Henry Chapman, Marion native, will be named to the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in the spring of this year, 2023. Known as “Hustlin’ Henry” he was one of the top high school basketball players during the golden age of what was known as “Hoosier Hysteria”. During his time playing at the Northside By Hey Arena, Chapman broke the Allen County Score records and became a trailblazer for the black community.
Born in 1936 in Marion, Chapman moved to Fort Wayne in his youth and was educated at Harmar Grammar School. He was known for his congeniality by former classmates and teammates, where he would advance to Harmar Grade School and North Side High School. However, he was also known for his highly competitive streak whenever on the court.
Beginning his high school career in 1950, Chapman took to many sports outside of basketball, which included track and cross-country running. In his freshman year, he earned a varsity spot for his sophomore season with the basketball team. Along with classmate Charlie Lyons, Chapman was one of two black basketball players on the school’s team, breaking down barriers to become the first black varsity athletes at North Side.
During his tenure at North Side, Chapman earned a reputation for being among the best players in Fort Wayne and the Hoosier state. Before there were 3-point lines in basketball, Chapman would score on opposing teams with his jump shots time and again. Sportswriters at the time would give him the nickname “Hustlin’ Henry” or “Hurrin’ Henry” after his style of play on the court.
In fact, Chapman had a knack for rallying teammates to get involved on offense. Coach by Jim Henga, North Side would go on to win three consecutive city championships in Fort Wayne. In 1954, North Side even advanced to the state semifinals. The following year, Chapman would see them to the state championship for his senior year, losing out to NBA Hall of Famer Dick Barnett in a game against Gary Roosevelt.
After his high school career, Chapman was inducted into the North Side Hall of Fame in 2015, however family noticed statistics were missing. This led to a family mission of reconstructing Chapman’s history at North Side High School to give a comprehensive picture of Chapman’s basketball career. Chapman became the first Allen County player to 1,000 career points, finishing out at 1,124.
Following his death in November of 2022 at the age of 86, Indiana will honor Chapman by naming him to the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame. The induction will take place Wednesday, March 22, in New Castle.
