The "Historic Local Sports News: Part III - 100 Years Of Columbia Basketball" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Once again talking with my brother about his senior year when he set the all-time record for most points in a basketball game at Manheim Township High School.  Steve loved basketball, but didn't like the JV basketball coach, so he didn't go out for high school basketball until he was a senior.  What a team they had in 1967.  Steve scored 43 points in an overtime win against a team from Cherry Hill, NJ during a tournament they played that year.  High School basketball is very competitive in Lancaster County with one team in particular having some of the most die-hard fans in the area.   To the west of Lancaster County lies the mighty Susquehanna River and the town that lies along the river is known as basketball territory.  The town of Columbia has about 10,000 people who all live within a mile of one another.  So, they all live within a mile of a basketball court somewhere in the community.  

Dr. James Naismith who invented basketball.

This blue-collar town takes its basketball seriously.  Seems to always be Columbia against the world!  Not long after Dr. James Naismith invented the game of basketball in Springfield, Massacusetts during the winter of 1891, the Columbia High School program began.  This is their 100th year and basketball history runs deep in town and the name most synonymous with Columbia basketball is Elmer Kreiser.  This legend won 17 team titles and compiled a 205-37 record during the years he coached.  Heck, they named the gym after him!  Many tell stories of Kreiser and how "he was bigger than life."  Recently Columbia High School celebrated their 100th anniversary with a ceremony between a girls and boys doubleheader.  More than 150 former basketball players returned for the ceremony.  But, they weren't just players, but leading scorers, members of state championship teams and winners of numerous sectional, district and regional titles.  

The '56 Columbia High School team which was recently inducted
into the school's Athletic Hall of Fame.  Coach Elmer Kreiser
can be seen in the back row of the photograph.

The team won state titles in 1958 and 1987 as well as district titles in '56, '58, '60, '65, '66, '90 and '94. as well as Lancaster-Lebanon League titles in '54, '56, '58, '60, '63, '89 and '90.  Mark Wisler, one of the best players in Lancaster County is the all-time leading scorer in Lancaster-Lebanon League history with 2,837 points.  Others in attendance for the 100th was state champ coach Gary Sutton as well as notable coaches Rick Bentley and Steve Wisler, brother of Mike.  But, tElmer Kreiser, who died in 1992, was still the star of the 100th anniversary.  Coach Sutton told of dedicating the 1987 state championship game to Kreiser who said at the time he wouldn't take the dedication, but after the team won the game he agreed to it.  Elmer's son Karl was a player in the '70s as well as a coach when the team played in the '94 Eastern finals.  But, the one player whom I remember the most from when I was in high school was a fellow named Danny Monk.  Danny seemed to always lead his team to wins over Manheim Township.  He played all four years I was in high school.  Many rumors were passed around that he was placed in the "special education" program so he didn't have to study as much and could devote all his time to basketball.  We all swore he had to be in his mid-20s when he played against us.  Well, today Columbia High School has a Danny Monk Memorial Award which all Columbia players strive to receive.  Lancaster County has had many great basketball players in the past, but no program can come close to the program known as the Columbia High School Crimson Tide.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.