RHS 1921 State Basketball Tourney - Putnam

Russellville is a small town in the northwest part of Putnam County.  It is now a part of North Putnam High school.  It was consolidated with Bainbridge and Roachdale in 1969 to form North Putnam.

Their main "Claim to Basketball Fame" was the 1921 State Tourney.  This was the only time in their basketball history that they won a sectional tourney.  In 1921 there were 16  sectionals and each winner advanced to the 26 team state finals in Indianapolis at the Old Coliseum.  Russellville had won the Greencastle sectional.  They had a good team in 1920, but lost on Saturday afternoon to Greencastle by two points.

Russellville won their first state tourney game by defeating Bloomington by a score of 27 to 23.  This advanced them to the final 8.  They lost their next game to Muncie by a score of 21 to 15.  Muncie lost in the

final four to Anderson who was the runner up to Franklin for the 1921 State Title.

An interesting side note on the game that Russellville lost is as follows: The starting floor guard for Russellville was "LOVE STRUCK," and left Indianapolis to go home before they lost to Muncie so he could

have a date with his girlfriend.  Russellville only had an eight-man team and this left them with only seven and minus one of their starters.  Some of the other team members NEVER forgave him for this (This story from the book, "Clodfelter Pioneer Days," a story of the Clodfelter Family).  One of the members of the Russellville team was Ralph Clodfelter who received a scholarship to Butler from Tony Hinkle.  He played football as a freshman never having play football in high school (they didn't have a team).  He never got to play because he left college after the first semester to work in the Gary steel mills.