The Versailles Republican Sports
January 1, 2009

Eight Rip. Co. basketball Hall of Fame inductees selected for the Class of 2009

Gary Franklin, Sports Writer

As time nears for the 85th annual Ripley County Boys Basketball Tournament, and the 35th annual Ripley County Girls Basketball Tournament, the Ripley County Basketball Hall of Fame Committee has made its Class of 2009 inductee selection known
This years nominations include eight former players of Ripley County. They are: Garry Wayne Bailey, Tony Eisert, David Galle, Michael Tim Heller, Robert D Moorhead, Melvin Siefert, Michael Scott Smith and Charles F. Bud Wagner.
The presentation of the Class of 2009 inductees will tbe made to the public at Batesville High School between the Ripley County Tournament Varsity Boys consolation and championship games, on Saturday night, January 10. The formal induction ceremony will take place at The Bull Pen in Osgood in April.
A collection of information about each inductee by Mary Margaret Moorhead follows:
Ripley County Basketball Hall of Fame...Class of 2009
Garry Wane Bailey
Bailey attended Versailles High School during his freshman, sophomore and junior years, but moved to Rising Sun during his senior year as his parents moved to that area. Playing two years of varsity basketball for Coach Gus Moorhead during the 1958-59 and 1959-60 seasons, Bailey ranks fourth on the list for most points scored in a season at Versailles High School. His average per game for the two years was 12.2.
Playing out of a guard position, he was considered an outstanding shooter, exceptional ball handler, and very capable defensive player. He was named to numerous all-tournament teams during his tenure at Versailles and had the unique distinction of being named to the All-Regional team as a sophomore.
Bailey’s 1959 team went 25-2 on the season, winning the ORVC, the Ripley County Tourney, and the IHSAA Sectional. His 1960 team was 21-6, again winning the conference and the sectional tournament. Overall he played in 46 winning games in his two years as a varsity player at Versailles.
A graduate of Ball State University, Garry earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees and taught and coached for two years at Jac-Cen-Del and 28 years at Rising Sun. He served in the United States Army from 1966-68 and was sent to Korea during the Vietnam War.
He is married to the former Mary Baldwin, also a teacher, and is the father of two sons and a daughter. The family resides near Rising Sun.
Tony Eisert
Eisert is a 1946 graduate of Napoleon High School where he was a three-year varsity starter for the Bearcats. Playing both forward and guard, he was known to be an excellent ball handler and an outstanding team leader. As team captain during his senior year, he led the Bearcats to the final game of both the Ripley County Tourney and the sectional.
In 1946 the Ripley County Tourney consisted of eight teams. Although there was no All-Tourney team selected, an individual award was given for the most outstanding player. Eisert received this prestigious award in 1946 for his demonstration of sportsmanship, leadership and basketball ability.
After high school, he served four years in the United States Navy, advancing to the rank of Electrician 1st Class. Once his career in the service came to an end, he settled in Milan. There he farmed and drove a school bus for the Milan school system. As his love for basketball continued, he drove the team bus and fan bus to many of Milan’s basketball games over his 32 years as a bus driver.
He has been married for over 60 years to Marie Eisert, and they are the parents of two sons, Terry and Mike, and a daughter, Kim Eisert Barton.
David M. Galle
Galle is a graduate of Batesville High School in 1983, where he played three years of varsity basketball for Coach Ron Raver. During his high school career, Galle scored 1,060 points, leading the team in scoring for two years and in rebounding for three years. In his senior year he averaged 21.5 points per game with a 57% field goal average while collecting 8.5 rebounds per game.
Also in his senior year he was named Most Valuable Player and named to the All County, All Conference, All Sectional and All Regional teams as well as the Frist Team Academic All State for Indiana.
The Batesville Bulldogs in Galle’s senior year had a 22-2 record with their only loss to State Champion Connersville.
After high school Gallee continued his basketball career at DePauw University, where he graduated in 1987. Once again he excelled in scoring and rebounding with 1,203 career points and 555 career rebounds. He also had 210 career assists and 119 steals. Dave was named to the All American First Team; the National Association of Basketball Coaches All America First Team and Most Valuable Player.
