Friends of Basketball

Ken Rosenthal

Year Inducted: 2001

Category: Friends of Basketball

Schools / Organizations: Morrisonville High School
Morrisonville Grade School

Biography: Kenny Rosenthal of Morrisonville was content as a basketball official for 15 years until he was sidelined by illness. He was not content with missing the game so Rosenthal began keeping the scorebook for the grade school and in 1974 took over the high school varsity boys book. Rosenthal never went back to basketball officiating. He found a home on Morrisonville’s scorer’s table ever since.  “I’ve really enjoyed Morrisonville basketball,” said Rosenthal, who also served on the Morrisonville Community High School Board of Education for 20 years.  Rosenthal, like everyone else in Morrisonville, was extremely proud when the Mohawks made the Sweet 16 in 1974. But nowhere near as proud and jubilant when Rosenthal got the pleasure of scoring the 1975 Mohawks in the Class A Elite Eight.  Rosenthal received an appreciation award from the high school for his dedication to the basketball program and the Mohawk Classic Basketball Tournament. In 1987, Rosenthal received the Masonic Lodge 681 Community Builders Award for his dedication to the community’s civic and sports programs.  Long a backer of American Legion baseball, Rosenthal spent 16 years in various capacities and was awarded a life membership in the American Legion for his services. Rosenthal served six years as president of the Abe Lincoln Division of School Boards, as president of State Board of Education panels from 1983-86 and was a delegate to the national convention in 1981. In 1986, Rosenthal received an Illinois State Board of Education Award – Those Who Excel.