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Resident seeks city recognition for Johnny Watts; school supporters plan naming ceremony at Beloit Memorial High
Summary
A resident told the council the school district has unanimously approved naming the Barkin Arena basketball court for Johnny Watts and requested city recognition for a Nov. 13, 2025 naming event, asking the governor or lieutenant governor to attend.
James Simmons addressed the council during public comment to advocate formal city recognition of a school district effort to name the Barkin Arena basketball court for Johnny Watts.
Simmons said a school-district committee voted unanimously to name the court the Johnny Watts Court and described Watts’ high-school championships in 1932–1934 and a widely told account of him playing with a broken wrist in the 1933 title game. Simmons said the school district forwarded event details to the governor’s office and requested the governor or lieutenant governor attend the naming ceremony scheduled for Nov. 13, 2025, at Beloit Memorial High School; the school district’s event notice lists expected attendance of 2,000 and that the event is open to the media. Simmons asked that the city issue a recognition or proclamation for Johnny Watts’ day in Beloit to allow students to learn the story.
Simmons said the family supports the recognition, that the school board carefully reviewed Watts’ history over two years before the unanimous vote, and that the district hopes the ceremony will help unite young people in the community. No council action was taken during public comment.
