Friends of Basketball
John Kenneth Young
Year Inducted: 2023
Category: Friends of Basketball
Schools / Organizations:
St. Joseph-Ogden High School
Biography:
Ken is a 1969 graduate of St. Joseph-Ogden High School where he was the valedictorian, and has been a huge fan and supporter of St. Joseph Ogden High School Boys’ Basketball for over five decades.
At the time of his induction, Ken had not missed attending a varsity boys’ basketball game for 47 years. The last game he missed was in December of 1975 when St. Joseph-Ogden played in the semi-final game at the Rossville Holiday Tournament. Ken attended 1,339 games, in a row. SJO has won 19 IHSA Regionals, 3 IHSA Sectionals, 2 IHSA Super-sectionals, and earned 2 state trophies in the first 60 years of boys’ basketball. Ken witnessed in person ALL of those championships.
Ken was an IHSA basketball official for 32 years. In addition, he attended many of the girls’ basketball games each year, and attends postseason boys’ and girls’ basketball games across the state when SJO is not playing.
John Kenneth Young has been an incredibly loyal boys’ basketball fan to SJO, and the game of high school basketball for over five decades.