stage, and passing through Seneca the stage driver inquired as to the temperature — “55 below,” was the answer. Back another ten years, along about 1927 or 1928, another severe cold snap hit in January. Again this writer was foolish enough to be “out in it” driving from Prairie City to Hereford to play for a dance. The mercury dropped to 50 below at Hereford and in the towns of Prairie City, John Day, and Canyon City, temperatures all the way from 20 to 40 below were recorded on various thermometers. It seems like these frigid spells hit in 10-year cycles.

50 YEARS AGO

Prairie rips Culver, 84-61The Prairie City Panthers ripped the Culver defenses for 32 first-quarter points and then used strong rebounding and a solid defense which enabled them to beat Culver, 84-61, Saturday night at Prairie City.

The Panthers had earlier beaten Culver, 63-58, in the Culver Invitational Tourney Dec. 3 and 4.

Terry Brannon, the Panthers’ 6-4 post man, scored 12 of Prairie City’s first 14 points on fine turnaround jumpers and some excellent moves. Kelly Voigt made some beautiful passes inside to set up the big man.

Brannon, Gary Livermore and Marc Strong again were too much on the boards for the smaller Bulldogs.

The trio finished with 49 rebounds among them, with Livermore the high man with 21 retrievers.

Prairie City took advantage of Culver’s inability to hit the basket early in the game and built 32-8 and 50-29 leads at the quarter stops. The Panthers’ changing defense seemed to bother the Bulldogs throughout the game, as they could not seem to close the gap.

Both teams had 6-3 records going into the game and Culver left with its fifth loss to the Panthers since their series began in 1969.

Brannon finished the game with 31 counters while Voigt added 17. Mark Hagman, Culver’s 6-3 center, led the Bulldogs with 19.

It was a very physical game with 46 fouls being called — 24 on Prairie City and 22 on Culver.

25 YEARS AGO

Pros edged by Bulldogs, ransacked by VikingsIt was not a weekend that the Grant Union boys basketball team will remember fondly.

The Prospectors were soundly defeated by the Vale Vikings 64-44 Friday in John Day and then fell in the final seconds at Baker 57-56 Saturday.

Grant Union dropped to 0-2 in its opening two contests in the Greater Oregon League and 7-5 for the season.

“We need a Band-Aid for our spirit,” Prospectors coach Bill Robertson said. “We played well enough to win, but the outcomes were unfortunate.”

Vale 64, Grant Union 44Last year, Grant union split with the Vikings in two close contests as the Pros lost by one point and won by 10. It was a different story as Vale had too much firepower for the hosting Pros.

Adam Vidourek got the game off on the right note as he nailed a three-point shot 11 seconds into the first quarter and added another three-pointer with one second left in the opening period, yet it was Vale who held a 12-10 lead.

Grant Union went up 15-14 on Bo Workman’s three-point shot, but after a Vale steal with 5:38 left in the second quarter led to a basket, the Vikings took a 17-15 edge they never relinquished.

Vale went on an 18-8 run to go up 32-23 at the half as an infuriated Robertson left the Pros bench and headed to the locker room with 28 seconds remaining in the half.

“I didn’t yell, kick or scream, I just went to the chalkboard to see what we could do,” Robertson said.

In the third quarter, the Pros pulled to within nine, 37-26, but Vale countered the Grant Union rally by outscoring them 12-7 for a 49-33 lead going into the fourth quarter.

The final period was more of the same as the Vikings hit shots from all over the court and Grant Union struggled.

“Vale basically hit everything but the lottery,” Robertson said. “And we didn’t have any offensive point production. We barely mustered double digits in each quarter.”

Leaders for the Pros included Workman with 13 points, four rebounds and two assists; Adam Vidourek with 10 points, three rebounds and two steals; C.J. Kleck with seven points; Jamon Payne had four points and seven rebounds; and Brandon Smith had four points.

Grant Union shot 17-of-55 from the field for 31 percent and went 5-of-9 for 55 percent from the free throw line. The Pros had 22 rebounds, five assists, five steals, eight turnovers and 18 fouls.

Baker 57, Grant Union 56The final seconds proved decisive for the Prospectors.

Grant Union held a 56-55 lead in the closing seconds of the game when they were called for a foul on a Baker field goal attempt and then whistled for a technical foul. The Bulldogs made 1-of-2 on the first call and then hit the winning free throw on the technical.

“The kids really came out and gave a good effort for about 30 (of the 32) minutes,” Robertson said. “Part of it was my fault. I didn’t use enough players in this game and it got down to where we needed energy and we were running on empty.”

Grant Union led 14-13 after the first quarter behind 11 points from Kleck and 29-21 at the half, but were outscored 18-16 in the third quarter and 18-11 in the fourth.

Kleck led the pros with 24 points and had five rebounds and four steals. Payne had 10 points and six rebounds; Workman scored seven points, had eight rebounds and four assists; Vidourek scored six points and had five rebounds and three steals; and Smith had five points and three rebounds.

Grant Union had 31 rebounds, 12 steals, 17 fouls, nine assists and 20 turnovers while shooting 11-of-19 (58 percent) from the free throw line and 22-of-58 (38 percent) from the field.