FOOTBALL
Trinity offered football and started a tradition that continues
thru today at Central Catholic. In checking yearbooks as far back as 1928, the Irish
and Saints had success on the gridiron along with winning some conference and Intercity titles between Normal, Bloomington,
and Normal University. Some of the better seasons are listed below.
1929 6-2 Intercity Champions Coach
Don Karnes
1930 4-3-1
Coach Don Karnes
1931 7-1-1 Intercity Champions Coach
Don Karnes
1932 8-1-1 Intercity Champions Coach
Don Karnes
1935 6-2-1
Coach John Callans
1939 4-4
Coach Esau Dotlich
1941 4-3 Intercity Champions Coach
Tony Komlanc
1943 6-2 Cornbelt Conference Champs
Coach Rev. R.R. Raney
1950 6-3
Coach John Scaccuto
1952 8-0-1 Cornbelt Conference Champs Coach
Ed Murphy
Intercity
Champions
1953 7-0-2 Cornbelt Conference Champs Coach
Ed Murphy
Intercity
Champions
1954 5-3-1
Coach John Trebbe
1955 5-3 Cornbelt Conference Champs Coach
John Trebbe
1956 5-3 Intercity Champs
Coach George Egofske
1958 4-3-1
Coach Adolph Jerdee
1962 6-2 Cornbelt Conference Champs Coach
Adolph Jerdee
1963 5-4
Coach Adolph Jerdee
1965 5-4
Coach John Snyder
1966 6-3 Last season as Trinity
Coach Don LaFond
FACTS ABOUT JOHN R. SNYDER GYMNASIUM OR "THE PIT"
The gym was built in 1928 when Trinity High School was constructed across the street on US Route
51 from its predecessor, St. Mary. While the figures say it cost $285,000 to build Trinity, $50,000 was used for the
gym. Features about the gym were cramped with four rows of bleachers on each side of the floor and balconies of
three rows each above them for a total seating capacity of 450, even though 1,200 were there when the Irish beat Bourbonnais St. Viator 18-14 in the inaugural home contest on December 10th, 1928.
The sidelines were only 22 inches away from the front row of the bleachers. There were always stories
of how hot it could be in the gym on a cold, winter night during a game, yet the locker rooms were cold as the outdoors. As
this writer can attest, it could also be a noisy place once the Saints' student body made some noise to inspire its' team
and, in turn, intimidate the opposing team.
SAINTS' HALL OF FAME
Around 1991, Central Catholic decided to honor athletes and coaches alike throughout
the history of St. Mary's and Trinity as well as Central Catholic with a Saints' Hall of Fame. Twenty-two persons
have been inducted from Trinity, which are listed below.
--Fred Frost (class of 1930), football & basketball standout.
--Bill Conroy (class of 1932), three-sport athlete with 12
letters in football, baseball, and basketball; went on to play professional baseball with the Philadelphia A's and Boston
Red Sox. Was MVP of the 1932 Downstate Catholic Basketball Tournament.
--Luke Gleason, three-sport athlete and later starred
at defunct St. Viator College and Illinois State Normal University (now ISU), was teacher and coach at
Weldon, Fairbury, and Springfield Cathedral.
--Chuck Sweeney (class of 1933), football player that wound
up an All-American end at Notre Dame and officiated in the NFL.
--Fred Trenkle (class of 1933), basketball player named All-State
in the Downstate Catholic League.
--(Tiger) Bob Burke (class of 1940), eight varsity letters
won in football and basketball.
--Jerry (Moon) Mullen (class of 1941), football and basketball
player, was named to the all-tournament team of the National Catholic Tournament in 1940 & 1941.
--Rev. Richard R. Raney (coach & athletic director), 1941-45.
--Dick Lenahan (class of 1944), named All-State basketball
player in 1944 by Chicago Tribune, Chicago Daily News, and Champaign News-Gazette. Also played
football.
--David Costigan (class of 1949), led baseball team to
Intercity Championship in just its second year after the sport was reinstated following a 14-year hiatus. Went on to letter
three years at Notre Dame and served as captain. Was head coach at Quincy College and is also a member of that schools'
Hall of Fame.
--John (Pat) Bonny (class of 1950), football and
basketball standout
--J. Foster Rapier (class of 1950), won 16 letters in four
sports, standing out as a catcher on the baseball diamond, shotputter in track, all-Intercity selection as a tackle in football,
and all-Intercity guard in basketball.
--Bob Scott (class of 1951), All-State football selection
1950 (Chicago Daily News), and all-Corn Belt Conference basketball pick in 1950-51; averaged 22 points per
game that season.
--John Gremer (class of 1953), All-State football pick in
1952, went on to play at University of Illinois and with the Boston Patriots of the American Football League.
--Ron DeNardo (class of 1954), All-State footballer in 1953,
won 15 varsity letters in football, basketball, track, and baseball; later played at Notre Dame.
--Jack Burke (class of 1954), three-sport athlete in football,
basketball, and baseball.