Earning a bachelor’s and master’s degree in business, Dave is Vice President of Operations for Enkei in Columbus, Indiana.
He and his wife Jamie are parents of Luke, Megan and Alex Galle.
Michael Tim Heller
Heller is a graduate of Milan in 1961, where he was a starter for the Indians and the team’s high scorer during his high school career. Although Milan lost to Coach Dale McNeeley’s New Marion Panthers in the final game of the Ripley County Tourney by a score of 46-44, Tim was named to the All-Tourney team while collecting many honors during his senior year.
In addition to playing in a championship game, Tim has the distinction of coaching the Sunman Tigers to a Ripley County championship in 1968. Along the way, his Tigers defeated Batesville 68-55 to reach the finals, where they beat Jac-Cen-Del 77-70 for the title.
Noted for his leadership qualities as well as his athletic ability, Tim made countless contributions to his Milan Indian team and is remembered as one of the Ripley County players to be listed for Most Points Scored by a Player and Most Field Goals by a Player.
After graduating from Milan High School, Tim received his Bachelor’s Degree from Morehead State, his Master’s Degree from Indiana University, and his EDS from Ball State University. His outstanding career in education includes teaching and coaching, being a high school principal, an assistant superintendent and superintendent.
Heller retired from the State of Indiana after 32 years in education. His last 12 years were with the Muncie Community Schools. He is currently superintendent of McCracken County Schools in Paducah, Kentucky, where he has served for the past nine years.
Married to Judy Grinstead Heller since 1968, Tim has been an active member of his community and is the proud father of two daughters, Josie, who resides in Indianapolis, and Jackie, who is a high school teacher in New Castle.
Robert Daniel Moorhead
Moorhead was a three-year varsity player for the South Ripley Raiders, where he played for Coach Ted Ahaus on his sectional and regional championship team in 1981. A highlight of his career took place in the last 40 second of the regional championship game when as a sophomore he made two free throws- the last coming with the score tied 62-62 with 23 seconds to play- giving the Raiders a 63-62 victory and advancing them to the semi-state.
In his junior year, Rob maintained his role as a pressure shooter, making free throws and baskets to send games into overtime or give the Raiders the win. That year he averaged 14 points and 8.5 rebounds per game and was the top-free throw shooter with a 63% average.
Although the Raiders were plagued with injuries and illnesses during Rob’s senior year, the season ended with a 10-10 record and a career high 30 points for Rob against South Decatur. He averaged 18.5 points per game, 10.4 rebounds, and led the team in free throw shooting with 77%. Over his three-year career, Moorhead played in 53 games, scored 777 points, grabbed 470 boards, had 59 assists and a career 68.5% FT average.
He was named to the all-sectional team all three years, the all-regional team in his junior year when he was named MVP of the Connersville Regional, the all Ripley County Tourney and the ORVC teams in his junior and senior years. As a senior he won the prestigious William Tiny Hunt Memorial Award and a Hoosier Basketball Coaches Association Scholarship.
While attending Hanover College, he played four years for Coach John Collier and was the recipient of the first-ever Leadership Award for Basketball in his senior year. He graduated as valedictorian of both his high school and college classes with a 4.0 GPA and maintained his GPA during his master’s and EDS classes at Xavier University.
His career in education has included teaching, coaching and administration at South Dearborn High School. As head basketball coach, his South Dearborn Knights won the 1995 Sectional and were runners-up in the Columbus Regional, losing on a last second shot to Shelbyville. In 2003 he was named principal at South Dearborn, a position he still holds.
Rob is married to Lisa Keith, and they are parents of two sons, Bradley, age 14 and Trenton, age 12. The family resides in Aurora.
Melvin Siefert
Siefert, a 1981 graduate of Batesville High School, has earned many honors during his years as a player and as head basketball coach for the Batesville Bulldogs. He was a varsity player in high school, earning a reputation as a leader and a fundamentally sound player.
After being named to many all-county, all-conference, and all-tourney teams, Mel continued his educational and athletic pursuits at Butler University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree, and Xavier University, where he received an MS in Guidance and his EDS degree.
