The Waterloo Wonders

Waterloo was home to the legendary Waterloo Wonders. Coach Magellan Hairston and his Wonder Five won consecutive Ohio state high school Class B basketball championships in 1934 and 1935, winning 94 of 97 games and defeating many Class A and college teams. After their second Class B state championship, the 91st Ohio House of Representatives honored them with a resolution. Known for their colorful passing show, the Wonders entertained fans with their scoring ability, defense, trick passes, and hardwood antics. Coming from a small village of 150 with a school male enrollment of 26, they were considered one of the greatest basketball teams ever assembled on the Ohio high school athletic scene. After high school, four of the Wonder Five played professionally as the Waterloo Wonders against teams including the New York Celtics, the Philadelphia Sphas, the New York Rens, and the Harlem Globetrotters.

Ohio · United States