Following its invention by James Naismith in 1891, basketball became wildly popular over the ensuing decades, and Worthington was no exception. In the early 1900s, Worthington High School (WHS) girls’ teams played in bloomers and knee socks, graduating to gym clothes by the 1950s. The game remained popular for girls throughout the ‘50s and ‘60s. Along with cheerleading and field hockey, it was the only girls’ sport to receive mention in the “Cardinal” yearbook until the passage of Title IX in 1972, which opened up much greater variety of sports for girls, including gymnastics, lacrosse, swim club, wrestling, track, tennis and softball.
Boys’ basketball was a major draw as well, with teams winning numerous championships and drawing hundreds of people to celebratory events. The 1944 boys’ basketball team made it to the State Class B semifinals, and the 1946 team made it all the way to the finals, where they were defeated. In another exciting season, the 1969-70 varsity boys' team captured the Ohio Capital Conference League title.
Whether it’s suspense during a close game, elation at victory or plain old satisfaction at sinking the perfect shot, basketball incites a variety of emotions. One thing is certain: Worthington has never had a shortage of enthusiasm for this all-American game.
