Highlights from the Iowa Girls 6-on-6 Basketball State Tournament: The Blizzard of 1959

Among the many highlights from past girls 6-on-6 state basketball tournaments, one memorable event didn't have anything to do with the actual game of basketball--the blizzard of 1959. This segment from Iowa PBS’s More Than a Game: 6-on-6 Basketball in Iowa documentary includes accounts from those who experienced the event.

Narrator: Among the multitude of highlights from state tournaments, a few will be etched in fans' minds for years to come. Ironically, one event didn't have anything to do with the actual game of basketball, the blizzard of 1959. As Gladbrook and West Central Maynard were battling for the championship title inside, a winter storm was raging outside.
 
E. Wayne Cooley, Executive Secretary, IGHSAU 1954 - 2002: I remember it well. I was very worried. I was very concerned because there was no exit from the city of Des Moines. As a result, we had 7-8,000 people stuck in the auditorium. We needed to do something to entertain them. Herein is where my good friend, Frosty Mitchell, from another side of Des Moines, he walked through the snow storm with his music with him. He finally arrived at the auditorium snow bitten. He was covered with snow and he was a sight.
 
Narrator: Frosty Mitchell was a young deejay for KIOA radio in 1959, popular with teenagers for playing the top 40 hits. He would remain a familiar voice and face at the girls' state basketball tournaments for years to come.
 
Frosty Mitchell, Sports Announcer: I remember standing on top of the official's scorers table to do a teen hop till 5:00 in the morning. They sold out of 10,000 donuts, I believe. The kids were marvelous. We had no discipline problem, other than some of the people that didn't like top 40 that maybe wanted to sleep in the stands.