In a December 19, 1946 game against McLean, the Redwings attempted 53 free-throw shots, the most in school
history.
The number 53 comes into play once again as the point total of one of Atlanta's best players in the early-to-mid
1960s, Lance Rogers. In a December 15, 1964 game against Wapella, Rogers scored 53 points with 27 of them coming in the first
quarter. That's the highest individual point total achieved in a game by any Redwing player.
Boys Baseball
The boys baseball teams also had many successful seasons. The best of these seasons included the
1963-64 and 1965-66 seasons. The season records of these teams is not listed nor is the coach, however according
to the IHSA web site (www.ihsa.org) these two teams earned Regional Championships.
1963-64 N.R.A. Regional Champions
Coaches names unavailable
1965-66 N.R.A. Regional Champions
Track and Field
Out of the many great athletes who walked the halls of Atlanta High School the following Redwings faired
the best in Track and Field, all placing in the Illinois High School Association State Track Meet. Earl Mountjoy
was responsible for the 1907 Atlanta team's 4th Place finish at the State Meet. Jack Freeston
obviously sticks out in the early 1930s as the premier weight man in the state. He led the AHS thinclads
to a 5th place finish in 1933 and a 6th place finish in the 1934 state track meet!
1902
2/3 Mile Relay Team 2nd Place
Team Members Included:
Everett Pumpelly, Will Dowdy,
Ed
Gebhardt, and Ed Schindler
Team
lost only to Chicago South Division HS
1905 Martin Dowdy Standing Broad Jump
3rd Place
1906 Martin Dowdy High Jump
3rd Place
1907 Team Placed FOURTH (4th) at
the State Track Meet
Individual Medalist
Earl Mountjoy 440 Yard Dash
STATE CHAMPION
Earl Mountjoy Hammer Throw 2nd
Place
1907 Final Team Standings - State Track Meet
1.) Oak Park-River Forest - 18
2.) Chicago University - 14.5
3.) Chicago Englewood - 10
4.) ATLANTA -
8
5.)
Chicago Lakeview - 6
Champaign - 6
7.) Chicago North Div. - 5.5
8.) Chicago Phillips - 5
Normal, Greenefield, Joliet,
McKinley,
Moline
1912 Huber Hammer
Throw 3rd Place
1932 Jack Freeston Shot Put
3rd Place
Jack Freeston Discus
5th Place
1933 Team Placed FIFTH (5th) at the State Track Meet
Individual Medalist
Jack Freeston Shot
Put STATE CHAMPION
Jack Freeston Discus
STATE CHAMPION
1933 Final Team Standings
- State Track Meet
1.)
Rockford - 18
2.) Maywood
Proviso - 16.5
3.) Oak Park-R. F. - 12
4.)
Glen Ellyn - 10.5
5.) ATLANTA - 10
Centralia - 10
Tuscola - 10
8.) Chicago Hyde Park - 9
9.) Galesburg - 8.5
Winnetka New Trier - 8.5
1934 Team Finished Sixth (6th) in the State Track Meet
Individual Medalist
Jack Freeston Shot
Put STATE CHAMPION
Jack Freeston Discus 2nd
Place
1934 Final Team Standings
- State Track Meet
1.) Winnetka New Trier - 19
2.) Sterling
- 15
Rockford - 15
4.) Chicago Englewood - 10.5
5.) Centralia -
9.5
6.)
ATLANTA - 9
Kankakee (Sr.) - 9
8.) Carrier Mills - 7
Chicago Tilden - 7
10.)
Evanston - 6.5
Girls Bowling
Atlanta deactivated in the tail end of the time when Girls Athletics were starting to form in high schools in Illinois.
Atlanta did compete in pre-Title IX "Postal Tournaments". In the Bowling tournaments, schools with participating teams tried
to get the best bowling scores they could muster and the results were mailed (hence "postal") to the IHSA and the winner was
determined by which team had the highest overall team score (similar to the more common Basketball postal tournaments). Atlanta's
team placed second in this tournament in 1968.
Great Coaches
Two men left an outstanding legacy on Atlanta High School athletics, Phil McCullough
(pictured below) and Eldridge "Doc" Kinsey.
Lynn Hieronymus, AHS class of 1950, writing in a 1981 memoir, eight years before Hieronymus'
passing, noted McCullough's "emphasis of discipline and in using one's head."
In Kinsey's first six seasons at the school (1954 - 1960) his basketball teams compiled
a cumulative record of 129 - 37! Kinsey came back after a brief rest to coach basketball for three more
seasons winning 40 more ball games. He had school spirit, always known for wearing his famous red bow tie. Kinsey's overall
record at Atlanta was an awesome 169 - 71.
Famous Alumni
Dave Kindred, a player on the 1959 Regional Championship team, loved basketball and all
sports in general. In fact he loved them so much he continued his sports mentality and made a career out of it. Dave
Kindred is a nationally reknown columnist for "The Sporting News" after stints at three of the country's foremost
newspapers. He has authored seven books, including a dual biography of Muhammad Ali and Howard Cosell. Through all
his many travels, Kindred keeps a part of AHS close to his heart. Upon returning home in 2004, he found the doors to the gym
open. He walked in, took a seat on the top row of the four-row bleachers and sat there for nearly a half hour. The memories
flowed for sure.
Special thanks to:
Ruth Ann Hieronymus, Atlanta librarian, for her research.
Norma Adams Price and Paul A. Adams for their
pictures and history in their outstandin book, "More Momentous Happenings in Atlanta, Ill. - 1876-2003".
All the great Redwings players and coaches who made all these
special moments happen.
Seeking Further information
If you have further information you would like to share regarding Atlanta High School please submit
a School Submission Form or Guest Commentary Form. You may also write us at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net or via postal mail at:
Illinois HS Glory Days
6439 N. Neva St.
Chicago, Il. 60631
Members of the 1945-46 Atlanta High School Redwings (below,right) are:
(front row, from left) Wayne "Stooge" Polley, Dick Gilbert, Weldon "Cork" Cheek, Harold
"Tee" Brooks, Dick Schmidt; (second row) Jack Brandt, Chet Hout, Jim Ash, Eddie Bevard; (back
row) Orville "Speed" Compton and coach Phil McCullough.
![kinsey2.jpg](/imagelib/sitebuilder/misc/show_image.html?linkedwidth=560&linkpath=http://www.illinoishsglorydays.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/kinsey2.jpg&target=_self&title=Coach Eldridge "Doc" Kinsey)
