Tom Adams

In his time, Tom Adams was the greatest basketball player Washington High School had ever produced.  Coming along early in the tenure of Coach Dick Van Scyoc, Adams led the team to a record of 76-10 during his three years on the varsity and 101-12 during his four years in the program.

Ward Thomas Adams was born Nov. 3, 1938, in Eureka, the son of Dr. Ward and Mildred Steider Adams.  His father was a long-time Washington doctor with an office on Walnut Street.

During his high school basketball career, Adams shattered the career points scored record by over 400 points. Tom scored 1468 points during his three years on the varsity—an average of 17.2 points per game. He was an All-Illio conference pick two times and, in his senior season, was named All-State and All-American, both firsts for the school in boys basketball. His #80 was retired, the first in school history, and the jersey still hangs on the wall in Torry Gym.

Adams took his talents to the University of Illinois, where he played basketball for four years.  Below is a photo of the 1958-59 team, Adams is #40.

Soon after graduating from college in 1960 with a degree in political science, Adams married Nancy Wilson and embarked on a two-year stint in the U.S. Navy, achieving the rank of Lieutenant.

Once out of the service, Adams went to work for Owens-Illinois Company.  Tom, Nancy, and her new daughter, Katherine, settled in Glen Ellyn, Illinois.

Sadly, Tom contracted Progressive Anemia. His family, friends from school, and the whole Washington community rallied behind their hero with blood drives.  The disease took him on March 6, 1968, at the age of 29, and he was laid to rest in Olio Cemetery in Eureka.  Tom's legacy is still a subject of Washington pride, as the high school boys' basketball team gives out the Tom Adams MVP Award every year.