JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind. -- Few programs have as colorful a past as the Jeffersonville Red Devils. Good Varsity Club member, Pat Hennegan, shares two great stories of how the Red Devils ran afoul with the IHSAA -- So much so as to lose two seasons to suspension...
1930-31 JEFF/I.H.S.A.A. Suspension
On January 24, 1931 the Indiana High School Athletic Association suspended Jeffersonville High School from their organization until June 1, 1931 for "failure to comply with Association rules and regulations." The basketball Red Devils, who were undefeated at 16-0 when the decision was rendered, saw their season end immediately (with no chance to compete in the post-season tourney).
According to sources of that and more recent times (The Evening News and Dale Glenn's The History of the I.H.S.A.A.), Salem High School and New Albany High School were concerned that much of Jeffersonville's success was due to a pair of transfers from Kentucky and urged an investigation. The Red Devils had in the previous weeks defeated both New Albany and Salem and were scheduled to play the Bulldogs again. Bradford Lair had moved to Jeffersonville on October 1 (the first day a school could begin practice). His mother moved with him but his father and sister remained in Monticello. Lair was a 6'10" center. Ray Weber was the second transfer in question. He was a quick guard and team captain. He transferred from St. Xavier High School in Louisville, although he had resided in Jeffersonville.
The I.H.S.A.A. Board of Control and Commissioner Arthur L. Trester felt that Lair's attendance at Jeffersonville High School was under "unusual and questionable" circumstances and his reason for changing schools remained in doubt. It also ruled that Weber had been enrolled in parts of four previous seasons, was a "5-year" man, and thus ineligible for athletics. In an additional charge, Red Devil player Sam Rauth, was accused of playing in an independent game.
The I.H.S.A.A. also ordered that Jeffersonville forfeit its sixteen victories from that season. Bill Johnson, in his book On Red Devils, says that JEFF was dealt an "unfair decision" due to false claims from Salem and New Albany. Newspaper accounts, yearbooks, and record books indicate that Jeffersonville High School choose not to forfeit those contests, in part, because Ray Weber played for the Red Devils in 1929-30 and had not just transferred in. Official Jeffersonville High School records will indicate that the basketball team was 16-0 that season, while other sources may claim those contests forfeited.
Not surprisingly, within a week of the I.H.S.A.A. decision, state senator Russell Kehoe (of Jeffersonville) authored Senate Bill #148. This bill would place public and parochial high school athletics under the sole control of the State Board of Education. He reasoned that athletics were too vital and too large an enterprise for control to be vested in the hands of private interests (Indianapolis News). Before he had entered politics, Russell Kehoe had been head football coach at Jeffersonville High School.
1930-31 JEFF/I.H.S.A.A. Suspension
On January 24, 1931 the Indiana High School Athletic Association suspended Jeffersonville High School from their organization until June 1, 1931 for "failure to comply with Association rules and regulations." The basketball Red Devils, who were undefeated at 16-0 when the decision was rendered, saw their season end immediately (with no chance to compete in the post-season tourney).
According to sources of that and more recent times (The Evening News and Dale Glenn's The History of the I.H.S.A.A.), Salem High School and New Albany High School were concerned that much of Jeffersonville's success was due to a pair of transfers from Kentucky and urged an investigation. The Red Devils had in the previous weeks defeated both New Albany and Salem and were scheduled to play the Bulldogs again. Bradford Lair had moved to Jeffersonville on October 1 (the first day a school could begin practice). His mother moved with him but his father and sister remained in Monticello. Lair was a 6'10" center. Ray Weber was the second transfer in question. He was a quick guard and team captain. He transferred from St. Xavier High School in Louisville, although he had resided in Jeffersonville.
The I.H.S.A.A. Board of Control and Commissioner Arthur L. Trester felt that Lair's attendance at Jeffersonville High School was under "unusual and questionable" circumstances and his reason for changing schools remained in doubt. It also ruled that Weber had been enrolled in parts of four previous seasons, was a "5-year" man, and thus ineligible for athletics. In an additional charge, Red Devil player Sam Rauth, was accused of playing in an independent game.
The I.H.S.A.A. also ordered that Jeffersonville forfeit its sixteen victories from that season. Bill Johnson, in his book On Red Devils, says that JEFF was dealt an "unfair decision" due to false claims from Salem and New Albany. Newspaper accounts, yearbooks, and record books indicate that Jeffersonville High School choose not to forfeit those contests, in part, because Ray Weber played for the Red Devils in 1929-30 and had not just transferred in. Official Jeffersonville High School records will indicate that the basketball team was 16-0 that season, while other sources may claim those contests forfeited.
Not surprisingly, within a week of the I.H.S.A.A. decision, state senator Russell Kehoe (of Jeffersonville) authored Senate Bill #148. This bill would place public and parochial high school athletics under the sole control of the State Board of Education. He reasoned that athletics were too vital and too large an enterprise for control to be vested in the hands of private interests (Indianapolis News). Before he had entered politics, Russell Kehoe had been head football coach at Jeffersonville High School.
