The "One of Lancaster's Finest Coaches" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading an article in my Sunday News titled "Horn of Plenty."  Story had to do with the Lancaster McCaskey High School storied basketball coach who received the George W. Kirchner Award many years ago.  Story went...The Lancaster-Lebanon League formed 52 years ago just as Pete Horn arrived at McCaskey High School and found a remarkable group of basketball players walking the corridors.  Good timing!  Horn coached at McCaskey from 1972-1993, won five league titles, eight section titles and 355 games in a career that has earned him the George W. Kirchner Award, which he will receive this coming Wednesday from the Lancaster County Sprots Hall of Fame.  Kirchner, who died in 1965, was sports editor of the Lancaster New Era.  The award is "the highest honor that can be bestowed upon a local sports figure for a body of work achieved in Lancaster County," according to the Hall of Fame's website.  "I'm extremely grateful and, admittedly, surprised," Horn said by telephone last week.  "Maybe the best thing about it is being associated with those who have already won it."  Although it has struggled lately, McCaskey has been the L-L's leagues most successful boys basketball program over the league's history.  But the Red Tornado had not had a winning season in 25 years when Horn, all 5-foot-5 of him, arrived in 1972.  Part of the futility was playing in the powerful, new-defunct Central Penn League.  Although only 30, Horn already had been a head coach at Freedom High in Western Pennsylvania, Washington Township High in New Jersey, and his alma mater, West Nottingham Academy in Maryland.  Although long removed from winning, McCaskey had potential.  It also had a reputation, tinged with racism and classism, for lack of discipline.  Horn and his players blew that up fast.  "When I came in, it was obvious we had talent," Horn said.  "We began pretty quickly to do things differently."  McCaskey's 1972-73 front line of Jesse Roberson, Bruce DeBord and Jeff Allenman all stood 6-7.  The Tornado wasn't just big.  In fact, Alleman usually didn't start, because of superb swingman Jeff Hawkins, and McCaskey got 13 points per game and elite playmaking from point guard Keith Gordon.  Horn got them to fit together!  "When we make mistakes, when we do something he doesn't like, we really hear about it," DeBord, who would go on to play at Syracuse University, said in an interview.  "But, he lets us know when we please him, too.  He has our respect.  The other coaches didn't."  The 1972-73 Red Tornado rolled to the first L-L championship and reached the District Three Class 3A (then the biggest class) semifinals before losing to eventual state finalist Reading.  Horn never got the biggest prizes, a district or state title.  He did turn out colorful, well-drilled teams that for decades were the team to beat in the L-L.  "He was the most disciplined coach I've ever seen," DeBord said.  "He's the best coach I've ever had."  After he retired from McCaskey as coach and athletic director in 1993, Horn was the head coach at Lancaster Country Day, an assistant at the Hill Schol in Pottstown and served for one season under Glenn Robinson at Franklin & Marshall College.  There was also a Pete Horn coaching tree, which included assistants Mike McKonly (later the AD at Manheim Township), Steve Powell (who replaced Horn and had his own long run of success at McCaskey), Mark Macik, Earl Boots and Willie McDowell.  "I'm very happy with what we did at McCaskey, but I was lucky to have so many excellent people to work with," Horn said.  "As far as making a speech (Wednesday), that's one of the points I want to make X - great principals, great coaches, and, again, a lot of kids who really wanted to play."  The banquet at the Eden Resort will begin Wednesday at 4:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 6 and announcement of award winners, including Horn and Hall of Fame inductees Barbara Barr (McCaskey basketball, tennis, softball), Damien Henry (McCskey football, basketball, track), Kyle Halyards (Hempfield swimming) and Kris Wilson (McCaskey football). It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.