The motto "March Madness" remained largely a Midwest regional thing for dour decades until CBS broadcaster Brent Musburger, a former Chicago newspaper reporter began referring to the NCAA's basketball tournament. The term caught on.
But, in 1996, the IHSA sued to stop the NCAA corporate sponsor GTE from distributing a video game bearing the March madness title.
Later that year, the IHSA and NCAA hammered out a joint venture called the March Madness Athletic Association, which now holds all trademark rights to the term.
They go on the prowl when all those brackets start going viral.
So, Give me That M.M. Bracket. --Cooter
Showing posts with label March Madness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label March Madness. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
March Madness Began in Illinois-- Part 2
In the 1940s, "March Madness" became the state's nickname for its basketball tournament. This would include when the team from little Hebron, Illinois, won the championship in 1951. In 1977, the IHSA made it official, licensing the phrase to companies like Pepsi and Wilson Sporting Goods. Other states could use it for a $10 fee.
Henry V. Porter, who started his career as teacher and coach at Athens High School in central Illinois, was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1960 and died in 1975.
This week, the IHSA announced that it had discovered in Porter's personal collection thee earliest video of the IHSA boys basketball tournament, including action from the 1932-1936 state finals.
How It Came to Mean College Next. --Cooter
Henry V. Porter, who started his career as teacher and coach at Athens High School in central Illinois, was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1960 and died in 1975.
This week, the IHSA announced that it had discovered in Porter's personal collection thee earliest video of the IHSA boys basketball tournament, including action from the 1932-1936 state finals.
How It Came to Mean College Next. --Cooter
Monday, March 16, 2015
March Madness Began in Illinois-- Part 1
From the March 15, 2015, Chicago Tribune "Chicago Sports Flashback: Phrase's popularity truly poetic justice" by Tim Bannon.
Tim Bannon seems to get any history sports articles in the Tribune. he also did the recent one on Cubs and Sox Spring Training in French Lick, Indiana.
"For more than 40 years, 'March Madness' was confined to Illinois. The state's high school basketball tournament started in 1908 (Peoria Rock Island 48-29 for the title) and continued for three decades without a catchphrase.
"Then in 1939, Henry V. Porter, an Illinois High School Association (IHSA) official, wrote an article for the IHSA magazine. It was titled 'March Madness.'
"'A little March madness may complement and contribute to sanity and help keep society on an even keel,' he wrote.
"Three years later, he punctuated his poem with a poem, 'Basketball Ides of March,' which included these lines: 'The Madness of March is running. The winged feet fl, the ball sails high. And field goal hunters are gunning.'"
So. That's the Guy. Sorry NCAA. --Cooter
Tim Bannon seems to get any history sports articles in the Tribune. he also did the recent one on Cubs and Sox Spring Training in French Lick, Indiana.
"For more than 40 years, 'March Madness' was confined to Illinois. The state's high school basketball tournament started in 1908 (Peoria Rock Island 48-29 for the title) and continued for three decades without a catchphrase.
"Then in 1939, Henry V. Porter, an Illinois High School Association (IHSA) official, wrote an article for the IHSA magazine. It was titled 'March Madness.'
"'A little March madness may complement and contribute to sanity and help keep society on an even keel,' he wrote.
"Three years later, he punctuated his poem with a poem, 'Basketball Ides of March,' which included these lines: 'The Madness of March is running. The winged feet fl, the ball sails high. And field goal hunters are gunning.'"
So. That's the Guy. Sorry NCAA. --Cooter
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