Highlands Letterman Sweaters

The featured artifact is a letterman sweater, which was a popular 1950s-60s symbol that a student earned by playing a varsity sport for their high school.  The varsity letters were awarded to students by their coach or sponsor.  The sweaters were bought, and letters stitched on by their mothers and were very popular among anyone who played sports. To wear the sweater was to show pride in your sport and your school and was considered an honor. This letterman sweater was donated by Gene White, a Highlands High School baseball legend, who played for the historic 1965 team.

After winning NKAC in 1965 (Northern Kentucky Athletics Conference) regionals the Bluebirds advanced to their first baseball state tournament. White played in the two games in the state tournament.  It was a warm June weekend reaching a high in the eighties at the University of Kentucky’s Sports Center in Lexington, Kentucky.  Unfortunately, they would be defeated in their second game at state by Fern Creek, from Louisville Kentucky.  

White, along with Tommy Hales, the star pitcher for the team, achieved their upset victory over Madison Central. Hales was an amazing pitcher White described him as, “...one of the best.”

“If he would have pitched the whole the first game, I would have pitched the second game. He would have come back in the third. Between him and me I don't think they would have beat us.” 

Unfortunately, this was not the case as Hales had contracted mononucleosis and was unable to continue pitching, even though he tried during the first and second game. During the first game, Hales was only able to make it through one inning, then Coach Herrmann brought Gene White in to pitch from the second inning on, giving the Bluebirds their first pitching victory in State competition. During the second game, relief pitcher, Mike Roberts came in and helped out, but the team struggled without Tommy Hales pitching and unfortunately took on a loss in the second game.

Even with these losses, White had the support of his coaches and teammates, and as White said, “They were all good guys - goodfellas. We had a lot of fun.” As local teens, White and his teammates commonly would hang out with their girlfriends or at “girls' houses.”   It was also traditional and commonly seen for a player to give their letterman sweaters/jackets to their girlfriends as well. “...A  lot of them put the letters on their jackets, you know their blue and white Highlands jackets.  I’m not sure whether I had a blue and white Highlands jacket; I probably did,” White had said as he laughed, “a girl probably stole it or burned it!” 

         White as well as his fellow teammates participated in multiple traditions at Highlands, which included the variety show.  One of White’s favorite traditions were the bonfires, which Bill Waddell also fondly remembers.