Franklin Park East Leyden H.S. "Eagles"

(*School remains open, athletics combined with Northlake West Leyden.)

East Leyden Township High School

Franklin Park, Illinois

The History of Franklin Park East Leyden Township High School

Franklin Park (population: 19,800) is located in western Cook County in northeastern Illinois, less than 15 miles west of downtown Chicago. The town can be reached by Mannheim Road (which is also designated as US Routes 12 & 45) along with Franklin and Belmont Avenues. Franklin Park is also bordered by Interstate 294 (aka Tri-State Tollway), and is only three miles from O'Hare International Airport. Metra also provides train service to and from Chicago.

Although the area was settled as early as the 1840's, it wasn't until around 1890 that Lesser Franklin gave the community its name. His vision for the community was to intergrate residential areas with industry, and as it turned out, a number of manufacturers came to Franklin Park to set up shop. Franklin Park was incorporated in 1892, and brought a number of Slavic, Italian, and Polish immigrants to settle down and raise their families.

With the advent of the interstate highways during the 1950's and '60s, the village was considered an ideal location for industry and had many spur routes for railcars, which was a key ingridient to moving business along to the American public logistically, and the nearby O'Hare also took advantage of Franklin Park for its cargo terminals at the airport.

East Leyden High School was formed in the fall of 1958 after there was only one school, Leyden Community High School, serving both Franklin Park, Northlake, Rosemont, and other nearby communities. The original high school opened in 1911 and expanded from a one-year to three-year curriculum within two years. A fourth year was not added until 1924 when the district was formed. The school was built in 1926-27, adding on four times before deciding to build a campus in Northlake, which was to be called West Leyden, and the remaining school would be known as East Leyden. The split took place in 1958 and both schools had their own extracurricular activities.

However, due to a poor ecomony and a possible downturn in students enrolled in each school, it was decided with the beginning of the 1981-82 school year that both schools would remain open, but the athletics and possibly other extra-curricular activities would be combined as one school. That arrangement still exists today as the schools compete together as Leyden High School, located in both Franklin Park & Northlake.

FACTS ABOUT FRANKLIN PARK EAST LEYDEN HIGH SCHOOL

Year original school opened: 1911

Year East Leyden split: 1958

Year East Leyden & West Leyden combined their teams: 1981

School colors: Blue & White

School nickname: Eagles

School song: unknown

ATHLETICS

The Eagles were competitive in wrestling, basketball, and football, in addition to track, swimming, golf, gymastics, and on the girls' side, the school won titles in girls' basketball, softball, and track. It is believed that the school could have offered other sports, but the IHSA website (www.ihsa.org) does not have a listing in baseball, volleyball, or other sports that would be offered at East Leyden. Anyone who has more details about these sports and others at the school is invited to contact us at eganann@sbcglobal.net.

WRESTLING

Without question, the Eagles were kings of the mat during the winter months. Under their legendary coach Chuck Farina, East Leyden won two state titles, and had an winning streak of 88 consecutive dual meets during the 1970's which was later broken by Mahomet-Seymour. There were a total of eight seasons where the Eagles went undefeated, three of them in succession while racking up the 88 dual wins. Fifteen grapplers won state titles for East Leyden, four of which came during the 1978 AA State Finals. Here's a rundown of those teams:

1958-59 14-0 State Qualifiers Coach Chuck Farina

District Champs

Sectional Champs

Individual Placer

Ronald Vonesh---3rd at 127 pounds

1959-60 17-0 STATE CHAMPS!!!! Coach Chuck Farina

District Champs

Sectional Champs

State Final Team Standings

1 Franklin Park East Leyden 58

2 Pekin 38

3 Waukegan 36

4 Harvey Thornton 27

5 Evergreen Park 25

Individual Placers

Robert Foster----3rd at 95 pounds

Sal Fuscone----STATE CHAMPION at 103 pounds!!!

Don Coffman---2nd at 112 pounds

Dennis Owens---STATE CHAMPION at 138 pounds!!!

