Early Sports of Burden High School

    Sports activities at Burden High School are much different now from what they were in the earlier days. First of all they weren't sponsored by the school. When the boys wanted to have a game they raised the money themselves. And second transportation was a problem. Most games were played against nearby towns. But sometimes they would take the train and spend the day, or over night, depending on what hours the train was running.

    Basketball was stressed more than any other sport. The games were played out of doors until 1915 when the first gym was built (which later burned completely down in 1935). The gym was heated with two pot belly stoves and was lighted by two gas lights, one over each basketball goal. To keep the basketball from knocking out the lights, hog wire was put up around the lights. The basketball rims were 10 feet high and the hoops were the same diameter that they are today. The boundary and free throw lines were all marked with chalk. The rules have changed a little through the years. For example: the players were allowed to take three steps and a hop when shooting before traveling was called; there was just one man who shot all the free throws; they were allowed only four fouls; and they shot the ball with both hands.

    There were some excellent basketball players at Burden High School and they played in several tournaments at Winfield.

    Burden High School had a good track team with three boys who could run the 100 yd. dash in 10 seconds flat. They were Loyd Peck, Ray Harris and Ralph F. Henderson.  On May 8,1913 Ralph F. Henderson won first in class C in the 220 yard dash and second in the 100 yard dash at a Winfield meet.  On May 23, 1913 Burden held its first track meet, in which several neighboring towns were represented.

    Baseball was played more between hometown teams than with school teams. The games were played at the fairgrounds inside the racetrack. On May 15, 1913 the Burden and Dexter teams played a game to dedicate a new baseball grounds north of Burden. Burden won 14 to 1, but the new grounds was used for one year and then they went back to the old one. Although baseball was more of a hometown team sport, the High School boys were not to be shunned, For example. On Oct. 2, 1910, Burden High School won a big game against Winfield High School with the final score being Burden 16 - Winfield 11.

    Football was not played at all in the earlier days of our school.