Bosman and Huizinga, together for 50 years at Timothy Christian

Back in 1967 you could hear a new song on the radio called "Happy Together." Fifty years on, George Bosman and Ken Huizinga can still say that.

Friends since they went to kindergarten together in Chicago's Englewood community, the pair of 73-year-olds has spent the last 50 years as partners at Timothy Christian's scorer's table for boys and girls basketball games.

"I think we've got something going there," Bosman said Tuesday, tongue in cheek, before fans at the Trojans boys basketball game later that day saluted their ironman accomplishment in a pregame ceremony. Family members from grandchildren on up, several waving those big-head signs of the two men, flocked into the middle section of stands behind the scorer's table.

Bosman serves as official scorer, Huizinga operates the scoreboard clock, and they collaborate on whatever needs collaboration.

"George and I, we do a lot of talking as to who scored, whether it was a 2 or a 3, the subs going in and out. We really help each other," Huizinga said.

Growing up blocks apart on Chicago's south side and attending college together first at Trinity Christian and then at Calvin College, their relationship survived what could have been a deal-breaker. Bosman's parents moved to Berwyn before his freshman year in college and sent young George to Timothy while Huizinga attended - gasp - rival Chicago Christian.

Today they live five houses apart, less than three blocks from the Elmhurst school.

Not surprisingly, their professional lives dovetailed as well.

Huizinga taught eighth-grade math and science for 39 years at Timothy; Bosman taught middle-grade math there for 42 years. During that time they each coached middle-school basketball, alternating between boys and girls over time, and they continue to hold sessions for girls players on Saturday mornings.

Huizinga coached track even longer, 43 years. His charges included current Trojans boys coach John Vander Kamp, in his 28th year himself.

Bosman moved to Elmhurst in 1971 and Huizinga two years later, and all their children attended Timothy Christian. One of Bosman's daughters, Shari, is the wife of Trojans athletic director Jack LeGrand. Another, Kristi, holds the girls scoring record of 1,544 points. Each of Huizinga's three children went there, with former Trojans stars Matt and Jon now varsity boys basketball assistants.

Over the decades the duo has seen stars like Luther South's Mike Conley, Providence's Walter Downing, Walther Lutheran's Bo Flowers and Timothy's own George Huisman.

They also worked a 1977 boys Class A regional final between Walther and now-defunct St. Michael's of Chicago in which a scoring error caused St. Michael's to seek a court injunction against tournament advancement by Walther, an apparent winner by 1 point. The second half was replayed in an empty gym. Walther Lutheran won by 1 point.

Bosman had the integrity to notify the authorities of his error. Huizinga said the case instigated a rule stating game results are official once the referees leave the court.

"Next time I'll listen to 'Huiz,'" Bosman quipped.

Both figure to remain in each other's ear for a while.

"We'll do it as long as we can, as long as we're healthy enough to do it. We just love the game," Bosman said.

He really means that. When his wife, Carolyn, felt contractions while pregnant with Shari, they waited until halftime of a college game to go to the hospital.

"I hope to keep on going," Huizinga said. "Like I tell people, it's not like I'm a referee where my legs will give out. I let my fingers do the walking."

Memorial to the legend

A memorial celebration of legendary York boys cross country and track coach Joe Newton has been set for 2 p.m. Saturday in the school's commons.

Newton, who died in Arizona in December at age 88, retired at the end of the 2016 cross country season after 60 years of coaching. During his tenure the Dukes won 29 state titles - 28 in cross country and another in track and field.

Going out on top

Shelley Thompson has taught and coached at Wheaton Warrenville South long enough to appreciate the concept of patience.

"High school kids just need so many mentors and sometimes you don't know the impact you've had until many years later," she said. "Something that gives me great pleasure is when kids come back and say, 'Thank you for helping me through high school.' So, you don't see immediate gratification."

That may be remedied in a halftime salute during the Tigers' final home game of the season, 2:45 p.m. Saturday against Waubonsie Valley. This spring Thompson is retiring after 28 years as a coach and physical education teacher.

"It's just that time. There are so many other things I want to do while I'm still very healthy. And I've always told myself to get out of it while I still really love it rather than wait until I didn't love it and it showed in my coaching," she said.

"I kind of want to go out on top as best I can."

Once she sets her mind to something it gets done. A basketball player at Winnebago, Class of 1978, Thompson played two years at Rock Valley College and one year at Eastern Illinois. Since her parents were paying for college she didn't want to dawdle, and she chose student teaching over basketball her final year.

"I really wanted to coach, so it was time to do those things," she said.

In the Tigers basketball program 27 years, over the years Thompson also assisted in volleyball and softball for stalwarts such as Daryl Fitts, Jim Allured, Bill Schreier, Joe Gerace and Ron Muhitch.

Tigers girls basketball coach Rob Kroehnke, out of the building as a P.E. teacher at Wheaton's Edison Middle School, appreciates Thompson's work leading the junior varsity and working with the program's guards but maybe even more as a mentor, "the ear for the players during the school day," he said.

"The things that she does for us not only on the floor but more importantly off the floor are things that have really gone a long way for this program," he said.

Thompson has been part of 12 regional championship teams, two sectional winners, eight DuPage Valley Conference titlists and, between varsity and junior varsity games, more than 1,000 Tigers games.

Most have been wins. All are teachable moments.

"Sports, to me, is just so, so important for kids that they get to learn how to take chances in areas that probably are not going to impact their whole life. They get to learn about the bad parts, the losses, the hard work that it takes to get to a goal," Thompson said.

"Basketball is kind of a microcosm of life, and I've always told my players that there's a rhythm to a game like there's a rhythm to life. And you've got to find that rhythm and that balance that makes it work for you."

doberhelman@dailyherald.com

Follow Dave on Twitter @doberhelman1