The Viking all time winningest coach recogonized at Saturday's HNHS Game
Hat Tip Terri Bartrom Brumbaugh
December 9, 2023
When former players and colleagues collaborate to honor Huntington North’s best coach of the past 50+ years they do it in style. Huntington North’s gymnasium was filled with family and friends, both local and from afar, on Saturday December 9, 2023 reminiscing the stellar career of Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame inducted member Marvin Tudor.
Marv was a four year letter winner in basketball and baseball at Eminence High school graduating in1956 after being the team’s leading scorer for three years, shooting over 1,100 career points. He wenton to play basketball 4 years and baseball two years at Butler University. He went on coach four years at Triton Central and two years at Plymouth with records 18-5 and 20-5 respectively before landing head varsity coach at Huntington North High School in the 1967-68 season where he settled and planted roots
with wife of 65 years. Jeanette Tudor and their two daughters Kathy McIlrath and Cindy Gray. Jeanette teases that she put his in feet in concrete in Huntington and therefore he could no longer move.
Now retired Coach Tudor, living only a few blocks from HNHS, boasts of so many exceptional boys onhis teams through the years and is humbled by the dedication and loyalty of so many of them yet today.
Many personally visit his home often. Then players John Maples, Jim Thorn, Bill Walker and Dave Kaylor were instrumental in coordinating Saturday’s honoring tribute held between the Junior Varsity and Varsity games in the HNHS gym. The coach remembers clearly all parents were always supportive and
reacted to what was expected.
His relationship with former Huntington High Coach Bob Straight remained strong until Bob’s death in 2018, and they were both Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame Members where Marv served as President for twenty years. He has been friends with over 400 coaches during his years developing closerelationships with many including Bobby Knight, Tony Hinkle, John Wooden and locals Wally Stoffel and Leon Goodmiller.
His older daughter Kathy has vivid memories of her Dad’s basketball career, she says she grew up in a gym and that her respect grew watching him work hard to make certain his teams were successful by teaching basics and coordination skills. She remembers piling in the car with Mom, Cindy, Marvel Goodmiller and her children to travel to away games, sometimes getting lost but always making it fun.
Younger daughter Cindy, also extremely proud of her father, like her mother wanted him to realize the impact he has had on so many people’s lives in the community and embrace that realization while still
able to enjoy and savor the tribute. Their wish came true Saturday night.
In a post celebration conversation Coach Tudor said it will take a few days to thank everyone for thehumbling tribute and take it all in; it was a night he will never forget and is very grateful for his family,colleagues, students, friends, and for the always present community support.
His only regrets are that the career often kept him away from family ,needed more time for his wife, Kathy’s tennis and Cindy’s swimming successes and in reflection in should have stepped back and enjoyed the career more while it was happening instead of immediately jumping back in and prepping for the next game.
Spoken like the great Husband, Dad, Coach, and friend that he truly is.