Retrospect: Shoes halted game

Twenty-five years ago this week, the Jay County High School girls basketball game against Norwell was over before it started.

On Nov. 10, 1995, the Patriots’ game was called off after several of their players’ shoes ruptured during warm-ups and leaked silicone gel on the floor.

The JCHS players were wearing new Converse Cons React shoes that had silicone gel compartments for cushioning. Several of the shoes began to leak during warm-ups, leaving the floor slippery.

Coaches and referees inspected the floor and the Patriots were sent back to their locker room at one point. They later returned to the court, but officials decided it was too slippery to risk playing.

“Our feeling was even if we could have cleaned it up, in two minutes, another (gel) capsule would have ruptured,” said JCHS athletics director Phil Ford, who later became principal and is now president of Jay School Board.

Fans were given refunds and plans were made to reschedule the game.

Jay County coach Ned Wicker and Ford said there were minimal problems during the junior varsity game, a 37-36 Patriot victory. But that changed during varsity warmups.

“They got the floor pretty much wiped up and about five of the 10 varsity kids’ shoes ruptured,” said Wicker. “It really created a mess in the lane …

“It was just bizarre.”

The same style of shoes were also being worn by Jay County’s boys basketball teams, leaving the school to scramble to replace them.