Julie Scheidegger/The Examiner With rows of William Chrisman alumni behind him, Lawrence Chambers, Class of 1935, waves to the crowd as he is introduced at the 100th anniversary celebration of Chrisman basketball Friday.

The personable William Chrisman boys basketball coach not only had to face the No. 1 team in the city, Lee's Summit North, he helped coordinate an event that brought tears to the eyes of many in the standing-room-only stands at Chrisman, Celebrating a Century of Chrisman Basketball.

Although his Bears hung tough for one quarter, the Broncos rolled to a 65-43 victory.

But this night was about much, much more than a basketball game.

"You look around and see all the former players, and it gives you a chill," said Bears senior center Kyle Smith, whose brother Brandon graduated in 2002. "I hate to play like that in front of all those former players, but this a night where I want to go and talk to as many of them as I can. I really want to talk to Russ Morman. I've heard so many things about him; I want to meet and talk with him."

Morman is one of the top athletes in the 100-year history of the school. The former major league baseball player with the Kansas City Royals, Chicago White Sox and Florida Marlins calls Blue Springs his home and was in attendance Friday night, along with his wife Loretta.

"This is really special," said Morman, who is a batting instructor of the Boston Red Sox AA club in Portland, Maine. "To be in the same gym with all those former players was just incredible. I looked in the stands before we all came out at halftime and I saw former teammates, former classmates and their parents. I even saw some familiar faces of parents who came back tonight and they didn't even have sons who played basketball.

Julie Scheidegger/The Examiner Russ Morman, arguably the best player in school history, shakes hands with Chrisman alumnus David Rock, the former Independence superintendent. See www.examiner.net for more photos from Friday.

"They just wanted to be a part of this."

The celebration was the brainstorm of activities director Dan Ogle, who met with Vickers before the start of the season.

"Dan asked me if I knew this was the 100th year of basketball at the school," Vickers said. "I didn't know that, but I thought we should do something to celebrate such a special occasion."

Vickers and a hard-working group of volunteers began contacting former players and friends of former players.

A story that ran in The Examiner provided information for one special guest ­ Chester Schulenberg, a player from the class of 1935.

"When I found out about the celebration from that story in the paper I just knew I had to be a part of it," said Schulenberg, who sat behind the Bears bench as the honorary coach. "You know, this is the first time I've seen this gym, and it's a beauty. Back when I played, we played in the Memorial Building down off the Square."

Julie Scheidegger/The Examiner After being recognized as one of the game's honorary coaches, Chester Schulenberg, Class of 1935, shook hands with Ben Kisner, Xavier Breakfield and the rest of the 2005 Chrisman team.

Schulenberg, and the other returning members of the 1930s team ­ Pete Elliott, Jade Christensen and Lawrence Chambers ­ were all presented with commemorative pieces of the former wooden floor at Chrisman.

"We really wanted to make this a special night for them," said Vickers, who hosted a post-game reception that included the 175 former players and coaches, their friends and family members. "I just wish some of them still had their eligibility because we could have used them tonight."

The night was also special for former Chrisman coach Warren Landess (1968-88) and his wife, Ellen, who made the trip all the way from San Antonio.

"Coach Landess has a bit of a problem with his memory," Ellen said, while greeting former players, "but I know tonight is very special for him."

Landess wore a big grin as he shook a countless number of hands.

"This is very nice," Warren Landess said.

While the evening was special for all in attendance, no one at Chrisman was a part of a richer basketball heritage than scorekeeper Linda Gray.

Julie Scheidegger/The Examiner William Chrisman alumn Jude Christensen smiles at the home crowd as the alumns of the 1930s are honored at the 100th anniversary of William Chrisman basketball.

Her father, Ed Ragan, was a part of the Bears' first Final Four team in 1950. Her brother, Gary Ragan, was a part of Morman's 1979 Final Four squad.

Her son, Zach, wore Ed's 1950 warmup jacket to school on Friday and played against North that night. His younger brother, Andrew, is a member of the Bears sophomore team, and sons Greg Martin (1989, a coach at Belton High School) and Tom Martin (1991, who died in a fire in 2002) also played for the Bears.

"This is just so special for me and my family," Linda said. "To have my father, my brother and Zach here is just hard to explain. I guess you could say we're Bears through and through."

So is Charlie Franklin, who had never missed a basketball game played by his grandson Tommy.

