ATHLETICS AND EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
Medill students had the opportunity to compete in basketball (both boys' and girls) as well as track,
cross-country, baseball, softball, and possibly football as members of the Cook County and Chicago Public Leagues. Also, we believe
that there may have been other activities that were offered to the student body of Medill, but there is no evidence to
show they existed. Anyone who has more details is invited to contact us at the addresses listed below.
BOYS' BASKETBALL
Medill competed in the Cook County League and won a league title in 1902, then later helped form the Chicago
Public League when it began in 1913. According to facts presented to us by historian Robert Pruter, the school was
one of the original members of the Cook County League's basketball league in 1900-01. As you can tell below, the school
was playing basketball in the mid-1950's when they were on the receiving end of points being scored in a quarter of a
game.
1902 COOK COUNTY LEAGUE CHAMPIONS
Defeated Lake 16-15, in
championship game
1954 Carver scored 50 on Medill in the fourth quarter of a game on December 21st of that year.
GIRLS' BASKETBALL
The girls could also play the game and contended for a Cook County League title of their own before girls'
sports were stopped in 1907 by the superintendent of schools in Chicago, Edwin Cooley.
1904 SECOND IN COOK COUNTY LEAGUE
Lost to Oak Park 14-7 in championship
game
BOYS' TRACK
For one moment, Medill's track program came to the forefront as a state champion was crowned from the school
during the 1948 season. This was in addition to the 1915 team that won the Cook County Championship.
1915 Cook County Champions!
Coach Sussman
1948 Horace Coleman Long Jump---STATE CHAMPION!!! (length
22' 6 1/2")
| Medill 1914 Track Team |
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| courtesy of Lesile Roos (granddaughter of Philip Avon Rose, sitting in front row on left) |
1914 Track Team: Front row: Rose, Cooper, Sussman. Middle row: Coach Goldman, Mendelsohn, Meyer, Lappe,
Greenstein, Baron, Coach Katz. Back row: Miller, Goldberg, Levy, Robin, Moses.
| 1915 Medill Track Team (Cook County Champs) |
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| courtesy of Lesile Roos (granddaughter of Philip Avon Rose, fourth from left in front) |
1915 Track Team: Front row: Minovitch, Cooper, Coach Sussman, Rose, Tucker. Back Row: Ginsberg,
Miller, Lappe, Lotchie, Weiner, Ruby.
BOYS CROSS-COUNTRY
Robert Pruter tells us that the first-known meet of more than three schools in this sport was held in November
1907 with McKinley, Northwest Division, Medill, Crane, Austin, and Oak Park competing in a meet
on the West Side of Chicago. Unfortunately, this is the only information we have about the school competing in the sport.
SOFTBALL
The school offered this sport and competed in the Cook County League during the winter. Medill was second
in the league in 1902, 1903, and 1905.
BASEBALL
Based on their successful winter seasons in softball, Medill transferred their skills outdoors and contended
for a league title one season.
1903 2nd in Cook County League
SOCCER
Medill also played on the soccer pitches of Chicago against its Public League members during the fall, taking
one title in 1921. Thru the 1938-39 school year, this is believed to be the only team title that the school won in the Public
League.
| 1918 Medill High School graduation announcement |
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| courtesy of Mary Ann Redd |
| Chicago Joseph Medill High School |
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| Courtesy of Ellen DePriest |
When submitting information, you have three options.
You can:
3) or send it via the USPS to:
IHSGD Website
6439 North Neva
Chicago, IL 60631
|
)
