It's basketball tournament time! For over 100 years, basketball has been a cornerstone of North Dakota's sports scene—uniting players, fans, and entire towns in the pursuit of victory. Join us as we celebrate the history of basketball in the region through Dakota Datebook!
In 1914, North Dakota high schools could finally compete for a championship title through an organized tournament. The schools were divided into four regions, and the regional champions faced off for the state title on the eastern side of the state.
Fargo High School won that state championship game, earning accolades and honors. They also earned a chance to compete in a multi-state championship game in Illinois. Sometimes called the Central States Championship and other times the Western Championship, the tournament brought top players from the region to face off—and many believed Fargo's boys had a strong chance to take the title.
However, there was some confusion over the dates. Instead of taking place at the end of the month, with plenty of time to raise money, the tournament was scheduled earlier. But a plea for help, published in the Fargo Forum on March 10, paid off. The article explained that the boys needed to raise $175 for railway fare and meals—all other expenses would be covered once they arrived in Evanston.
The very next day, more than $200 had been raised in just 24 hours. Six players and their coach were ready to represent North Dakota on a bigger stage. The Forum wrote, “Sending the team to this tournament will be the biggest kind of advertisement for Fargo. If they win, it will be published far and wide, doing more to boost the city than ten times the amount of money spent on other forms of advertising.”
Even better, once the teams were paired for the finals, Fargo High learned they'd get an extra day of rest, since they wouldn’t play on the first day of the tournament.
Teams from Michigan, Indiana, Iowa, Illinois, and Fargo competed in the tournament. In the end, Fargo didn’t win first place, but they secured a very respectable fourth.
The Evanston, Illinois team took first for the fourth year in a row.
Dakota Datebook by Sarah Walker
Sources:
- The Fargo Forum and Daily Republican, March 10, 1914, p3
- The Fargo Forum and Daily Republican, March 11, 1914, p1
- Jamestown Weekly Alert, March 26, 1914, p7
- Minot Daily Optic, Monday, March 16, 1914, p1
