Local boy was quite a basketball player, too

Many would agree Lou Boudreau was a household name nationwide, buthe never forgot his roots.

"Harvey was my home," Boudreau said in an recent interview."That's where I learned everything."

Known mainly for his baseball accomplishments, Boudreau competedsolely in basketball for Thornton High School. He was a three-timeall-state selection (1933-35) and was a member of Thornton's "FlyingClouds," a nickname given to the Wildcats' 1933 state championshipteam. At the time, Thornton was one of the few high school teams touse a fast-break offense.

"I just tried my best," said Boudreau, who was the first highschool athlete to compete in three state basketball finals. "I hadgood teammates, and that's why we were a good team. A sportswriterdownstate gave us the nickname after a game, and it stuck with us forthe rest of our lives."

Boudreau went on to star at the University of Illinois, leadingthe Illini to Big Ten titles in baseball and basketball in 1937. Heis one of three former Illinois athletes to have his number retired.The university retired his No. 5 between games of a doubleheader onApril28, 1992, putting him in elite company with football greats RedGrange and Dick Butkus.

"Lou Boudreau was a true Illini legend and one of the all-timebaseball greats," Illinois athletic director Ron Guenther said. "Hewas a great Illini supporter."

Despite missing the last third of the 1938 basketball season,Boudreau was named an All-American by the Associated Press. He wasthe top vote-getter on the all-time Illinois basketball all-star teamnamed in 1981.

Boudreau signed a professional baseball contract with theCleveland Indians in 1938 but took the time to earn a bachelor'sdegree in education from Illinois in 1940.