Don’t put down Big George or Big George will put you out!
Eric Mann
20 Dec 2023 - The Decatur Daily Democrat
I’m not a basketball historian, but one of my favorite hoop tales is about the awesome George McGinnis: the Hoosier high school and professional all-star who died on December 14 at age 73.
This story is about his exploits in the only all-star games I care about: the high school wars between Indiana and Kentucky.
In 1969, a few months after leading Washington High School of Indianapolis to a 31-0 record and the state championship (with Big George as Mr. Basketball), he did the same thing in the two state vs. state all-star tilts.
In game one, McGinnis (at 6-8, 235) put up 23 points and made only eight of 26 shots from the field (but grabbed 14 rebounds) as the Hoosiers won. That led Kentucky’s Mr. Basketball (Ron King from Central HS) – who cares what his name is – to tell the news media that McGinnis was “overrated,” a word he used twice!
When McGinnis read that, he told the other Indiana all-stars and the coaches that he wanted the ball in game two, which was played a week later.
In the second contest, Big George showed off just how “overrated” he was as he hit 20 of 32 shots and 13 of 24 free throws for what is still – more than 50 years later – the highest one-game score in the history of the series: 53! He also reeled in 30 rebounds and blocked four shots – and did all that while missing several minutes after suffering a defective shoe that had to be replaced.
After the second outing, the Bluegrass Mr. B admitted that, well, Big George was mighty good after all.
By the way, Indianapolis Washington is my pick for the all-time best state championship team in state history. It scored 90 or more points in 19 games and had 6-9, 240 Steve Downing as Big George’s front line running mate.
The coach of that squad, in his first year as head man, was Bill Green, who went on to win five more state titles at Marion.
George McGinnis did many great things on the court, but none better than beating up on the Kentucky boys twice.
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