1950s St. Johns Basketball Team
by Barry Bauer
Thanks to Tom Beechler along with help from Keith and Nancy Barrett, we have an update on the names of this circa 1950s St. Johns basketball team.
Front row, l. to r.: Alan Teidt, Dave Puetz, George Black, John Flowers, Doug Knight, Al Sulka, and Bob Boling.
Back row l. to r.: Coach Duane Wirick, Jim Richards, Dick Rasdale, Jerry Benedict, [Dick Black], Al “Tank” Smith, Dick Bensinger, Bill Nobis, and Jack Wirick.
[This comes to us from Jerry Benedict: “I’m sure you have had several emails identifying the Redwings in the photo, but here’s my input.
FR: Alan Tiedt, ?, George Black, John Flower, Doug Knight, Al Sulka and Bob Boling.
BR: Coach Duane Wirick, Jim Richards, Jim Rasdale, Jerry Benedict, Dick Black, Alan “Tank” Smith, Dick Bennsigner, Bill Nobis and the Coach’s son.
Interestingly, I seem to be a few inches taller than Dick Black standing next to me. I must have been standing on my toes or on a box because Dick was at least 2 inches taller than me.
It’s been over 6 decades since the photo, but Shirley nee Clark and I still remember with fondness our days attending RB Wilson.”
— Gerald “Jerry” Benedict, Sandpoint, Idaho. xkyana@nctv.net]