By Tom Hintgen

Otter Tail County Correspondent

Much was written about Henning’s Peterson twins, mid-1960s basketball stars, in 2019 when Henning won the Minnesota Class A basketball state title.

Those fun days at state, three years ago, brought back memories of the Peterson twins and Henning making it to the state semi-finals in 1966, during a one-class system. Henning lost to powerful Edina in three overtimes.

Three years ago the present-day Hornets won the state title with a 67-42 win over North Woods. The victory came two years after losing teammate Jacob Quam in a car accident.

Peterson family accomplishments involved not only the Peterson twins.

Curt Peterson, the older brother of twins Bob and Dick, died Jan. 20 at the age of 90. He was just 13 years old when his father Alden, and step mother Ida, moved to Henning.

Alden and Ida purchased the local Gambles store. Henning’s gain was Ada’s loss.

The family was first headed to Ada to look into purchasing a business in that community. The family made a detour to look at the offer in Henning, and right away accepted the offer in the land of the Hornets.

Curt Peterson was a great athlete in his own right at Henning High School, starring in football and basketball. His 42-point game in the 1947-48 season was a single game Henning record that stood until 1979 when Ross Greenwald scored 44. 

Curt graduated in 1949, joined the Air Force and later worked for General Motors in California.

After retiring in 1995, he returned to Henning. His brother, Bob, also returned to Henning to live in his retirement years. Twin brother Dick lives in nearby Frazee.

Also surviving Curt are brothers Wayne in Henning and Jim who lives in Rochester.