A simple typographical error in a book on Elgin history became a beginning for Scott Johnson and the Elgin High School basketball Web site.
In 1976, when Elgin was coming up on its 1,000th boys basketball victory, Johnson, a 1974 graduate of the school, noticed a typo in a book written by local historian E.C. "Mike" Alft.
Johnson called Alft, and the conversation swung around to Alft asking Johnson if he'd be interested in compiling a list of games to verify Elgin's 1,000th win.
"We set about identifying every game," Johnson recalled. "And I started thinking, 'We've got all these scoresę...' Well, one thing led to another, and I crave that completeness."
Thus launched was a project that today has become the most complete single-sport Web site for any high school sport in the country. You can search the Internet far and wide and not find another high school sport Web site with the amount of information Johnson has put into the Elgin site, which is now available directly through Johnson's wife's home page, www.juliekistler.com, as well as through many Internet links.
To research all the information for 100 years of Elgin basketball, Johnson spent hours upon hours digging through microfilm of old newspapers.
"Elgin had two papers back in the early 1900s, and if I couldn't find a score in the Elgin paper, sometimes I'd have to go to the Aurora or Rockford or Freeport papers," said Johnson, who since 1994 has been the full-time Web master for the Illinois High School Association in Bloomington.
In 1987, Johnson published an Elgin High basketball record book. But, like anything of this nature, changes took place with every ensuing season. About 10 years after the initial work was published, Elgin coach Jim Harrington and team doctor Nick Bumbales went to Johnson for an update.
"Before the 1997-98 season, Jim and Nick had been trying to get me to reprint the record book I did in '87," Johnson said. "I just thought, 'Why not put it on the Web, where a lot more people could see it."
People across the country, that is. Johnson's Web site has regular visitors from all over the United States who keep up on the Maroons' progress each season through the Internet.
"I get a lot of e-mail from all over the country," Johnson said. "It comes from former players and fans alike."
For those who haven't visited this site, it's a must-see, regardless if you're an Elgin fan or not. Its comprehension is incredible in terms of completeness and accuracy. Included are stories about the first game (March 2, 1900, vs. Chicago Engelwood), the three home gyms Elgin High has used and numbers, numbers and more numbers, many of which are reprinted in this commemorative section with Johnson's permission.
"I do regret that it's not much more than data," Johnson said. "I now wish I'd have printed some of the articles to make it more complete, and I still plan to do that."
Johnson, who grew up on Jefferson Street in Elgin, very near the home of 1995-96 all-state Maroons girls player Leslie Schock, doesn't want people to forget Elgin's girls basketball history either.
"I'd love to get girls basketball on the site," he said.
Nearly 25 years ago, one little typo in a book ended up being responsible for what has become a career for Johnson.
"If it weren't for that one little error and if it weren't for E.C. Alft, who knows what path I would have taken," Johnson says.
Elgin High basketball fans are forever indebted that his path included the history of Maroons basketball.
