Beloit College

Dennis Hodge, Beloit Class of 1961, B.S. Geology
 
As a senior in high school in 1957 I looked at many different colleges that combined good academics and good sports programs.  Visiting a number of colleges that featured these criteria I was attracted to Beloit because of the basketball program under Dolph Stanley. Visits to Beloit and Coach Stanley made my decision easy.  He provided work help assistance as a student athlete and his style of play fit my capabilities.  When I arrived at Beloit in the Fall, I learned that Coach Stanley was no longer at Beloit.  The positive in the situation was that his legacy lived on for a short time with the players who remained at Beloit.  Entering Beloit in the Fall of 1957 I learned that basketball practice among the players started immediately.  Grabbed my gym shoes and headed to the ‘basketball court.  I didn’t know what to expect as a lowly freshmen and with a number of returning players on the team.  I did think I was in good shape from summer practice and running track in the Spring of my high school final year.  The introduction to Beloit basketball was a revelation.  After brief warmups we assembled for a scrimmage.  Within minutes after the ball was dropped I understood that this college team was ‘faster’ than anything I had experience in Illinois high school basketball.  Seldom was a rebound brought down but it was tipped to a streaking forward or guard and the fast break was in motion.  Guards and forwards filled the three lanes and often a streaking forward or center would slightly trail the fast break and get a pass as he was going for the basket. Senior Gary Whitlow and junior Paul Hudgens were the ball keepers with seniors Ken Monson, Jack Sanders and Don Williams filling the lanes.  There also were a number of talented sprinters in the junior class that contributed to this team.  That group of players carried on the winning system and attitude that made Beloit such a great basketball college.  The transition to coach Knapton’s era took time with some growing and transition difficulties.

Beloit’s education, however, provided the real rewards.  As a student athlete one has to learn to apportion your time with sports activities and hard work in Beloit’s academic program.  The combination of physical activity and academics at Beloit provided the framework for success in graduate school and then onto a career as a professor.  Science and math courses were my main focus; I graduated with a major in Geology.  Beloit gave us a strong background in these areas and broadened our education with liberal arts classes.