The Flying Dutchmen: Minnesota State H.S. Basketball Champs

1959 - 1960

I’m not sure which would have been a better movie: “The Hoosiers” or “The Flying Dutchmen.” Yes, “Hoosiers” was a huge success and, surely, a beautiful story about a small town basketball team winning the Indiana State High School Basketball Championship. Well, “The Flying Dutchmen” of Edgerton is the same beautiful story--a different place, Minnesota, a different time, 1960, with different participants.

As the men’s basketball coach at Luverne, Minnesota, I was well aware of the great basketball being played in the southwestern part of Minnesota. Edgerton was one of those teams expecting to have another good year. However, no one, I mean no one, would have picked the Edgerton team to represent our region, one of eight regions in the state of Minnesota, let alone win the state championship. Well, possibly one person -- that person would have been Ken Kielty, their coach for four years before Richie Olson took over as a first year coach. Coach Olson knew he had a veteran team coming back and did all the right things to let them play the game as they knew how.

Winston Churchill once said, “There is nothing more exhilarating than to be shot at and having them miss.” Well, I don’t think there was anything more exhilarating for fans from Edgerton, and yes, for me, an opposing coach--witnessing their trip to the State Tournament as they defeated three strong teams in the state tournament, remaining undefeated; then, watching their glorious escort home to Edgerton.

I liked that team then, and knowing some of those team members now, I can assuredly say, that was not a “miracle team”—it was a team of great players, well coached, and a community that supported its dream.

- Coach Bob Erdman

Member of the Minnesota Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame (MBCA)

Member of the Minnesota State High School League Hall of Fame (MSHSL)

Coach of the Year, Section 4AAAA