Ray Crowe

1915-2003

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, November 2, 2025

1. Ray Crowe 1915-2003 Marker

Inscription. Trailblazing basketball coach Ray Crowe of Johnson County excelled at multiple sports at Whiteland High School and Indiana Central College in the 1930s before beginning a career in education. In 1950, he became head basketball coach at Indianapolis’s all-Black Crispus Attucks High School. Crowe led Attucks to the state finals four times, winning titles in 1955 and ’56.

Crowe’s emphasis on good sportsmanship and fast-paced, aggressive play helped Attucks become the first all-Black team to win the state championship and challenged pervasive racism. He served as athletic director at Attucks from 1957-1967. As a member of the Indiana House of Representatives (1967-1975), Crowe worked to make education more equitable and accessible.

Erected 2023 by Indiana Historical Bureau • William G. Pomeroy Foundation • Johnson County Historical Society • Johnson County Bicentennial Committee.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Sports. In addition, it is included in the Indiana Historical Bureau Markers, and the William G. Pomeroy Foundation series lists. A significant historical year for this entry is 1950.

Location. Marker is missing.

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It was located near 39° 33.026′ N, 86° 4.802′ W. Marker was in Whiteland, Indiana, in Johnson County. It was at the intersection of Center Street and East Main Street, on the left when traveling north on Center Street. Marker was located on the grounds of the Clark-Pleasant Community Schools administration building. Touch for map. Marker was at or near this postal address: 50 Center St, Whiteland IN 46184, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker was in Central Indiana

and specifically in Greater Indianapolis.

It was also in the American Midwest

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it was in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it found itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 5 miles of this location, measured as the crow flies: Proctor Park (approx. 1.9 miles away); Glade-Dobbins Cemetery (approx. 3 miles away); Whetzel Trace (approx. 3.2 miles away); Donnell's Knoll (approx. 3.2

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, November 2, 2025

2. Ray Crowe 1915-2003 Marker

miles away); The Hopewell Flag (approx. 4.1 miles away); Big Spring (approx. 4.2 miles away); a different marker also named Big Spring (approx. 4.2 miles away); Two Cent Road and Three Notch Road (approx. 4.3 miles away).

Also see . . .
1. Ray Crowe. Wikipedia entry on the legendary basketball coach, educator, school administrator, and politician. (Submitted on December 8, 2025, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

2. Raymond Province Crowe. Encyclopedia of Indianapolis entry on Crowe. (Submitted on December 8, 2025, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

Credits. This page was last revised on December 8, 2025. It was originally submitted on November 25, 2025, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 54 times since then and 28 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 25, 2025, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Editor’s want-list for this marker. Closeup photographs of both sides of marker. • Can you help?