1966

The U.S. continued to escalate the war in Vietnam, and anti-war demonstrations swept the nation. The first ATM machines were opened. And, Charles Whitman killed 14 people from a perch atop the tower at the U. of Texas.

 International Falls hockey won its third straight state title and their fourth in six years and its fifth overall. The Broncos won 116 games while losing only six and tying four in five years. They clobbered Roseau 5-0 in the final, but barely escaped South St. Paul 2-1 in the semi. Falls was led by Tim Sheehy, while South St. Paul’s Jim Carter joined him on the all-tournament team and was also all-state in football. 

#27 Coach Larry Ross Larry Ross was born in Duluth in 1922, and starred as a goalie at Duluth Morgan Park, graduating in 1940. He went into the military and played some more hockey in the Navy. He didn’t start college until 1948, at the age of 28, and he won all-America honors for the Minnesota Gophers in 1951, at the age of 31! He became coach at International Falls where in 31 seasons he won 566 games while losing just 169 with 21 ties (.763). He led I-Falls to 13 state tournaments, and won state titles in 1957, 1962, 1964, 1965 and 1966. A 4-3 overtime loss to St. Paul Johnson in 1963 was all that stood between Ross and his team and five straight state titles. In 1964, Johnson had a 30 game winning streak going, and hadn’t given up a single goal in the playoffs to that point. I-Falls beat Johnson 7-3 in the state final. From 1964 to 1966, the Broncos (named for Bronko Nagurski) were undefeated in 58 straight games. In 1983, he was named Minnesota hockey coach of the year.  Ross’ top players included goalie Mike “Lefty” Curran, Keith “Huffer” Christianson, Peter Fichuk, Oscar Mahle and Tim Sheehy, a nephew of Nagurski; and Dean Blais, who went on to coach at North Dakota and Nebraska-Omaha. He retired in 1985 and died in 1995.

• Edina needed three overtimes to defeat Henning and another against Duluth East in the final en route to its first basketball title, while the Edina football team was named mythical state champion for the second straight year and the third time overall.

• St. Thomas won the MIAC basketball title with its first-ever undefeated conference record (16-0) under coach Tom Feely.

• Lou Hudson broke his shooting hand and the Gopher basketball championship hopes came crashing down. Archie Clark starred for the Gophers in both basketball and baseball.

• The Minnesota Twins finished second, nine games back, despite Jim Kaat’s 25 wins. The National Hockey League announced that an expansion team called the Minnesota North Stars would begin play the following year.

Year	Athlete of the Year	Team of the Year	Coach of the Year	Event of the Year
1966	1. Jim Kaat, Minnesota Twins 2. Archie Clark, Minnesota Gopher baseball and basketball 3 (tie). Jim Carter, South St. Paul football and hockey Tim Sheehy, International Falls hockey, F	1. International Falls hockey  (26-0, state champion) 2. Minnesota Twins baseball (89-73) 3 (tie). Edina basketball (26-0, state champion) Edina football (state champion)	1. Walter Bush, Minnesota North Stars hockey 2. Tom Feely, St. Thomas basketball (MIAC champion) 3. Larry Ross, International Falls hockey	1. International Falls won its fourth hockey title in five years, edging South St. Paul 2-1in the semis. 2. Lou Hudson broke his wrist and missed most of his senior basketball season. 3. Edina won the state basketball title with a one-point win followed by 4 OT.