Waterloo in Lawrence County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

The Waterloo Wonders

Waterloo’s Historic Wonder Five 1934 and 1935 Class B State Champions

Photographed by J. J. Prats, April 16, 2019

1. The Waterloo Wonders Marker, side one

Inscription.
Waterloo was home to the legendary Waterloo Wonders. Coach Magellan Hairston and his Wonder Five captured consecutive Ohio state high school Class B basketball championships in 1934 & 1935, winning 94 out of 97 games, and defeating many Class A and college teams. The 91st Ohio House of Representatives honored the Waterloo Wonders with a resolution following their second Class B State Championship win. The Wonders, known for their colorful passing show, entertained fans with their scoring ability, defense, trick passes, and hardwood antics. Hailing from a small village of 150 with a school male enrollment of 26, the Waterloo Wonders were considered one of the greatest basketball teams ever assembled on the Ohio high school athletic scene. After high school, four of the Wonder Five played professionally as the Waterloo Wonders, competing against such teams as the famed New York Celtics, the Philadelphia Sphas, the New York Rens, and the Harlem Globetrotters.

Waterloo’s Historic Wonder Five 1934 and 1935 Class B State Champions: Curtis McMahon, Team Captain. 5'11" (from Greasy Ridge) • Beryl Drummond, 5'8"

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

(Flag Springs) • Orlyn Roberts, 5'11" (Waterloo) • Wyman Roberts, 5'10" (Waterloo) • Stewart Wiseman, 5'7" (Sheritts) • Magellan Hatrston, Coach and Principal of Waterloo High School

Other Team Members: Carl Adams • Burkle Brumfield • Lee Drummond • Edgar Griffith • Owen Knox • Forest Malone • Kenneth McCauley, Team Statistician

Cheerleaders: Kathryn (Bradshaw) McMahon • Blanche (Vermillion) Spears

School Colors: Black and White

School Cheer: A Basket, a basket, a basket, boys / You make the basket, we’ll make the noise / Yea black, yea white / Yea team, win tonight!

Erected 1994 by Lawrence County Historical Society, Gallia County Historical Society, O.O. McIntyre Park District and The Ohio Historical Society. (Marker Number 2-44.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Education • Sports. In addition, it is included in the Believe It or Not, and the Ohio Historical Society / The Ohio History Connection series lists. A significant historical year for this entry is 1934.

Location. 38° 42.309′ N, 82° 28.445′ W. Marker is in Waterloo, Ohio, in Lawrence County.

The Waterloo Wonders Marker, side two image. Click for full size.

Photographed by J. J. Prats, April 16, 2019

2. The Waterloo Wonders Marker, side two

It is on Waterloo-Mt Vernon Road (County Route 14) west of Ohio Route 141, on the right when traveling west. It is at the Waterloo United Methodist Church. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 12335 Waterloo-Mt Vernon Rd, Waterloo OH 45688, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Ohio’s Kyova Tri-State Region.

It is also in the American Midwest,

in the Ohio River Valley,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Northern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

and the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 14 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Waterloo Wonders 1934 & 35 Results (here, next to this marker); Olive Furnace (approx. 9.3 miles away); Historic Mt. Olive Charcoal Iron Furnace (approx. 9.3 miles away); Union Baptist Church (approx. 9.6 miles away); Scottown Memorial (approx. 11.6 miles away); University of Rio Grande

The Waterloo Wonders image. Click for more information.

via Huntington WV Herald-Dispatch, unknown

3. The Waterloo Wonders

Sports Illustrated Vault website entry:
From 1933 to '35, a high school team from tiny Waterloo laid waste to Ohio.
Click for more information.

(approx. 13.2 miles away); Original Foundation Stone of Atwood Inn (approx. 13.2 miles away); A Row Of Shade Trees (approx. 13.3 miles away).

Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. It's about another high-school farm team at the opposite side of Ohio who won the championships in 1950.