Named head basketball coach at Batesville High school for the 1992-93 season, Mel began a 16-year career that resulted in 262 wins and 97 losses. The Bulldogs set new records under his leadership by winning eight Ripley County Tourney championships, four consecutive Ripley County Tourney championships, and eight Eastern Indiana Conference Championships.
During his coaching career, Siefert’s teams won 10 IHSAA Sectional titles, four Regional championships and in 2001 advanced to the State Finals, where they were runners-up.
Coach Siefert has been very active in the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association throughout his tenure and served as vice president of that organization in 2007-2008.
His reputation as a winning coach and quality teacher includes his developing a reading program for his high school players to travel to Batesville’s Intermediate School to read to fourth and fifth graders. Also for several years he and members of his team volunteered time at the food pantry in Cincinnati during Christmas break. Siefert currently serves as principal at Batesville Middle School.
He and his wife Amy are the parents of two children, Ben and Lauren.
Michael Scott Smith
Smith is a 1983 graduate of Jac-Cen-Del High School, where he was a four-year letter winner for the Eagles and is one of only five JCD players to collect 1,000 career points and 500 rebounds.
As a player for Hall of Famers Dave Porter and Kelvin Comer, Smith averaged 20.6 points per game in his senior season with a total of 433 points. His career total of 1,066 points ranks him seventh on the JCD scoring list.
Smith received many honors during his four years as an Eagle basketball player. He was three times All Ripley County, three times All-Sectional, and two times All-Ohio River Valley Conference. In his senior year, he was named conference MVP after averaging 27 points per game in conference play.
After high school Smith attended Danville Community College and Ivy Tech Community College, playing basketball there for two years. He later graduated Cum Laude from Northern Kentucky University with a Bachelor of Arts degree.
Returning to his home school, Smith has coached for 11 years, three as a varsity boys golf coach and six as the girls varsity basketball coach. His girls teams have won four sectionals, a Ripley County Tourney championship, and two ORVC championships. Among his other honors, Smith has been named Conference Coach of the Year twice and has posted an 85-51 record in his coaching tenure. Smith's '08 Lady Eagle varsity team, with their 15th straight season win, earned Smith his 100th coaching career victory with a 46-43 win over the Switzerland County Lady Pacers.
Smith has been the controller for Bruns-Gutzwiller Construction for over 20 years. In 1983 he married Vickie Black, and they are parents of two children, Heather, whom Scott coached in 2001-2002, and Trent, a seventh grader at Jac-Cen-Del.
Charles F. Bud Wagner
Wagner compiled an outstanding career as a basketball player at Osgood High School. Graduating in 1947, Bud earned a varsity letter his freshman year and was a starting guard his sophomore year. During his junior and senior years, he not only earned letters but was also elected team captain.
Known for his versatility, Wagner could play starting guard or forward or jump center and was continually the leading scorer and rebounder. His 30 points led the Cowboys to a Ripley County Championship in his junior year, when he was also choosen for the all-county and all-sectional teams.
During his senior year he combined 91 field goals and 69 free throws for a 251 total. He was high scorer for the Cowboys in 14 games and second in two. Regonition came in his choice for the all county, all sectional, and all tri-county teams.
Other athletic pursuits during his high school career included four letters in softball and one in track. He tried out for the University of Kentucky basketball team and Coach Adolph Rupp, but got to play only five minutes and never touched the ball.
At Hanover College, Wagner played junior varsity and varsity basketball and second base for the baseball team. Later he transferred to DePauw University, but returned to Hanover, where he earned his athletic jacket his senior year.
After graduating from Hanover, Wagner joined the U.S. Air Force and graduated from Officer Candidate School as a second lieutenant. When his service career ended, he joined the family bottling business and moved to Muncie to manage the RC Bottling Company.
Wagner sold the bottling business and opened the Great American Restaurant, which he and his wife Betty ran until they purchased an HWI hardware and grocery store, from which he retired. The couple returned to Osgood, where they presently live. They are the parents of four children, one of whom is deceased.