St. Paul Mechanic Arts and St. Thomas Academy
The biggest news of the 1925 Minnesota basketball season came out of St. Paul, where Mechanic Arts high school and St. Thomas Academy won the MSHSL and the Northwestern Catholic titles, respectively. Not only that, but the 2 teams played a regular season game on Jan. 18 that ended in a 21-21 tie. St. Thomas left the building thinking it had won 21-20, but a discrepancy in the scoring was found later on. The 2 teams had already left the building, so there would be no overtime.
Mechanic Arts finished its conference season at 6-0 and as the city champion. They also defeated 10 non-conference opponents, 6 of whom were not high schools. They were 2 churches, their alumni, a YMCA, and 2 colleges. They finished the regular season at 16-0-1. They then beat Stillwater 20-16 and Princeton 25-20 in 2 overtimes to win a berth in the state tournament. There they beat Wayzata 12-9, Faribault 21-11 and Buffalo 20-8 to win the title of the MSHSL, then known as the MSHSAA. They completed their Minnesota schedule at 20-0-1. In just the 6 conference games, Louis Trautman (8.7 ppg) finished 2nd in the city in scoring, with James Dunn (8.2) and Ray Nelson (7.2) 4th and 5th. Nelson led the way in the state final with 10 points. Nelson led the city in scoring in 1924 (7.8) and 1926 (16 ppg) but Mechanic Arts failed to win a city title either year. Nelson is my pick as the Minnesota high school player of the year in 1925. Nelson mostly played center for Mechanic Arts, but he went on to be a starting guard for the Minnesota Gophers in 1929.
From there, they went to the national tournament in Chicago, where they did as well as any MSHSL champion ever did, which was to win 2 games. They beat Nashville, Tennessee, Hume Fogy 22-19 and Clarkston, Washington, 25-19. They then lost for the 1st time of the year 29-28 to Kansas City Westport. Westport lost its next game to El Reno, Oklahoma, and El Reno lost to Wichita, Kansas, 27-6 in the final.
The MSHSL lists their record as 17-1-1. They probably refused to recognize the 2 games against a church team and the 2 games against college teams. Then, they probably accepted either the YMCA game or the alumni game, but not both.
Edwin McKee coached Mechanic Arts from 1916 to 1928, winning 5 conference titles with a record of 125-38-1 (.765). His is the best winning percentage ever in the conference, just ahead of Len Horyza and Vern Simmons.
Meanwhile, St. Thomas went on to win the Catholic title, beating St. Cloud Cathedral 27-10 in the final. St. Thomas then went to the national Catholic tournament, also in Chicago, and beat Cincinnati Elder 20-18 before losing to Decatur (Indiana) Catholic 21-18. The tournament was won by Chicago St. Mel. We have no idea what St. Thomas’ final won-lost record was.
The rest of my high school all-state team for 1925, along with Ray Nelson, are Ted Catlin, Buffalo; Henry Meyer, Hitterdal; Matyas, New Prague, who led the state tournament in scoring; and Nelson’s teammate Louis Trautman. One wonders how good Henry Meyer was. He played in the small school tournament at Hamline, later referred to as Class B. He was the only MVP of that tournament over a period of 5 years who did not play for the champions. In fact, his team lost the only game it played.
Minnesota Gophers (9-7)
The Minnesota Gophers played for the 1st time in 27 years without longtime coach Dr, Louis J. Cooke and went 9-7. Harold Taylor was the new coach, and Ray “Black” Rasey was the star. He had played at St. Paul Central, where he scored 14 ppg in 1922. He started for the Gophers in 1924 and 1925, and in 1925 he was called the best player the Gophers had ever had. In light of the exploits of George Tuck, Frank Lawler and Erling Platou, this is surely hyperbole.
One highlight was a 25-12 win over Notre Dame, their 2nd win over the Irish in 3 tries to that time. They played the Irish often through 1939, but which time they were 5-12. They played at conference champion Ohio State (11-1), putting up a fight before losing 26-20.
MIAC
Gustavus won its 1st-ever MIAC title. It would go on to win 3 of 4 titles in 1925, 1926 and 1928. In 1925 Gustavus went 11-1 and 16-3; in 1926 11-1 and 16-1; and in 1928 10-1 and 13-3. Roy Lindenberg made all-conference in 1924 (when they finished 2nd at 5-2 and 17-2) and 1926, but not in 1925. D.C. Mitchell was coach from 1921 to 1926.
Carleton had won 8 straight MIAC titles, then left for tougher competition in the Midwest Conference in 1925. It took a few years for Carleton to get its footing in the Midwest, but they would soon win 7 straight Midwest Conference titles through 1934.
1925 Minnesota Hoops Awards
Player of the Year Black Rasey, Minnesota Gophers, F
Team of the Year St. Paul Mechanic Arts 22-1-1
Coach of the Year Edwin McKee, St. Paul Mechanic Arts
Game of the Year St. Paul Mechanic Arts 21 St. Thomas 21 (tie)