Lason Monroe---3rd at 165 pounds

1960-61 7-6 Coach Chuck Farina

1961-62 14-5-1 District Champions Coach Chuck Farina

Individual Finalist

Larry Foster----STATE CHAMPION AT 138 pounds!!!

1962-63 15-1-1 District Champions Coach Chuck Farina

Individual Finalist

Tim Murphy----4th at 154 pounds

1963-64 14-1 District Champions Coach Chuck Farina

1964-65 13-1 10th in State Coach Chuck Farina

District Champions

Sectional Champions

State Final Team Standings

1 (tie) Burbank Reavis 31

Granite City HS 31

10 (tie) Rockford East 16

East Leyden 16

Individual Placers

Terry Artman---3rd at 112 pounds

Bill Laursen---3rd at 138 pounds

1965-66 14-4 7th in State Coach Chuck Farina

District Champions

Sectional Champions

State Final Team Standings

1 Waukegan HS 65

7 East Leyden 19

8 (tie) Evanston 18

Skokie Niles East 18

Individual Placer

Bill Laursen---STATE CHAMPION at 145 pounds!!!

1966-67 18-0-1 State Qualifiers Coach Chuck Farina

District Champions

Sectional Champions

Individual Placers

Tom Gervais---5th at 95

Bruce Laursen---6th at 127

Bill Ott---4th at 165

1967-68 15-1-1 2nd IN STATE!!!! Coach Chuck Farina

District Champions

Sectional Champions

State Final Team Standings (top 5 schools)

1 DeKalb 27

2 Franklin Park East Leyden 26

3 Decatur Stephen Decatur 23

4 Savanna 19

5 Sterling HS 18

Individual Placers

Gary Drury---STATE CHAMPION at 138!!!

Ken Monroe---STATE CHAMPION at 165!!!

1968-69 14-3 Tied for 8th in State Coach Chuck Farina

District Champions

Sectional Champions

State Final Team Standings

1 Moline 33

2 North Chicago 32

8 Franklin Park East Leyden 17

Fox Lake Grant 17

Tinley Park HS 17

Individual Placer

Ken Monroe---STATE CHAMPION at 165!!!

1969-70 16-1 District Champions Coach Chuck Farina

Individual State Placer

Jim Harder---4th at 115

1970-71 17-0 State Qualifers Coach Chuck Farina

District Champions

Sectional Champions

Individual State Placers

Brian Castle---4th at 138

Dave Froelich---3rd at 155

1971-72 21-1 2ND IN STATE!!! Coach Chuck Farina

District Champions

Sectional Champions

State Final Team Standings (top five schools)

1 Arlington Heights Hersey 42.5

2 Franklin Park East Leyden 31.5

3 Waukegan 26

4 East Moline United Township 25.5

5 Bloomington HS 22.5

Individual Placers

Brian Castle---STATE CHAMPION at 138!!!

Bob Holland---STATE CHAMPION at 145!!!

1972-73 21-0 Tied for 7th in State Coach Chuck Farina

District Champions

Sectional Champions

State Final Team Standings

1 Bensonville Fenton 29.5

6 Moline 19

7 Franklin Park East Leyden 18.5

Dixon 18.5

9 Granite City HS 17.5

10 Bloomington HS 17

West Chicago HS 17

Individual Placers

Ed Parkinson---6th at 112

Bob Holland---STATE CHAMPION at 155!!!

1973-74 20-0 5th in AA State!!! Coach Chuck Farina

District Champions

Sectional Champions

State Final Team Standings (top 5 schools)

1 Olympia Fields Rich Central 41

2 Oak Lawn Community 31

3 Joliet West 30.5

4 Elk Grove Village Elk Grove 30

5 Franklin Park East Leyden 28.5

Individual Placers

Ed Riccomini---3rd at 126

Ernie Krist---STATE CHAMPION at 132!!!

