2007 Inaugural Inductees

Individuals

Will “Turk” Maclin

Maclin (1879-1942) won three individual championship during the 1897 IHSA Track and Field finals. The standout sprinter‹who also starred at running back on one of DTHS' first club football squads captured the 50, 100 and 220-yard dashes in 1897. The spring prior, he was first in the 50 and 100 while finishing second in two other events (220 and Long Jump). His list of state meet medals also includes runner-up in the 1897 Long Jump. For many years, Maclin held the 440-yard dash (sub-50 seconds) and Shot Put records at DTHS. He single-handily led Du Quoin to second place (1897) and third place (1896) state track team trophies and competed collegiately for the University of Illinois. Living in rural Washington County at the time, Maclin passed suddenly in 1942. Buried in the Du Quoin IOOF Cemetery, Maclin lived just 63 years.

Ollie Davis

Following Maclin as Du Quoin's next great track and field athlete, Davis often won five or six first ribbons at most of Southern Illinois' elite competitions. In 1900, Davis flew nearly 21-feet in the Long Jump and took second place during the IHSA State Finals. While in high school Davis was seldom challenged in the 50, 100 and 220-yard sprints, standing broad jump, long jump and hammer throw. When a new event called the running hop, skip and jump was offered in 1900 Davis posted a best jump of 45'0. Had that mark been recognized at DTHS, that standard would have stood as the school's triple jump record until 2005. Upon graduation, Davis left Du Quoin and starred in baseball and track and field at Northwestern University winning the Conference (now known as the Big 10) Long Jump Championship in 1903 with a jump of 21”10”.

Galen Davis

The distinguished gentleman known to generations of Du Quoin residents as simply "Mr. Davis," ranks among the top all-around athletes to wear the red and black. Starring in football, basketball and track while competing on several of DTHS' greatest teams, Davis earned area and statewide recognition in all three sports while captaining Southwestern Egyptian Conference championship teams in each. He held the Long Jump (21'4) record at Du Quoin for many years and continued his multi-sport athletics career at Southern Illinois University. Davis returned to Du Quoin in 1952 after teaching and coaching a short time in Carlinville and later coached football and track. He was also an assistant coach in basketball and baseball, served as athletic director and later became assistant principal. Upon retirement in 1981, Davis began researching the proud history of Du Quoin Indian athletic teams. 26 years later, much of that work has laid the groundwork for the first hall of fame class. Davis was selected to the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association (IBCA) Hall of Fame in 1984.

Teams

1915-1916 DTHS Basketball Team

Du Quoin Township High School's 1915-1916 basketball squad earned the third place trophy during the 1916 Illinois High School Association State Tournament. Ross coached the squad, which still boasts the school's best ever state tourney showing. Don Willi was the team captain with Raymond Harrell its leading scorer. Clarence Pierce, Paul Farmer and Karl Blanchard completed the starting five. Joe Straughan was listed as the sixth team member. At the state tournament, Du Quoin cruised past Shelbyville (40-25) and Moline (30-15) on its way to the final four. After losing 14-13 to Robinson, The Happy Warriors bounced back to win third place in convincing manner over Springfield. During the 1915-16 season, Du Quoin was 21-4 with losses coming at the hands of Centralia, Granite City and Collinsville prior to state.

1926-1927 Lincoln High School Basketball Team

Lincoln High School which served the city's colored population for nearly three decades will send perhaps its greatest team ever into the hall of fame. Led by legendary coach Professor Charles "Fess" Smith, the Lions won three consecutive Southern Illinois Colored Conference championships taking 38 of 41 games played over a remarkable two-year stretch. Team members included: Sylvester Vessell, Andrew Lanum, Maynard Farris, Orlando Scott, Julian Holmes, Alex Hooks, Tubal Holmes, Valdor Vessell, Cecil Johnson, Floyd McGee and Robert "Honey" Jackson. Farris and Jackson were the leading scorers and joined in the talented starting five by Johnson, Holmes and Hooks. In March of 1927, the Lions edged Carbondale's Crispus Attucks High School 18-16 for the Southern Illinois title. The game was played in Southern Illinois University's brand new Davies Gymnasium, drawing an overflow crowd.

Coaches

S. Howard Ross

Ross arrived in Du Quoin for the 1914-15 school year. His first team went 19-6, missing the state tournament by just one game. In 1915-16, Ross' six-man squad fashioned a 21-4 record and returned home with a third place plaque from the IHSA Finals in Decatur. The following year, Du Quoin finished fifth among 12 teams at state. During the summer of 1917, Ross was called to World War I. He returned to spend two more seasons (1919-21) at DTHS before taking over as head coach at Mt. Vernon High School. The 78-31 record compiled by Ross at Du Quoin was a prelude of things to come. At Mt. Vernon, he coached from 1921-36 and built a sparkling 271-98 record

William Theobald

Scores of young athletes attending the old John B. Ward Grade School in Du Quoin were influenced by Theobald (1910-1984), a strict disciplinarian who coached successful basketball teams from 1938-1967. The 30-year tenure is believed to be the longest ever by a coach in any Du Quoin school system. In 27 of those seasons, Theobald's teams produced winning records and earned countless trophies in Southern Illinois Junior High School Athletic Association (SIJHSAA) state competition. Ward School won at least three state track championships during his reign, which also included 17 seasons (1951-1967) as baseball and/or softball coached. He guided the track, baseball and basketball programs until 1967. In the final eight years of his educational career, Theobald focused on duties as Ward School principal. He retired in 1975. As longtime chairman of the Elks Boys All-Sports Committee, he instituted the Oustanding Senior Male Athlete Award and helped the banquet gain statewide prominence. Theobald starred athletically at DTHS (1924-1928) and later played basketball for the University of Illinois. Coach Theobald was named to the IBCA Hall of Fame in 1980.

R.P. Hibbs

A nationally recognized educator, speech and debate coach, the soft-spoked also left quite an athletic impact at DTHS. Between 1948-57, Hibbs (1906-1982) developed Du Quoin into a statewide powerhouse in baseball. The Indians won 150 of 188 games coached by Hibbs, reaching the IHSA one-class state tournament twice. In 1956, Du Quoin advanced to the semifinal round following a win over Blue Island. Sending dozens of former players into the collegiate and professional ranks, Hibbs also spent many seasons assisting with the basketball and football programs at DTHS. He was also athletics director and became principal in 1947. Hibbs spent 37 years (1929-1965) at Du Quoin before accepting a position with Southern Illinois University. He passed away Jan. 10, 1982 at the age of 75. The first inductee into the District #300 Educational Foundation Hall of Honor, Hibbs also is credited with creating the "Crazy Indian" mascot still used by Du Quoin High School.