Peterman’s Pick- Analyzing Illinois High School Basketball

If you study the history of Illinois HS basketball, you are probably aware of some of the early coaching legends. There were some great coaches in Illinois in the 1920’s, 1930’s, and 1940’s. 

Arthur Trout at Centralia won three State Championships and 6 State Trophies, and won 811 games. 

Ernie Eveland at Paris won two State Championships and 5 State Trophies, and won 436 games. And Eveland also won 3 State Championships in Cross Country.

Duster Thomas at Pinckneyville won a State Championship and 5 State Trophies, and won 460 games. 

Dolph Stanley was highly successful at Equality, Mt. Pulaski, and Taylorville during this time period, including winning a State Championship at Taylorville. He won 8 State Trophies before 1950. 

I am sure I missing many great coaches who I should also be listing. My point is that there are some legends who coached from 1920-1950 in Illinois. If you are like me, you have heard of Trout, Eveland, Thomas, and Stanley. 

As I have looked back into early Illinois history, a name popped up who I was unfamiliar with, but I quickly realized I should have been familiar with. 

Mark Peterman was a legendary coach at Canton and Springfield. With the Canton Plowboys, Peterman went 229-70, won State, and was in the Final Four 5 times. At Springfield, he went 298-190, won State. 

Peterman’s overall records were- 527-262, 2 State titles, 7 State trophies, 4 teams to State Championship game, 11 teams to Sweet 16. Obviously Peterman needs to be included in the conversation of the greats of the pre-1950 era. 

As I looked back, I found something that was very interesting. Peterman coached from 1921-1947. He won his State Championships in 1928 (Canton) and 1935 (Springfield). In the middle of his career in 1934, Peterman was doing a state wide column on Illinois high school basketball. 

He would make comments on players and teams, as well as predictions. The clippings that I have here are from March of 1934, where he is picking every single District winner. 

So not only could Peterman coach but moving into the media- he was a 1930’s version of Hubie Brown and Jay Wright. I can’t imagine many coaches would want to give any possible opponents fuel by picking against them in a state wide article.