The David J. Cohn Rumble on the Ridge basketball tournament is back in Forrest City.
Held each November, the eight-team, three-day basketball tournament begins on Thanksgiving Day.
The tournament continues to retain its ranking as one of the most recognized and most prestigious high school boys basketball tournaments, not only in Arkansas and across the South, but also on the national stage.
From its beginnings, the tournament has taken and survived a few hits over the years – a fire which completely destroyed Forrest City’s Sam Smith Gym – the site of the first tournament in March 1998, less than four months after the first Rumble was played.
The 1998 and 1999 tournaments were moved to Wynne High School and Wynne participated in both those tournaments played in their gym.
Wynne finished fifth in 1998 and eighth in the 1999 tournament.
Just six months before the 2013 Rumble was scheduled to begin, tournament founder and executive director Bill Baxter died, after a lengthy battle with cancer.
Baxter’s family, longtime tournament volunteers and friends of the Baxter family agreed to continue the tournament.
In recognition and remembrance of the Rumble on the Ridge, the Mustang Arena floor was renamed “Bill Baxter Court” and was dedicated during halftime of Forrest City’s first game at the 2013 tournament.
After 22 years and 10 different states, the tournament still maintains a list of potential participants that stretches more than two years in advance of each tournament.
Most of the teams selected each year are within a 500-mile radius of Forrest City, making it easier for family and fans to make the trip in support of their team.
Recently, however, teams from as far away as Massachusetts, Oklahoma, New York, Nevada, Florida and Texas have expressed interest in coming to and or being part of the tournament field.
The Rumble on the Ridge tournament began in 1997 through the combined efforts of Baxter and David Dunn, then the executive director of the Forrest City Chamber of Commerce.
The Forrest City Advertising and Promotions Commission remains as the tournament’s largest financial supporter.
Mountain Dew sponsored the first four tournaments, known as the Forrest City Mt. Dew Classic until Forrest City Grocery took over sponsorship of the tournament in 2001.
Forrest City Grocery, a family-owned business in Forrest City since 1911, had a rich history of making generous donations to the Forrest City Education Foundation and to the school and local athletic events.
Those donations included the Rumble on the Ridge tournament which bore the company’s name until 2010, when the tournament underwent its third name change officially becoming the David J. Cohn Rumble on the Ridge.
Following a lengthy illness, David Cohn passed away on Nov. 26, 2011, one day after the 15th Rumble on the Ridge ended.
Tournament organizers have kept the tournament appealing and fresh by adding additional events each year such as the slam-dunk and three-point shooting competitions – held on Thanksgiving Eve – and for the past two years have rebranded the Wednesday night event as Community Night at Mustang Arena with vendors and booths set up around the upper deck of the arena.
The slam-dunk and three-point shootout competitions – held solely for fun – follow the traditional pre-tournament banquet held at the Forrest City Civic Center for the teams, coaches and family members.
In recent years, Armor Bank, Boar’s Head, St. Francis County Developmental Center and Cedric Williams State Farm Insurance have teamed with Forrest City A&P to help sponsor the tournament.
Counting this year’s field of eight teams, the Rumble on the Ridge tournament has entertained 108 different teams from 10 different states.
Twenty-five teams, including the host team, Forrest City – have made more than one appearance in the tournament.
Jonesboro, Ark. has made six tournament appearances this season, the most by any team except the host Forrest City Mustangs.
Through the years, the Rumble has featured 27 different Arkansas teams; 17 teams each from Tennessee and Mississippi; 18 Louisiana teams; 15 Alabama teams, six Georgia teams, three Missouri; three Texas teams and one team each from Kentucky and Oklahoma.
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Three of the first four Rumble on the Ridge tournaments were won by teams from Alabama – Minor in 1997, Grissom in 1998 and Lee in 2000.
The 1997 and 1998 Rumble championship games were all-Alabama affairs with Minor defeating Grissom in 1997, who returned to the tournament in 1998 to defeat Hoover in the finals. Hoover returns to the tournament this year for the first time since 2003
Raleigh-Egypt gave Tennessee its first Rumble title in 1999. Memphis Mitchell made it two wins for Tennessee in 2005 and Austin East won the tournament in 2008. Southwind, Tenn., so far, remains the only two-time Rumble on the Ridge winner with titles in 2011 and 2012.
Lee, Ala. which returned to the Rumble a year ago, defeated Forrest City for the 2000 title while Marietta, Ga. won the 2001 title.
In 2002, Little Rock Parkview broke through to become the first Arkansas team to win the tournament and in 2003, Pulaski Academy from Little Rock, Ark. kept the in-state streak going by taking the title.
In 2004, Poplar Bluff, Mo., took home the championship, while Memphis Mitchell, Tenn., won the first-ever overtime championship game in 2005. Helen Cox High School – the boys team with the girls name – became the first Louisiana team to win the Rumble title, defeating Christian Life Academy from Baton Rouge in the first all-Louisiana Rumble championship game.
The unique Rumble on the Ridge logo depicts an earthquake taking place on Crowley’s Ridge (located east of Forrest City) with a basketball spewing out of its mouth.
The main body of the logo has remained unchanged, with the exception of the names of the states depicted as chunks of rock being thrown into the air.
Putting the Rumble field together each year is a 12-month endeavor, but the tradition and reputation of the Rumble speaks for itself and making certain the tournament has quality teams is something that basketball fans talk anout almost year round.