By James Massara
The recreational basketball court at Aumiller Park received a facelift and now has a new name.
Emblazoned in white capital letter on both sidelines of the now red court are the words, “Larry Heid Court.”
A crowd including current and former Bucyrus basketball players and coaches, school employees, members of the Bucyrus High School Band and members of the Heid family were among those present to see the unveiling of a plaque next to the court that shares Heid’s story.
“It’s important for us to be here,” newly-named boys basketball coach Justin Mattix said. “It’s important for the community to see us here supporting it when the community supports us so much, especially for someone who meant so much to the program as Larry did.”
The idea came when Heid’s nephew, Michael Heid, was driving through Aumiller shortly after Larry’s funeral and saw a dilapidated basketball court and the idea came to be on how to immortalize his late uncle.
Bucyrus Mayor Jeff Reser said the idea was perfect for the man Reser knew since his high school
days. Reser said the city employees who renovated the court worked tirelessly to
complete the project as soon as possible. A sentiment Michael Heid reciprocated.
The plaque describes a young Larry Heid who loved to play, especially basketball. At 12-years-old, Heid contracted polio and was confined to a wheelchair for life.
A 1959 graduate of Bucyrus High School, family and friends testified at the ceremony that two things never faded, Heid’s love for basketball and for the Bucyrus Redmen.
He found a way to use his passion for Redmen athletics, basketball and the Bucyrus community. Heid kept stats for and was a life-long fan of the Bucyrus Redmen basketball team for 40 years.
Former Bucyrus boys basketball coach Todd Martin said seeing Heid in his typical spot in the gymna
sium and shaking his hand was a calming pregame ritual, one he compared to Rocky Balboa being blessed by a priest before fighting Apollo Creed.
Martin said Heid had a way of spreading his positive outlook on life to those around him, win or lose.
The plaque at Larry Heid Court also describes Heid’s sense of community beyond the gymnasium walls.
Heid was an officer of Moose Lodge No. 669, member of the Bratwurst Festival committee, Jaycees, Air Explorer Posts Nos. 102 and 113, Easter Seals, Eagle Boy Scouts and city council.
Michael Heid said his uncle’s involvement in the community was why he was not surprised at the turnout of the crowd.
Throughout the ceremony, there were laughs, tears, handshakes and hugs, but as the crowd dispersed and the court became empty, Larry Heid was celebrated the way those who knew him best would say he would have wanted, with the chatter of young ballplayers dribbling, passing and shooting as their shadows in the late afternoon sunlight laid across the painted name of the man who will continue to be known by future Redmen players as a man who loved the game but found a way to love his community even more.