In 1968, John Bard and five other men walked 25 miles from the city of Seymour in Jackson County across the Muscatatuck River into Scott County to the city of Scottsburg … and here’s the story.

The Scottsburg- Seymour basketball rivalry had always been pretty intense, and even as the two schools played in different sectionals for the first 50 years of the IHSAA tourney, the rivalry was about much more than basketball. From what I’ve been told and can remember, the two small cities just weren’t very fond of each other.

In 1965, when Scottsburg was assigned to the Seymour Sectional by the IHSAA, the rivalry for the next 15 years was one of the most bitter matchups in Indiana. I mean, there was some bad blood between the two schools and communities.

It started with an 81-80 win by Seymour in the 1965 sectional followed by another Seymour win, 76-71, in 1967.

[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]

In 1968, the Seymour Sectional was one to keep your eye on. Scottsburg came in as the favorite, and when it pulled off an 83-73 win against Seymour in the championship game, the city was ready to celebrate.

But then something happened. A Seymour student threw a tear gas canister into the Scottsburg fan bus, setting off an ugly scene, where several students were rushed to the Seymour hospital and Indiana State Troopers rushed in to keep peace.

As Seymour officials tried to sort out what happened, Scottsburg residents were furious with the act, but the community pulled together and celebrated its first Seymour Sectional title.

The next day, on a Sunday afternoon, something happened that is still talked about to this day.

John Bard, a Scottsburg educator, along with five other men went to the old Shields Gym in Seymour and in support of the community of Scottsburg walked all the way back to Scottsburg. Now, there had been no training prior to the walk. It was just something they wanted to do that day, and that’s what they did.

They didn’t know what to expect when they did it, but when WMPI 100.9 radio station in Scottsburg got word of the walk, they decided to give it some coverage.

The WMPI van drove along behind them, updating listeners on how the walkers were doing. And before long, a convoy started to form behind them, and because of the radio broadcasts, something special happened. When they reached the Scottsburg area, they were greeted by the adulation of hundreds of Scottsburg residents. The year was 1968, and things sure were different back then.

So when I saw John recently at Meyer Gym, I wanted my picture with the man who walked the talk and talked the walk.

John is a great guy, loved and respected by many. His father, Dr. Bard, was the delivering doctor when I came into this world in 1959, and here I am 56 years later having my picture with his son.

[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”At a glance” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]

1968 Seymour Sectional

Seymour 69, North Vernon 58

Austin 67, Crothersville 60

Scottsburg 82, Medora 50

Brownstown 88, Clearspring 32

Seymour 83, Austin 67

Scottsburg 86, Brownstown 81

Scottsburg 83, Seymour 73

[sc:pullout-text-end]