From The Independent Archives: Heyday of the Honesdale Biddy Basketball Association

HONESDALE — Welcome back to “From the Archives” a weekly series of photographs and memories culled from my three decades of covering the tri-county news and sports scene.

Today's photo takes us back to the 1970s and the heyday of local youth hoops.

Youth hoops history

The Honesdale Biddy Basketball Association was formed during the winter of 1965-66.

In the beginning, the fledgling youth hoops organization was called the Ho-Ca-Hi (short for Honesdale Catholic High) Midget Basketball Association. Father Linus Fricker presided over the first few meetings and green-lighted the use of the school's gymnasium.

Local youth sports legend Freddie Reisch served as the league's first president and remained in that position for three decades.

The original roster of volunteer coaches included Don McCann, Russ Miller, Joe Millon, Bob Hessling, Reggie Dean and Jack Rickert.

The league expanded consistently all through the early years, going from six teams and about 65 players to the current incarnation which features 16 teams and more than 160 kids.

The Honesdale Biddy Basketball Association eventually outgrew the old Catholic School gym and moved up to the Armory. From there it migrated to Lakeside Elementary where it remains to this day.

The Celtics

This photo brings back wonderful memories for me personally because I'm actually in it!

The Celtics of 1976 -77 were right in the thick of the Biddy Basketball championship chase right to the bitter end.

Coached by Maurice Meagher and the late John Komar, these young Celtics featured several athletes who'd go on to be varsity superstars. Jeff Cimahosky (13) and Mike Tuman (21) were nothing short of stellar on the high school hardwood.

Also here in the photo are Scott Becker (12), Chuck Morelli (15) Jimmy Cease (20), Harrison Balthaser (25) and yours truly (11).

T-shirts and tube socks, along with high-top Chuck Taylor Converse sneakers, were all the rage back then!

Let us Know

Share your feedback on this week's photo “From the Archives” and stay tuned for our next installment.

If you have for a suggestion for a photo you'd like to see, please email me at kedwards@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: From the Tri-County Independent Archives Honesdale Biddy Basketball