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Like many of his classmates at Irving School in the early 1940s, Bill Lindenberg grew up watching some of the greatest names in Centralia basketball history.
“Dike Eddleman was my idol back then,” he said.
From that start as a young fan began a following of Centralia High School sports that has continued for over 75 years for Lindenberg, the 2019 Centralia Sports Hall of Fame VIP inductee.
“Centralia is such a great sports town,” said Lindenberg, who, after military service, returned to his hometown to serve the community for many years as a dentist and was active in numerous civic organizations including the Optimists. “I’m just happy I was able to grow up here and be a part of it.”
While he did see a lot of A.L. Trout in his grade school days as a spectator at games, Lindenberg became better acquainted with the longtime coach after he began attending Centralia Township High School from where he graduated in 1951.
“I tried to play but I was too short and small,” said Lindenberg who did play golf for four years in high school and was on the first CTHS team to qualify for the state tournament. “But coach Trout gave me the opportunity to be his football and basketball manager when I was a junior, and I took it.
“Coach Trout was very personable. He was liked and respected by everyone. You wanted to absorb all the knowledge you could from him.”
From his younger days — starting with the very first one in 1943, Lindenberg saw all or part of every Centralia Holiday Tournament for over 70 years, the only exception being two years while serving his country in the United States Air Force.
Putting that knowledge of the tournament to good use, he penned an immensely popular and long-running “Tourney Trivia” section under the pen name of Herman Linden. It appeared annually in the Holiday Tournament program booklet highlighting players and coaches — past and present — and other facts about the CHT.
“I spent a lot of time out there [at the tournament],” he said.
Like many Centralia High fans, Lindenberg said he misses the ambiance, atmosphere and character of Trout Gym, but recognizes the advantages of Trout Arena as well.
“There are a lot of memories in Trout Gym, a lot of good times and events took place there,” he said.
“Compared with [Trout Gym], it [Trout Arena] is more spacious. It’s a great place to watch a game.”
In addition to basketball, Lindenberg was also a regular attendee at Centralia High football and Orphan Annies basketball games in addition to Kaskaskia College contests.
“Jean [his wife] and I saw a lot of those [Annies] games when [coach] Ann Murray had them going,” he said. “We really enjoyed watching those teams play.”
He was also present for wrestling, tennis and golf matches as his sons took part in those sports, and in later years, when his grandchildren also played for CHS.
An avid bowler and golf as well, he won the Centralia Chamber of Commerce Plae Dae Tourney with a scratch score of 35, and that night, had the high game in the men's Continental League at Banks Bowl.
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