Friends of Basketball

Craig Thornton

Year Inducted: 1993

Category: Friends of Basketball

Schools / Organizations:

Taylorville High School

Arcola Schools

Biography:

Craig Thornton has some of the greatest Illinois High School basketball memories in the state.  His father, Ralph Thornton was the principal at Taylorville High School in 1944 when Dolph Stanley’s Tornadoes raced to a 45-0 record and the IHSA state basketball title.  Craig remembers it vividly.  “I went with my father to all of those games at Huff Gym in Champaign-Urbana that year.  The good old Sweet Sixteen was big time for an 8-year old boy.  I was in hog heaven.”  

Craig began announcing the Arcola School basketball games in 1963.  He has seen many changes in IHSA basketball:  the elimination of the jump ball, 3 point shots added, the two class system, coaches not allowed off the bench, coaches restricted to the coaching box, etc.  He can remember games with large crowds and games with small crowds.  As he talks about the game, he always seems to return to those memories of the Taylorville Tornadoes in 1944.