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Butlerville Squirrel Stunt Makes History
by Leigh Evans
HickoryHusker.com


BUTLERVILLE, Ind -- One of the most storied tales of Hoosier Hysteria
folklore took place during sectional week way back during the 1922-23
season. Think the recent Indian Creek Saga made news? If the internet
would've been around back then, you can best bet your last Hoosier
nickel that the Butlerville Squirrel Stunt would've been burning up the
message boards...

Butlerville High School's Raymond "Fats" Rees was as big as Butlerville
was small. Standing 6-4 and weighing 240 pounds, this center was truly
a big man for that day and age. After reading an account of a similar
story in a Michigan paper and speaking to his coach, Herb Whitcomb, the
team began practicing the 'play.'

These Bulldogs also sported a 5 foot 110 point forward named Merlin
Swarthout. This rather odd couple made up the components for what
turned out to be a game winning and very controversial strategy.

Fats Rees would station himself near the front of the rim as the rest
of the squad worked the ball around the outside. Little man Swarthout
would then make a bee line for a crouching Rees and scramble up his
back, ending up on his shoulders. Another Butlerville Bulldog would
then throw the lob pass to the towering duo. Swarthout would catch the
pas and score easily from his lofty position.

Of note was the fact that the goal was always scored on a bank shot as
Coach Whitcomb thought a dunk 'unfair.'

The first time the play was used was in a regular season tilt against
Jennings County rival, Scipio. The played worked to perfection and the
Scipio contingent, certain that the play was legal, never argued the
point.

However, the real news came when the Bulldogs used it a second time -
in the Seymour Sectional vs. the Hayden Haymakers. They wasted little
time as they unveiled their secret in the first half. The Haymakers
were so upset and argued so fervently that they let the rest of the
game slip away, losing 36-16.

The very next day Butlerville found themselves down 14-15 in the waning
moments of their game against heavily favored Vernon. Rees and
Swarthout unleashed the play in the closing seconds. The squirrel stunt
ended Vernon's season 16-15.

Sectional officials were aware of the play since the Hayden win. They
had hurriedly called IHSAA commissioner Arthur Trester in Indianapolis
to inquire about the play's legality. However, since nothing in the
rule book addressed such things specifically, the play was allowed to
stand.

Butlerville was pretty much outgunned in the sectional final against
mighty Seymour. The Bulldogs never even attempted to use their trick
play. ..And that was the last of the Squirrel Stunt. During the off
season, the IHSAA changed the rules to disallow "player assisted" field
goals.

Word at that time was that the Squirrel Stunt brought newspaper
accounts from as far away as San Francisco. Both Rees and Coach
Whitcomb retired to farms in Jennings County. Swarthout would move out
to Oklahoma. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Sacred Hoops, would like to give a big thanks Leigh Evans for this great article, and please check out here site using the HH indiana icon, or click here HickoryHusker.com.

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