1974-75 21-1 3rd in AA STATE!!! Coach Chuck Farina

District Champions

Sectional Champions

State Final Team Standings

1 (tie) Chicago Hts. Bloom 33

Oak Lawn Richards 33

3 Franklin Park East Leyden 32.5

4 Romeoville 31.5

5 Rockford East 27.5

1975-76 20-0 AA State Qualifiers Coach Chuck Farina

District Champions

Sectional Champions

Individual State Placer

Randy Conrad---3rd at 112

1976-77 20-0 3rd in AA STATE!!! Coach Chuck Farina

State Final Team Standings

1 Oak Lawn Richards 65

2 Joliet West 62.5

3 Franklin Park East Leyden 55.5

4 West Chicago HS 47

5 Barrington 46

Individual Placers

Rich Brown---3rd at 126

Dave Krist---2nd at 132

Jeff Hoss---4th at 138

Ben Rodriguez---5th at 167

1977-78 20-0 AA STATE CHAMPIONS!!! Coach Chuck Farina

Sectional Champions

State Final Team Standings

1 Franklin Park East Leyden 129.5

2 Joliet West 67

3 Oak Lawn Richards 64

4 Midlothian Bremen 52.5

5 Orland Park Sandburg 47

Individual Placers

Randy Conrad---STATE CHAMPION at 126!!!

Dave Krist---STATE CHAMPION at 132!!!

Jim Farina---STATE CHAMPION at 138!!!

Mike "Andy" Garrett---3rd at 167

Kurt Bankson---STATE CHAMPION AT HEAVYWEIGHT!!!

1978-79 18-1 District Champions Coach Chuck Farina

Individual State Placer

Jim Farina---STATE CHAMPION AT 145!!!

1979-80 19-2 District Champions Coach Chuck Farina

1980-81 15-5 Last season as East Leyden Coach Chuck Farina

Coach Farina went on to win a total of 644 duals, 364 of them at East Leyden (with 33 losses and four ties). His win-loss percentage was an outstanding 91.27% in the 23 years that the school had its own wrestling program!!!

In addition, the 592 victories he gained at Leyden and East Leyden between 1954-90 are the most by a coach at one school in Illinois. He was inducted into the National Federation of State High School Association's Hall of Fame in 1987.

OUTSTANDING JOB BY THE EAGLE TANGLERS!!!!

BOYS’ BASKETBALL

After a slow start, the Eagles took off and soared under coach Lou Granzin, then later with Norm Goodman. East Leyden won five regionals, two sectionals, and had an impressive 104-4 record in four seasons, three of them with all-stater Glen Grunwald. East Leyden won 108 regular season contests in a row at one point and 71 consecutive conference games.

1958-59 5-18 Coach Lou Granzin

1959-60 20- 3 Coach Lou Granzin

1960-61 16- 6 Coach Lou Granzin

1961-62 13- 9 Coach Norm Goodman

1962-63 16- 9 Coach Norm Goodman

1963-64 19- 6 Coach Norm Goodman

1964-65 21- 6 Sweet 16 Finalists!! Coach Norm Goodman

Regional Champs

Beat Elmwood Park 72-64

Hinsdale Central Sectional Champs

Beat Glenbard East 62-49

Beat Batavia 77-74 (O/T)

Aurora East Supersectional

Lost to Harvey Thornton 64-57

Harvey Thornton would place 4th in tourney.

East Leyden Elite 8 Team of 1964-65

Submitted by Leyden 65 Newsletter

IHSA 1964-65 State Championship Program

Submitted by Leyden 65 Newsletter (left click on photo for larger view)

East Leyden HS 1964-65 Action Photo

Submitted by Leyden 65 Newsletter

IHSA 1964-65 State Championship Program Cover

Submitted by Leyden 65 Newsletter (left click on photo for larger view)

1965-66 23- 2 Coach Norm Goodman

1966-67 21- 5 Regional Champs Coach Norm Goodman

Proviao West Regional

Beat Holy Cross 77-54

Beat West Leyden 64-63

Beat Proviso East 76-70 (O/T)

Hinsdale Sectional

Lost to York 81-56

York lost in Elite 8 game.

