Four really good basketball players were inducted into the Newport High School Hall of Fame last Friday. Steve Fields (1975), Mitch Mayes (1981), David Simpson (1981) and Kenny Bell (1982). I played against Fields and he was the best pure scorer I ever saw in high school.

 

I watched Mayes, Simpson and Bell, and all three were great players. Wondered if any Newport fans were at the game to see these players honored, or had any memories of them.

Congrats to David Simpson. Good dude.

I believe Kenny Bell just passed away last year.

 

David Simpson was an incredible athlete and an even better football player.

I played against Mitch, Dave and Kenny. Newport was very good in those days and they were a big reason why. Congratulations!

Another great basketball player was inducted as well - Tony Commodore (1987).

And what do all of these guys have in common? I will give a little time for a few guesses before I answer.

They were outstanding athletes?

Full list

 

Tom Owens (1961)

Larry Sprinkle (1961)

Steve Fields (1975)

Mitch Mayes (1981)

David Simpson (1981)

Enid Kemp (1982)

Kenny Bell (1982)

Lawana Barber (1982)

Rick Atkins (1983)

Tony Commodore (1987)

Bobby Meyer (1988)

Coach Barb Heister

Just saying some of you old Wildcats better go back and research Charlie Pate, Lester Pate and Eugene Britton from the '62-64 era. These guys were awesome. How about Gary Vorhees from a little earlier. Maybe tells how old I am, but the Stan Arnzen era in Newport basketball history was legendary, and I was an opponent.

Just saying some of you old Wildcats better go back and research Charlie Pate, Lester Pate and Eugene Britton from the '62-64 era. These guys were awesome. How about Gary Vorhees from a little earlier. Maybe tells how old I am, but the Stan Arnzen era in Newport basketball history was legendary, and I was an opponent.

 

Other great Newport players after Steve Fields were Leonard Slaughter, Darrell "Bean" Bedford, and the most talented big man I played against when he was a sophomore at Campbell County, Mitch McIntosh. Mitch transferred to Newport and led the region in rebounding I think his senior year. The 1977 (I think) Newport team was one I thought could win the state. They had David "Beater" Scholsser on the team with those three.

Just saying some of you old Wildcats better go back and research Charlie Pate, Lester Pate and Eugene Britton from the '62-64 era. These guys were awesome. How about Gary Vorhees from a little earlier. Maybe tells how old I am, but the Stan Arnzen era in Newport basketball history was legendary, and I was an opponent.

 

 

Tom Laskey was great at Newport too. I think he was paralyzed while in Vietnam in the army.

They were outstanding athletes?

 

 

They were all great athletes and fine basketball players. I don't think Kenny played football, but Mitch and David did.

Full list

 

Tom Owens (1961)

Larry Sprinkle (1961)

Steve Fields (1975)

Mitch Mayes (1981)

David Simpson (1981)

Enid Kemp (1982)

Kenny Bell (1982)

Lawana Barber (1982)

Rick Atkins (1983)

Tony Commodore (1987)

Bobby Meyer (1988)

Coach Barb Heister

 

I did not notice Tony Commodore on the list I saw. Thank you for the correction! Tony was a super player at Newport. I also see Rick Atkins name, did he play basketball or just baseball?

I do not know what the criteria is to getting into their Hall of Fame, but I would think Mitch McIntosh and Leonard Slaughter will be inducted at some point. I saw Bob Vanderpool and David Schlosser were inducted two years ago. Coach Vanderpool did a great job with the Wildcat program as head coach. His final game at Newport was the Doug Schloemer last-second shot in the regional finals at Holmes. Newport led by one point with less than 10 seconds remaining. Schloemer drove the baseline and Schlosser blocked the shot, and the ball hit off Doug and the ref whistled Newport ball. But the official at midcourt (his last name is Middleton, I coached years later and he officiated my game) called it Holmes ball, and they did a jump ball. Holmes won the tip, called timeout. They got the ball to Doug on the inbounds, and he hit a 10-footer to give Holmes the win. Great game. Best regional championship game I ever saw. The crowd was overflow in Holmes gym, people were everywhere.

And what do all of these guys have in common? I will give a little time for a few guesses before I answer.

 

None ever won a regional title. That it?