[Ads-l] "Sweet Sixteen" - basketball tournament

[Peter Reitan]

"Sweet Sixteen" in the context of a basketball tournament dates to at least 1927 in Indiana.


In 1927, it was used in a set of pre-tournament predictions.  But it was used to refer to the best sixteen teams in Randolph County, Indiana, not the final sixteen in the tournament.  Funnily enough, though, Randolph County currently has only 20 incorporated towns and townships.  Dunno what it was like in 1927:


"Sweet Enough. Randolph County.  Dear Bob: - Here is our "sweet sixteen" of Randolph County. . . ."

The Star Press (Muncie, Indiana), March 3, 1927, page 10.


Again, in 1929, it was used as a pre-season prediction, but this one appears to be a statewide prediction or ranking of the best teams:


"Here is our 'Sweet Sixteen': Bedford, . . . . ."

The Indianapolis Star, January 27, 1929, page 32.


In March of 1929, another paper used the term more unambiguously to refer to the final sixteen teams remaining in the Indiana state basketball tournament.


"Select '16' to Play State Net Finals Meet Tests Today. Indianapolis, March 9 - (AP) - A few more hours and we will know who will be the Sweet Sixteen.  In 16 Indiana cities this afternoon and evening 48 basketball games will be played and when it is all over there will be 16 teams entitled to come to Indianapolis next Friday and Saturday and play in the final tourney which will decide the 1929 high school championship of the state."

Palladium-Item (Richmond, Indiana), March 9, 1929, page 11.


And apropos "March Madness," The Indianapolis Star used the expression "basketball madness" in March 1929:


"All the enthusiasm which has been accumulating during the last twelve months, scarcely diminished by the occasional effervescence of the playing season, is now ready to burst forth in a frenzy of basketball madness."

Indianapolis Star, March 1, 1929, page 8.





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