Norden Gentry was one of the first 3 black players to make High School All American. In 1956, Gentry's senior year, Scholastic Coach Magazine produced their first AA high school basketball team, which included Gentry, Oscar Roberson from Indianapolis Attucks, and Tony Jackson from Thomas Jefferson in Brooklyn, NY. Previous All American teams had been white only. West Rockford with 6'6 all stater John Wesley's complementing AA Gentry, was one of the best teams in the country. I think they would be an even match against Robertson's Attucks team.
There was an attempt to have a game against Robertson and Gentry’s team, according to some of the players I interviewed. Some cross state sports issue was one of the reasons that didn’t happen. I don’t recall who told me that because I started the documentary interviews in 1997 and released the first version of the production on VHS in 1999. The 45th anniversary of the championship. For the 50th anniversary I recaptured all the original footage, and purchased a computer that could create DVD files. The entire existing radio broadcast was added to the DVD along with nearly all the audio from player interviews and a re-edit of the documentary. I found missing audio in between 99 and 2004.
Did you guys get a chance to interview Coach Saudargas before his passing? I know that Channel 17 aired the documentary for the first time shortly after his passing in ‘99.
Alex was ill and the interview kept on being put off. I worked with his wife Alice often and while I was on a vacation Alex passed away, so sadly I never got the chance to interview him for the documentary.
@@12bassYeah, Alice was always pretty accessible and she would’ve happily facilitated a sit down on camera if he’d been in even halfway decent shape. Makes sense.
Norden Gentry was one of the first 3 black players to make High School All American. In 1956, Gentry's senior year, Scholastic Coach Magazine produced their first AA high school basketball team, which included Gentry, Oscar Roberson from Indianapolis Attucks, and Tony Jackson from Thomas Jefferson in Brooklyn, NY. Previous All American teams had been white only. West Rockford with 6'6 all stater John Wesley's complementing AA Gentry, was one of the best teams in the country. I think they would be an even match against Robertson's Attucks team.
There was an attempt to have a game against Robertson and Gentry’s team, according to some of the players I interviewed. Some cross state sports issue was one of the reasons that didn’t happen. I don’t recall who told me that because I started the documentary interviews in 1997 and released the first version of the production on VHS in 1999. The 45th anniversary of the championship. For the 50th anniversary I recaptured all the original footage, and purchased a computer that could create DVD files. The entire existing radio broadcast was added to the DVD along with nearly all the audio from player interviews and a re-edit of the documentary. I found missing audio in between 99 and 2004.
Did you guys get a chance to interview Coach Saudargas before his passing? I know that Channel 17 aired the documentary for the first time shortly after his passing in ‘99.
Alex was ill and the interview kept on being put off. I worked with his wife Alice often and while I was on a vacation Alex passed away, so sadly I never got the chance to interview him for the documentary.
@@12bassYeah, Alice was always pretty accessible and she would’ve happily facilitated a sit down on camera if he’d been in even halfway decent shape. Makes sense.