Greynolds, ‘76 Magics inducted into Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame

The 1976 Magics basketball team and the cheerleaders at the April 20 Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Columbus. (PHOTOS BY OHIO BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME/GRANT MARTIN PHOTOGRAPHY)

By RANDY FORST

BGNN sports editor

Oh what a night!

On April 20, the state of Ohio found out what the people of the Magic City have known for a long time. Jack Greynolds and the 1976 State Champions are at the top of the list when it comes to basketball in the state of Ohio. It took a long time, but Coach Greynolds and the Magics are now in the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame. It was quite a day that began with players, coaches, friends, and relatives getting together reminiscing about 1976 and Greynolds, and ended with their inductions at the ceremony that night. 

There, Greynolds’ son, Jack, and Marty Bodnar spoke to the crowd about that amazing time in Barberton history.

Jack Greynolds Jr. grew up a Magic, and Barberton fans remember watching him year after year as he sat on the bench watching his dad and the Magics. Until he grew up to not only play for the Magics, but play in the 1982 State Championship game. His dad spent 12 years at Revere, before moving on to Barberton where he coached for 18 years.

Greynolds had an amazing record of 549 wins and just 121 losses. His accomplishments include six district titles, three regional titles, a State Championship and two state runner up finishes.

Greynolds is in the Barberton Sports Hall of Fame, Summit County Hall Sports Hall of Fame, Greater Akron Hall of Fame, the Ohio High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame, and was named the Greatest High School Coach in Summit County in the last 50 years by the Summit County Sports Hall of Fame. 

Jack Greynolds passed away in 2005, so who better to speak for him than son Jack Jr. In a sometimes-humorous speech he talked about growing up as Jack’s son and memories he has of that time. The Hall of Fame gave him only 3 minutes to talk and that was impossible, but he gave a great talk about his father, a talk that might have been the best of all the inductees.

1976 Magics

The day began in a small room at the hotel around 3 o’clock. That’s where members of the team gathered with their families, friends and some other Magics of the past met. It was undoubtedly the highlight of the entire day. With Mark Bodnar acting as host, brother Marty, Carter Scott, Fred and Harold Grisby, Pastor Tony Ward, Jimi Graham, Rick Jacobs, Vance Cheatham, Kevin Stull, and Assistant Coach Ralph Pim, relived their memories of the season and Coach Greynolds. Unfortunately, Jim Stocker could not attend because he was sick. Other Magics of the past Tom Brabson, David Cheatham, and Andy Bodnar also contributed stories. It was a great time, as some of the stories had those in attendance howling with laughter. Surprisingly, when it came to the season most of the memories centered around the Canton McKinley Regional final win and not the championship game against Middletown. In that game the Magics trailed 32-42 at half, then behind Haro;d and Fred Grisby, and Marty Bodnar they outscored the Bulldogs 45-28 in the second half 77-70, most of the Magics pointed to that game as the highlight of the tournament run. Marty Bodnar actually brought along the radio broadcast of that game which he played after the session.

Cheerleaders steal the show

After that session, everyone attended the induction ceremony, which topped off a fabulous day. After Jack Jr.’s talk, the emcee introduced the 1976 team. As they filed up on to the stage, six Magics cheerleaders from 1976, Pam Kennedy, Sharon Magno, Kim Seibert, Annette Rogel, Beth Pressler, and Diane Momchilov (sorry if I missed any and not knowing married names) relived their cheering days by chanting “Hey Hey open the door, let the Magics on the floor!” To this fan it brought out the goosebumps.

Remembering

The 1976 Magics and Jack Greynolds did more than bring back a State Championship, they brought an excitement to the town that few had ever seen before. Who can forget, a purple street with Magics on it, purple beer, purple doughnuts, streets names temporarily changed to the names of the players, the long lines for tickets (that people lined up some as early as 4 a.m.) and the talk about dyeing Lake Anna purple! Luckily the people drinking the purple beer sobered up before they tried that. Or the cars driving around town blowing their horns all night, the greeting by what seemed like the entire city for the team as they returned from Columbus that ended in the Industrial Arts gym. Finally, everything in town being purple and the signs from store windows to people’s houses and yards, to decals on people’s cars, if you lived it you’ll never forget it! It was the ideal team, the ideal coach, the ideal gym, for the ideal community, a time we will never forget.

Congratulations to Coach Jack Greynolds and the 1976 team as you go into the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame.