On March 18, 1989, Toledoans erupted in joy as the mighty black and gold Macomber boys’ basketball team clinched the Division I state championship. With this win against St. Joseph High School in Cleveland, the Macmen became the first Toledo City League public school to win a state championship in basketball. Under the leadership of Coach Bart Schroeder, players such as Jim Jackson, David Smith, and Myron Bell forever sealed their athletic fame. Jackson went on to have an outstanding basketball career for The Ohio State University Buckeyes and the NBA.
Previous Toledo Public Schools teams had advanced beyond the City League title; however, they always fell a bit short. Waite High School made it to the championship game in 1927. Woodward High School tried for the title in 1944, and Libbey High School made a try in 1966, yet those teams could not bring home the trophy. The 1957 Macomber team, which made it to the basketball final four, wasdefeated in the semifinals.