1967-68 9-12 Coach Norm Goodman

1968-69 14- 8 Coach Norm Goodman

1969-70 16- 6 Coach Norm Goodman

1970-71 16- 8 Coach Norm Goodman

1971-72 18- 4 Coach Norm Goodman

1972-73 20- 3 Coach Norm Goodman

1973-74 21- 4 Coach Norm Goodman

1974-75 28- 1 AA Sweet 16 Finalists!! Coach Norm Goodman

Regional Champs

Elgin Sectional Champs

Beat St. Charles 75-52

Beat Elgin Larkin 67-54

Aurora East Supersectional

Lost to Maywood Proviso East 72-60

Proviso East lost in Elite 8 round.

1975-76 25- 1 Coach Norm Goodman

1976-77 24- 1 Coach Norm Goodman

1977-78 27- 1 AA Regional Champs Coach Norm Goodman

Hinsdale Sectional

Beat Fenwick 68-64

Lost to Westchester St. Joseph 73-67

St. Joseph lost in title game of tourney.

1978-79 22- 4 Coach Norm Goodman

1979-80 17-11 AA Regional Champs Coach Norm Goodman

Hinsdale Sectional

Lost to Lyons Township HS 68-50

Lyons lost Sectional title game.

1980-81 12-13 Final season Coach Norm Goodman

More about Glen Grunwald: The 6-9 center was all-state all four years at ELHS (which makes him the only player to have achieved this mark), and helped him earn a scholarship to Indiana University, where he later captained the 1981 NCAA Champions to a title over North Carolina for coach Bob Knight's Hoosiers. Grunwald scored 2,355 points in his East Leyden career, and later went on to become general manager of the Toronto Raptors of the NBA, and now serves as an assistant general manager for the New York Knicks.

FOOTBALL

The Eagles made a name for themselves during the 1970's by winning the state title in what was the largest IHSA football class at that time (5A) under coach Jack Leese in 1977. They also qualified for the 5A playoffs on two other occasions during the same decade.

1974 RNA IHSA Class 5A Playoff Qualifier Coach Jack Leese

Beat Schaumburg 14-8 in first round

Lost 13-0 to Northbrook Glenbrook North in quarterfinals

(Glenbrook North eventual state champs)

1977 13--0 IHSA CLASS 5A STATE CHAMPIONS! Coach Jack Leese

Edged Glen Ellyn Glenbard West 8-7 in first round

Defeated Elgin HS 26-6 in quarterfinals

Beat East St. Louis Senior 36-13 in semifinals

Shutout Deerfield 8-0 in title game

1978 3--6 Coach Len Janik

1979 6--4 IHSA Class 5A Playoff Qualifier Coach Len Janik

Lost to Elgin Larkin in first round 15-8

1980 5--4 Last season as E. Leyden Coach Len Janik

Notable alumnus: Denver Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan graduated from East Leyden HS in 1970. He was a quarterback for the Eagles during the late '60's and attended Eastern Illinois University before an injury ended his career. From there, he became an assistant coach and worked his way up to the head coaching spot with the former Los Angeles (now Oakland) Raiders before taking over at Denver and guiding them to back-to-back Super Bowl victories in 1998-99 .

BOYS' GYMNASTICS

Starting out in the first school year when both East & West Leyden opened, the Eagles had a strong boys' gymnastics squad. ELHS went to the state finals for three consecutive years and came away with a top five finish each time, not to mention that that the school also three individuals come home with medals for taking a top-five finish in their events. The head coaches' name is unknown for these teams.

1958-59 5th in State coach unknown

State Final Team Standings (top 5 schools)

1 Arlington Heights Arlington 111.5

2 Elmhurst York 97

3 Maywood Proviso East 94.5

4 Winnetka New Trier 24

5 Franklin Park East Leyden 20

Individual Placer

Jim LaBianco---2nd in tumbling

1959-60 5th in State coach unknown

State Final Team Standings (top 5 schools)

1 Arlington Heights Arlington 102.5

2 Maywood Proviso East 97

3 Elmhurst York 52

4 Villa Park Willowbrook 35.5

5 Franklin Park East Leyden 33

Individual Placer

Dave Bertram---2nd in rings

1960-61 4th in State coach unknown

State Final Team Standings (top 5 schools)