Also see . . . The Wonder of the Waterloos Inspires Film. 2008 article by Dave Lavender in the Huntington WV The Herald-Dispatch. “‘It is just one of those stories that you think can never happen, but it does,’ Cheri Russo said. ‘I think those stories represent something great to tell, because it inspires people. These guys did it in the middle of the Depression. They made a basketball out of rags and learned to pass so well no one could beat them. That is a miraculous story. When people hear it, it inspires people to do something great as well.’” (Submitted on April 22, 2019.)

Additional commentary.
1. Waterloo Wonders 1934 & 1935 Results
Transcript of the sign adjacent to the historical marker shown in Photo No. 4.

1933-34 Results
Cadmus — 35-23
Cadmus — 69-11
Kitts

The Waterloo Wonders Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by J. J. Prats, April 16, 2019

4. The Waterloo Wonders Marker

Hill — 45-18
Aid-Mason — 46-23
Aid-Mason — 52-8
Coal Grove — 58-18
Ironton St. Joseph — 56-9
Ironton St. Joseph — 40-14
Chesapeake — 36-23
Chesapeake — 52-14
South Point — 69-9
Windsor — 39-12
Windsor — 36-10
Racine — 49-29
Blackfork — 45-28
Pedro — 41-14
Pedro — 23-10
Marshall Freshmen — 41-35
Rio Grande — ??-??
Rio Grande — ??-??

Lawrence County Tournament
Aid Mason — 49-9
Coal Grove — 51-22
Chesapeake — 34-17
Proctorville — 37-17

Sectional Tournament at Gallipolis
Cadmus — 44-17
Hamden — 50-29
Chesapeake — 39-13
Oak Hill — 32-10

District Tournament at Athens
Piketon — 34-10
Highland — 30-14
New Boston — 23-18

State Tournament at Columbus
Chandlersville — 58-29
Lowellville — 43-32
Mark Center — 40-26

1934-35 Results
Wheelersburg — 27-16
Green Township — 31-22
Columbus Central 34-25
Springfield Public 30-19
Greenfield McClain 24-26
Green Township — 52-19
Waverly — 31-21
Ripley — 47-18
Portsmouth — 33-17
Miamisburg

The Waterloo Wonders 1934 & 35 Results image. Click for full size.

Photographed by J. J. Prats, April 16, 2019

5. The Waterloo Wonders 1934 & 35 Results

— 43-12
Stewart — 51-23
Marietta — 37-22
Buckskin — 41-21
Buckskin — 19-16
Gallipolis — 52-15
Ashville — 43-22
Terrace Park — 60-11
Dayton Fairview — 30-24
Chesapeake — 47-5
Jackson — 45-24
Pataskala — 49-17
Ironton — — 28-25
Xenia Central — 43-25
Cin. St. Xavier — 46-19
Gallipolis — 33-19
Huntington High — 24-17
Chillicothe — 29-19
Newport Ky — 21-19
Piner Ky — 37-30
Franklin — 25-36
Marietta — 26-25
Ironton — — 18-23
Augusta Ky — 46-31
Wilmington — 39-17
Highland — 19-17
Nelsonville — 42-17
Green's Run — 69-44
Ashland Ky — 30-27
Rome — 40-14
Wheelersburg — 36-12
Leesburg — 32-22
Glouster — 44-12
Chillicothe St. Mary's — 42-18
Canal Winchester — 50-31

Lawrence County Tournament
Rome — 47-9
Coal Grove — 45-14

Sectional Tournament at Gallipolis
Racine — 48-18
Sciotoville — 55-25
South Webster — 39-15

District Tournament at Athens
Murray City — 42-8
South Webster — 48-24
Sciotoville

Paid Advertisement

— 36-22

State Tournament at Columbus
Groveport — 39-22
Fremont St. Joseph — 48-21
Oxford Stewart — 25-22

— Submitted April 22, 2019.

Credits. This page was last revised on May 23, 2024. It was originally submitted on April 22, 2019, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. This page has been viewed 10,759 times since then and 525 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 22, 2019, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. 3. submitted on March 31, 2024, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. 4, 5. submitted on April 22, 2019, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio.