Hall of Fame Inductee - Bob Moeller

Basketball is in Bob Moeller’s blood. A native of Arnold, Kan., Moeller played three sports in high school — tennis, baseball and basketball — but he left his mark on the hardwood. He scored a Kansas state record 52 points in a game during his senior season in 1942. He also led Arnold to a second-place finish in the state tournament. Moeller was invited by University of Kansas coach Forrest “Phog” Allento attend a spring workout, but with the onset of World War II, the U.S. Army needed his services. He spent three years in Europe and the United States. In 1946, with his military service over, Moeller and his wife, LaVeta, moved to Quincy. That winter, they started attending QHS boys basketball games and have been diehard supporters ever since. The Moellers have been season-ticket holders since 1947, and Bob served on the QHS Thanksgiving Tournament committee since its inception. Moeller served as the tournament co-chairman in 1996.

Acceptance Speech

"I want to thank the QHS Hall of Fame committee for honoring me for something that was a pleasure to do. Going back to a hot summer day in 1969, a handful of businessmen and coach Sherrill Hanks med at Sandy’s Restaurant at 30th & Broadway to discuss the possibility of a holiday tournament. It became a reality as the first annual Central Illinois Classic was held on Dec. 21, 22 and 23 of 1969. The CI Classic was again held in December of 1970, but because of the difficulty in recruiting teams at that time of year, it was decided to move the tournament to November. The first Thanksgiving Tournament was played on Nov. 25, 26 and 27 in 1971. It has been a privilege for me to be part of one of the most respected programs in Illinois high school basketball. Thank you for honoring me this evening."