1 Elmhurst York 75.5

2 Maywood Proviso East 75

3 Arlington Heights Arlington 47.5

4 Franklin Park East Leyden 32.5

5 Villa Park Willowbrook 31

Individual Placer

Dave Bertram---3rd in rings

1977-78 Individual State Finalist

Mark Gunnells---5tth in floor exercise

BOYS' GOLF

During the 1970's, football and basketball weren't the only boys' sports doing well. The golfers took the links and represented East Leyden well, sending an individual to the finals three straight years, and also picking up a tenth place finish as a team along with two district titles. Here's a look at those teams:

1975-76 District Champions coach unknown

State Individual Finalist

Mark Esposito---tied for 6th with 158 (13 strokes behind)

1976-77 District Champions coach unknown

State Qualifiers

State Individual Finalist

Roy Biancalana---tied for 10th with 158 (six strokes back)

1977-78 10th in State coach unknown

State Final Team Standings

1 Winnetka New Trier East 616

9 Northfield New Trier West 639

10 Franklin Park East Leyden 645

State Individual Placer

Roy Biancalana---12tth place at 153 (seven strokes back)

SOFTBALL

In its final year of having its own softball program, East Leyden rolled to the state AA finals to give its fans a season to remember before losing in the quarterfinals under coach Pat Owen.

1981 19-8 Elite Eight Finalists Coach Pat Owen

Regional Champions

Sectional Champions

Lost to Herrin in quarterfinals, 8-0

GIRLS' TRACK

In keeping up with Title IX reforms in Illinois high schools in the 1970's, East Leyden also offered track to its female athletes. A pair of Lady Eagle track stars came home from the state finals with medals to show their top-four or better finishes in Charleston on three occasions, as listed below.

1973 Anne Danhoff 3rd in 80-yd hurdles

1979AA Diane Doles 4th in high jump

1980AA Diane Doles 3rd in high jump

BOYS' TRACK

Just like the girls, the Eagles' boys' thinclad team also produced a couple of top five finishes at the state meet. More information about this program would be greatly appreciated.

1959-60 Individual Finalist

Harold Palishen--3rd in pole vault

1974-75AA Individual Finalist

Ken Gatz--5th in 100yd dash

GIRLS' BASKETBALL

We do know that East Leyden's girls could also hoop it up as well as the boys' team. In the school's final year of offering athletics as ELHS, they were regional champions. We are hopeful that an alumnus may know more about this sport and can offer more information, such as win-loss records and names of head coaches.

1980-81AA Regional Champions coach unknown

BOYS’ SWIMMING

The Eagles were represented at the state meet at least once as William Elder came home with a medal for his efforts in the 200 Individual Medley event.

1960-61 Individual Finalist

William Elder--6th in 200 IM

OTHER NOTABLE ALUMNI:

--Tom Dore--All-State & All-American basketball player with Glen Grunwald and later a broadcaster for the Chicago Bulls;

--Ned Colletti--currently general manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers. He has also served in the front office with both the San Francisco Giants and Chicago Cubs;

--Brenda Barnes---CEO of Sara Lee Foods...also was CEO for PepsiCo, becoming the first female to head that company; and,

--Jonathon Cain--keyboard player and songwriter for the rock groups The Babys and Journey. Wrote the song "Faithfully" for Journey, which became a big hit about life on the road for a rock band while touring the country.

MEMORIES

The alumni of East Leyden High School remember their sports program very well. One alumni group has its own website and its own newletter. The newsletter and website are operated by members of the class of 1965. The website can be viewed at the web address of http://www.leyden65.com/ . A copy of the group's March of 2013 newsletter is available below.

East Leyden Class of 1965 Newsletter

http://www.leyden65.com/

IF YOU HAVE MORE INFORMATION.....

then please let us know. As you can tell, there are plenty of gaps to fill in, and there can be more details about more than just sports at East Leyden High School, such as activities, alumni, and more. Please contact us at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net or thru the USPS at the following address.

Illinois High School Glory Days

6439 North Neva

Chicago, IL 60631