When the Times-Gazette recently published a picture of the 1943-44 Highland County Basketball Tournament champion Lynchburg Bobcats, Debra Stidham of West Chester identified player number 26 as her father, 97-year-old Dean Gregory.

“We all played together real good, and we won it,” said Gregory, who played forward and rear guard. “They were all good players, and we all got along real good.”

Gregory said he enjoyed playing basketball in the tiny Lynchburg High School gym at the time.

Gregory said he believes basketball has changed since his playing days. “Back then we played basketball, and now what I see on TV, a lot of times they act like they’re playing football.”

“I didn’t graduate,” said Gregory. “I left when I was a freshmen, and I went to work a little bit, and then I was drafted into the service.” Gregory served as a Navy Seabee during World War II.

After completing his time in the Navy, Gregory lived in Greenfield and worked for NCR in Dayton. He also worked detailing cars for Chevrolet, and moved to his current home of West Chester in 1963.

Reach John Hackley at 937-402-2571.