"I never missed one until tonight," said Charlie Franklin, a member of the Class of 1943. "Tommy plays for Truman, and I didn't know what to do.

"Then I got a call from my son, Charlie, who said, 'Dad, they probably won't have another one of these celebrations for 100 years and I don't think you'll be around for that one.'

"So, I decided to come tonight. By the way, do you know if Truman won?"

Julie Scheidegger/The Examiner William Chrisman alumn Dan Haskell waves to the home crowd as he and the other 1950s grads are honored at the 100th anniversary celebration of Chrisman basketball.

The festivities included an induction into the Chrisman Hall of Fame.

The honoree was Forrest "Phog" Allen, who coached basketball and football at Chrisman in 1906-07. That's the same Phog Allen that Allen Fieldhouse on the University of Kansas is named after.

"I didn't even know Phog Allen coached at Chrisman until we started doing all the research," Vickers said. "That just blew me away."

Allen's niece, Linda Allen, accepted the plaque.

At halftime, former players marched on the court, decade by decade. The four members of the 1930s drew the biggest round of applause from the appreciative crowd.

"I don't know about you," Ogle said, "but it brought a tear to my eyes. I just think that John and everyone was involved with this deserves a pat on the back. It's a night no one will ever forget."

Julie Scheidegger/The Examiner Class of 1935 alumn, Chester Schulenberg, accepts a mini basketball from the 2005 team as he is recognized as one of the games honorary coaches. Alumns from the 1930s to the prestent were honored at the 100th anniversary celebration of Chrisman basketball.

Count Lee's Summit North junior guard Dustin Andrews was impressed by the festivities.

"Can you imagine, 100 years?" Andrews said. "I can't imagine how neat it would be to go back to North in 20 or 30 years and be a part of a celebration. But I don't think I'll make the 100th."

Most the Bears attending the reception were still stinging from the loss to the Broncos, but managed a smile when talking about the celebration.

"This is special," Chris Bryson said. "100 years is just amazing. I just wish we could have given the former players a better game."

Ben Kisner agreed, adding, "We didn't play very well, but it's just such an honor to be a part of this."

Perhaps Vickers put it all in perspective when he said, "The game of basketball is about much, much more than wins and losses. I think we proved that by the turnout tonight."

To reach Bill Althaus send e-mail to bill.althaus@examiner.net or call 350-6314.

Julie Scheidegger/The Examiner As the Chrisman Bears warm-up for their game against Lee's Summit North, Dennis Elliott, left, from the Class of 1949 and Tom Haas, from the Class of 1961, laugh with friends at the celebration of Chrisman basketball's 100th anniversary.	Julie Scheidegger/The Examiner From the class of 1935, Lawerence A. Chambers sits with his twelve-year-old neighbors, James and Justin McDonald and their father Tom McDonald as they watch William Chrisman play Lee's Summit North at the 100th anniversary of Chrisman basketball.
Julie Scheidegger/The Examiner Spirited senior Felicia Keeton sports a bear mask on her hat as she plays with the William Chrisman pep band.	Julie Scheidegger/The Examiner On the court at William Chrisman High School, Jude Christensen, 1934-38, and Lawerence A. Chambers, 1935, shake hands after Chrisman's basketball alumns were honored at the 100th anniversary. Pete Elliott, Class of 1938, and Chester Schulenberg, Class of 1935, were also honored as part of the 1930s alumns.
Julie Scheidegger/The Examiner At the 100th anniversary celebration of William Chrisman basketball, 1964-67 head coach Bill Norton, left, was honored along with 1968-88 head coach Warren Landess, assistant coach Gene Jewel, assistant coach Cliff Mohn, head coach Bob Tonnies and assistant coach Keith Peterson.	Julie Scheidegger/The Examiner Lee's Summit North's Russell Williams drives the lane for a lay up against Chrisman defender Chris Bryson.
Julie Scheidegger/The Examiner William Chrisman's Xavier Breakfield looks for a shot against Lee's Summit North's defense.	Julie Scheidegger/The Examiner On the court at William Chrisman High School, basketball alumns from the 1930s to the present were honored at the 100th anniversary of William Chrisman basketball.
Julie Scheidegger/The Examiner Former William Chrisman principal Tom Herrick claps for the Chrisman Junior Varsity at the 100th anniversary celebration of Chrisman basketball.