After four years of studying and Forester athletics (1956-60), Bill Lightner graduated from Huntington College. A year later, he became the basketball coach at Union Township High School. Does that ring any bells? It should. He had a freshman on his team by the name of Steve Platt. But let’s not jump ahead; there are many different contributions to the end result.
TRANSPLANTING A WOLVERINE
This will come as no surprise to those who see him at HU games: Bill Lightner grew up in Michigan. The blue and gold sweatshirts give it away – and also proves that living in Indiana for 45 years doesn’t automatically make one a Hoosier.
Originally from Charlotte, MI, Bill learned about Huntington from Jim Hoffman, who was a freshman at the time. Jim had been a high school classmate and was also a member of Bill’s home Church.
While his friend Jim was the factor that got him to Huntington, his wife Anne was the factor that got him through it. After a year of college, he and Betty Anne Norris were married with the intention that she would get a job and he would get his degree in four years. She did and he did, and she eventually got her degree nine years later.
FORESTER BASKETBALL
Conveniently, Bill can’t recall any of his playing statistics as a Forester. Curiously, they can’t be found in the HU archives either, but we do know he played – or at least he’s in the team photos for four years in a row.
He admits that it was tough to find scoring opportunities playing along side Tom Rethlake, Lowell Stouder, Duane Kline, Scott Hosler,
and then Dean Merryman.
Merryman and Rethlake are among the top ten all-time leading scorers at HU with
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over 1,800 points. Lowell Stouder scored over 1,500 and Duane Kline got over 1,000, as well. It’s safe to say, Bill’s right; he didn’t have much of a chance.
However, he may have contributed to a turn around in the program. The Foresters suffered their first losing season in 3 years in Bill’s sophomore year. However, when he was a senior in 1960, the Foresters won the first ever MCC Conference title.
Nothing equals the friendships developed among players on a successful team and those remain in place today, continued through church activities, golfing, going to games, and actively promoting the HU basketball program.
MEMORABLE MOMENTS
Bill recalls many fond memories of college days. First of all, he met the love of his life, Anne, at college. In addition to friendships with teammates and classmates, he also developed friendships with professors such as Coach Klopfenstein, Carl Zurcher, Robert Paine, Charles Brady, Irene Bergdall and M. I. Burkholder. He notes the development of his faith in Christ as important, as well.
One basketball memory he recalls involves Dean Merryman before a game at Tri-State. After a cramped car ride (the normal mode of transportation in those days), Coach K told them to walk around in Angola a bit to relax and loosen up.
It wasn’t long until Dean and Bill found a restaurant and, despite Coach K’s specific orders to the contrary, Dean put away a double cheeseburger, French fries and a milkshake just before the game. He should have been sick, but Dean got his usual double double as the team scored over 100 points in a win over Tri-State.
LIFE BEYOND COLLEGE
After Bill graduated, he and Anne moved to Dansville, MI, for his first teaching position. A year later, they returned to Huntington County as Bill became a teacher and coach at Union Township.
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Bill Lightner - 1958
Bill Lightner - #53
Bill Lightner - 2007
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