The following is an article that appeared in the Friday, March 14, 1941 edition of the Clarion, the newspaper for what was then Salem’s only high school: Salem High School.

Simmons and Salstrom Finish Season Strong; Viks Down Pioneers

Salem high’s fast and furious basketball team climbed to the No Name league championship last Friday night when it downed the Pioneers of Oregon city 59-36 in their last game of the season.  Dutch Simmons and Eddie Salstrom led the Viks in their victory, getting 22 and 20 points respectively.  Simmons bagged his 22 points and was then put out of the game in the fourth period via the foul route.  Don Bower was put out of the game for the first time this year via the foul rule in the third quarter.

Big Bob Irish was not in the game, as he was left home to nurse a sore throat.

No Name League Standings: (Final Standings)

Salem 12 1 .923 644 379
Tillamook 10 2 .833 397 375
Oregon City 7 7 .500 438 441
McMinnville 7 7 .500 381 393
Corvallis 6 7 .461 364 346
Eugene 5 7 .416 335 322
Albany 4 9 .307 464 536
Milwaukie 1 11 .083 162 522

This was the last game of the season for the Viks, who now have their season’s record completed with 19 wins, six losses, 11 points scored for, to 775 scored against.  The season’s average of 44.64 points per game to a 31 points per game average for the opponents is an improvement over last year’s game average

Salem’s defeats this year were as follows:  two from the Oregon State Rooks

[1] , and one each from the University of Oregon Frosh, Medford, Tillamook, and Astoria.

The article’s images included above are of team members: Don Bower, Guard; Bud Coons, Guard; Eddie Salstrom, Forward; Don Cutler, Center; Joe Bowersox, Forward; Dutch Simmons, Forward; Warren Ling, Guard; Bob Irish, Center;

[1] The term “Rook” usually refers to freshman at a university during this time.