Dr Black was more than just a coach. He was doing all he could to advocate for healthy physical activity and was quite an athlete himself. He was a coach for the public high school, St Mary’s Area High School. In the 1914-1915 season, the Dutchmen (St.Marys) were losing a game. Dr Black was coaching, but he was getting frustrated because they were losing. Dr Black decided to go into the game and play himself. He ended up dislocating his shoulder and had to be carried off the court. Dr Black is more than just a man in an old black and white picture. He was a real man who lived a real life worthy of storytelling. How many students since 1915 have benefited from his life in St Mary’s? Most likely today’s students have no idea who Dr Black is and how his actions in the past affected their lives in the present.
The games were played at Lyceum Hall on Erie Avenue. Lyceum hall didn’t just have a gymnasium. There was a dance hall, theatre and game rooms. Erie Avenue was near the train station so it was surrounded by hotels and entertainment. I have included the video and two images from the Sanborn fire maps showing where Lyceum Hall was located.
The picture in the video containing this year’s seniors has a glitch in it. Obviously it was photoshopped, but someone messed up. Can anyone find it? Just mashing up the past and present and having a little fun doing it.