WLM | history
only made a splash at home, they
were crowned NCAA champions,
leading to their match against St.
John’s, the NIT champs, in an epic
game to benefit the Red Cross,
played at Madison Square Gardens
in front of 18,000+ fans. Most of
those present knew no one on the
team, and some probably wondered
who all lived in Wyoming anyway
– perhaps even where it was and
whether Wyoming had electricity
yet... These unknown players came
in to “Ragtime Cowboy Joe” and
made history.
The film Cowboys takes the viewer
through the dynamics of the
team, looking at each individual
player’s history and personality
that contributed to the magic. The
year is chronicled, including the
games played and days leading up
to the incredible tournament held
at Madison Square Gardens. While
sports play a key role in the plot, it
is the rich history of the people and
culture in Wyoming in that era that
hooked me.
“I gained an understanding of my
dad’s personality then through these
people,” Kim says. “I got to really
know my dad.”
Kim and co-producer Allen Johnson
of Broad Ripple Films were true
co-producers in every sense. “Allen
is also a sports writer,” Kim shares.
“He was great at finding the sports
facts, learning the techniques of these
great coaches like Everett Shelton.
I focused on finding people and
getting the stories on the characters.”
The result was a documentary that
would satisfy the sports fan, history
or movie fanatic. “The story is
incredible,” Kim says. “The NCAA
and NIT conferences were in their
infancy. The guys were leaving left
and right for World War II. Yet
here comes this group of incredible
Kenny Sailors
players from Wyoming. These are
makings of a great fictional story,
but it’s all true. It had all the marks
of a great documentary.”
When Kim Komenich, son of
1943 Wyoming Basketball Center
and “Big Man” Milo Komenich
embarked upon