Heidelberg University Athletics

It's strange how one game or one play is always remembered in a great career of an athlete. Such is the case of Gilbert "Shelly" Shellhouse, a 1947 graduate of Heidelberg.

The basketball game that made the name Shellhouse well-known around campus came against the University of Toledo in 1939 at Columbian High School. It was a game where Toledo initially was given a 48-47 win, when the game was actually a tie, 48-48.

As the final whistle blew and the large crowd left for home, the official scorer discovered the scoreboard was wrong and the game was actually tied. A frantic check of the books began and it was discovered that the scorer was correct, the game indeed was tied. By this time both teams were in the shower room dressing, one team ready to get back to Toledo and the other to return to the campus after its finest game of the year. The final decision was to call the game a deadlock, 48-48.

It was a foul shot by Shellhouse that was never recorded on the scoreboard that created the problem on a night that he chalked up 11 points in addition to playing an outstanding defensive contest. From that moment on, that one point error in the books would follow Shellhouse throughout his career.

Shellhouse earned numerals at Heidelberg in football and basketball his freshman year (1935-36) while receiving his varsity letters in basketball and baseball in 1936-37. He grabbed his third letter in basketball and baseball, while receiving a football varsity letter for 1938-39.

Before graduation Shellhouse would enter the United States Army, in the chemical warfare division. He did not compete his second semester until he returned from service four and a half years later.

After graduating from Heidelberg with a major in Biology and Health and Physical Education in 1947, "Shelly" received his master's at Kent State University in 1955.

Playing under head coach T.R. Turney upon his return from the service, Shellhouse taught half-day at the West Market Junior High (1945-46) and also coached football, basketball and track. The following year he was a full time teacher at the school, as well as a coach.

It was in 1947-48 that he left the Tiffin City School system and moved to Wellington in Lorain County to begin an outstanding career in education that would span 30 years.

Among the programs he began in Wellington were junior high basketball and varsity baseball, which had been absent since 1942. He also began the junior high football program, as well as track. His team won two Southwestern Conference crowns in basketball in 1949-50 and 1950-51. It was in 1964 that "Shelly" decided to leave coaching. He became the athletic director for the Wellington Schools and later, the assistant principal as well as athletic director, until his retirement in 1977.

Shellhouse played semi-professional basketball with a number of teams including Huber Transports of Tiffin Derrick Shell Oil, Tiffin; Sycamore Merchants, Sycamore; Jones Boys, Upper Sandusky; and Woods Restaurant, Upper Sandusky. The teams played pro-traveling teams such as the Harlem Globetrotters.

Success has followed "Shelly" throughout his life, on and off the athletic field. He was awarded the Ohio High School Athletic Association Certificate of Appreciation for contributions to the high school athletic program in the State of Ohio in 1978. That same year he was honored by the Wellington High School Athletic Boosters as the "Man of the Year." In 1983 the Lorain County Athletic Administrators Association presented Shellhouse the Service Award for dedicated service to high school athletics.

"Shelly" has also been a member of the Fellows of Heidelberg College for more than 10 years as well as an active member of the Heidelberg College Alumni Varsity "H" Association.

(This profile appeared in the 1991 Hall of Fame Banquet program.  Mr. Shellhouse passed away in 1999.)