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The 1960s: Golf, Tennis, Gym win titles
The 1960s: Golf, Tennis, Gym win titles
Coach Steve Bindas and his Tiger golfers were HHS's most successful team in the decade, winning dual state championships (both grass greens and sand greens) in 1960 and 1961. That was on top of their domination of the Big Ten Conference, which they won six times from 1960 to 1966.
After Bindas left Hastings to go into college administration, Hall of Fame coach Jim Smith took over the golf program and won Trans-Nebraska championships in 1967 and 1968, and the state Class A title in 1968.
Smith's basketball teams also set a high standard in the decade. They qualified for state as district champions in every year but one from 1964 to 1969. That was on top of three straight district titles under Coach Earl Applebee from 1961 to 1963.
The Tigers played in the Class A state semifinals in 1961 and 1962.
Both the golf and basketball teams of 1968 were led by state athlete of the year Jim White. White, another HHS Hall of Fame inductee, was the leading scorer in Class A basketball and an all-Nebraska selection in the winter, and then won Class A golf in the spring. [pictured]
The Tiger gymnastics dynasty had its third act as the 1960 team match 1959 by winning the state championship. Hall of Famer Dennis Albers led the way, winning the all-around and five individual events.
Football fell just one point short of another state title as they fell to North Platte in the Big Ten Championship Game, 14-13, and finished second to the Bulldogs in the ratings. All staters Wayne Weber and Tom Smith led the way. Under Coach Ollie Smith, the Tigers won the Big Ten East division three straight years (1960-1962) and also won the Mid East in '60 and '62.
The tennis team picked up its first state Class A trophy in twenty years in 1967. Coach Perry Long's Tigers were led by state champion #1 doubles pair Terry Heltne and George Sounders. It was the last Nebraska state boys tennis championships held in the spring.
The HHS swimmers won five straight Big Ten titles to finish the decade. Terry Sharp, David Ott and Doug Wagner were champions in multiple conference events.
(Links to individual years are organized by calendar year, not school year, to avoid confusion about dates. Remember that the football season of 1955 is in the same school year as the basketball and track season of 1956.)
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