Oct. 2, 2013
LA Tech vs. Centenary 1-4-26 
RUSTON - The Louisiana Tech men's basketball team made plenty of history on the hardwood last season, but in recent days the birth of the program has coincidentally shown its history.
As part of a timeline for the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame, LA Tech presented the program's inaugural 1925-26 men's basketball season as a milestone in the timeline.
No players, dates or places were known from that year. The only information on record was that head coach R.C. Kenny, also the football coach at the time, led the team to a 7-7 season against the likes of Centenary, Louisiana College, Northwestern State and UL-Lafayette.
However, thanks to New Orleans historian Bob Remy, we now know that the very first Bulldog basketball game for then Louisiana Polytechnic Institute (L.P.I.) came against the Centenary Gents on Jan. 4, 1926 in Shreveport, La.
Remy found the news clipping from a Shreveport paper archived at the Middleton Library at LSU. The article recounts a 40-13 win by the cagers of Centenary at the Y.M.C.A. Gymnasium which was built the previous year in 1925.
For the Bulldogs, Levi Davis and Lewie King both registered three field goals apiece for the team's only baskets. Davis had a team-high seven points.
It was only a few days later that the year 1926 showed itself again at the basketball offices, except this time it was in the form of a medallion.
A few years ago a gentleman named Gary Smith was metal detecting in Jena, La. when he found a basketball medal. On the back was engraved LA Tech 1926.
After a failed effort to find who the medallion belonged to, Smith returned it to Louisiana Tech a mere 87 years after it was made.
The Bulldogs will almost be playing as if it was 1926 this season as the team squares off versus three of the four original opponents - Centenary, Northwestern State and UL-Lafayette.
1926 Men's Basketball Roster
Clifford "Brick" Woodard - Forward
Goodwyne Courtney - Forward
Patrick Wright - Foward
Levi "Tubby" Davis - Center
Lewie "Goody" King - Guard
James Willis Yeldell - Guard
Henry Hooter - Guard
George "Blue" Hogg - Guard
For complete coverage of LA Tech Men's Basketball, please follow @LATechHoops on Twitter or visit the official home of Louisiana Tech Athletics at www.LATechSports.com.
