The Strasburg High School "Cardinals competed in fall baseball, basketball, track, and spring baseball.  We are searching for further information regarding season records, coach's names, and the school's fight song.

 

 

Bob Friese provides the following history of the proud Strasburg High School basketball program:

 

Thursday, January 5, 1939 a referendum for new gymnasium passes 210 to 59.

The “Duling Gymnasium” was dedicated Friday, September 27, 1940.  Alf “Binky” Duling was a local blacksmith and longtime school director who was instrumental in getting the gymnasium built.  He passed away in 1939.

Players on the 1939-40 Strasburg Cardinals that won the 1940 Class B, Shelby County Tourney by defeating Oconee 41-31 and Herrick 49-14 were; Frank “Babe’ Giertz, Elmer Fields, Allen “Ears” Rankin, Fred Biesecker, Kenneth Rincker and Coach Charles F. Kell.

First basketball game in Duling Gym was played Friday, November 15, 1940 with a 32-22 victory over the Stewardson Tigers.

Players on the 1940-41 Strasburg Cardinals that won the 1941 Class B, Shelby County Tourney by defeating Herrick 57-22 and Oconee 43-18 were; Frank “Babe”  Giertz, Allen “Ears” Rankin, Harold Nippe, Don Bridges, Fred Biesecker, Elmer Fields, Kenneth Rincker and Coach Charles F. Kell.

1941-42, the high school’s new title is Strasburg Community High School.  Players on the team that won the 1942 Class B, Shelby County Tourney by defeating Oconee 37-29, Sigel 31-14 and Lakewood 44-25 were;  Norman Wirth, Donald Kircher, Elmer Fields, Jack Weber, John Radloff, Dwight Ostermeier, Gene Kull, Bill Rosine and coaches Charles F. Kell and Leonard O. Hewitt.

1942-43 Cardinals had a new coach, John T. Middlesworth who led the team to their fourth consecutive Class B, Shelby County Tourney in 1943 with victories over Lakewood 37-22 and Herrick 27-11.  Players on his first team; John Radloff, Gene Stremming, Donald Kircher, Norman Wirth, Charles Harmon, Delbert Doehring, Don Keller, Glen Radloff Jr., Harrison Ulmer, Dean Beals, Ervin Buesking, Kenneth Lenz, Eugene Mueller, W.C. Storm Jr., Dale Beals, Tobias Kircher, Wendy Volkman, Rollin Ragan, Mervin Ruff, Robert Ragan and manager, Marvin Ulmer.

At Windsor, Tuesday, January 13, 1945 Strasburg Cardinals defeats Windsor Blue Devils 32-30 for the first time in school history, Jr. Radloff led the attack with ten points.  Another jinx was broken on Tuesday, January 30, 1945 when the Cardinals defeat the Neoga Indians 32-28 for the first time ever, Delbert “Butch” Doehring led the scoring with ten points.

On Thursday, February 21, 1946, Delbert “Butch” Doehring scored 72 points against Dieterich in the District Tourney semi-finals, setting two IHSA records, Most Points, Game (72) and Most Field Goals Made, Game (34).  The 72 points scored, still ranks as the ninth highest individual total and the 34 Field Goals Made, Game ranks as fifth highest in Illinois history. The 1945-46 Cardinals may be the first team in school history to top the century mark in points scored when they defeated the Dieterich Black Cats, 114-31.  The next night, Stewardson defeated Strasburg, 44-35, for the district championship.

1937-38                                                    Coach Eckfield

1938-39      2 - ?                                        Coach Charles F. Kell

1939-40    16 - 12                                      Coach Charles F. Kell

1940-41    17 - 11                                      Coach Charles F. Kell

1941-42    16 - 15                                      Coaches Charles F. Kell & Leonard O. Hewitt (Kell left for military service January 29, 1942)

1942-43    14 - 12                                      Coach John T. Middlesworth

1943-44    12 - 13                                      Coach John T. Middlesworth

1944-45    16 - 11     District Champions    Coach John T. Middlesworth

District Tourney at Dieterich, on Friday, February 24, Strasburg defeated Toledo, 35-29 in championship game.  Defeated in regional by Greenup 32-13.

Team members included Coach John T. Middlesworth. Delbert Doehring, Kermit Radloff, Junior Radloff, Tobias Kircher, Ralph Renshaw, Robert Ragan, Robert Small, Harrison Ulmer, Don Keller, Robert Nippe and manager Kermit Ruwe. 

1945-46     9 - 15                                       Coach John T. Middlesworth

1946-47    13 - 14                                      Coach John T. Middlesworth

1947-48    28 - 3       District Champions   Coach John T. Middlesworth

District Tourney at Dieterich, on Friday, February 28, Strasburg defeated Cowden, 58-30 in championship game.  Defeated by Flora 57-38 in championship of Effingham Regional.

The 1947-1948 Strasburg Cardinals basketball team was the most successful team in the school’s history.  Dubbed “The Once in a Blue Moon Team” by an area sportswriter, the team won 28 games while dropping only three, two loses were to arch rival Windsor, whom they also defeated once. They started the season with a thirteen game winning streak, won the Beecher City Invitational Tourney in December, placed second in the Shelby County Tourney in January, won the Dieterich District Tourney in February, advancing to the Effingham Regional Tourney.  They defeated Newton, 58-51 in the first round of the regional and Effingham, 34-33 in a very exciting semi final game. The Cardinals season ended when they were defeated in the regional championship game on Friday, March 5, 57-38, by the Flora Wolves.

Coach John T. Middlesworth, manager, Wayne Kearney, Caryl Doehring, Loyd Rincker, Warren Schlechte, John Dale Webner, Forrest Gene Risser, Rex Storm, Walter Keller Jr., Max Tate, Gene Rosine, Howard Schlechte, Don Ruff, Bobby Bridges, Howard Wirth, guard, George Terry, guard, Delbert Stremming, center, and Co-Captains, forwards, Bob Nippe and Kermit Radloff. Radloff went on to play basketball and baseball at Millikin University, Decatur, Illinois.

Cheerleaders were Dorothy Doeding, Emily Mulvaney and Shirley Kelsheimer.  Kelsheimer was selected to the Shelby County All-Tourney squad in January.

1948-49    25 - 5       District Champions   Coach John T. Middlesworth

District Tourney at Strasburg, on Friday, February 25, Strasburg defeated Effingham St. Anthony, 52-42 in championship game. Defeated Beecher City 52-38 at the St. Elmo Regional, defeated by Brownstown 56-48.

The 1948-49 Cardinals may be the second team in school history to top the century mark in points scored when on Friday, December 10, they defeated Humboldt 102-16, Howard Schlechte scored 29 and Warren Schlechte scored 21 points. The team won the Neoga Holiday Tourney in December by defeating Neoga 40-25, Effingham St. Anthony 35-24 and Greenup 53-51.  At the 1949 Shelby County Tourney in January they finished in third place by defeating Cowden 55-28, lost to Windsor 43-41 and defeating Stewardson 46-44.  In February they won the Strasburg District Tourney by defeating Cowden 52-29 and Effingham St. Anthony 52-42.  Coached by John T. Middlesworth, the 25-5 Cardinals were; Gene Rosine, John Dale Webner, Howard Schlechte, Forrest Risser, Bob Bridges, Bernard Doty, Kenneth Von Behren, Walter Keller, Jr., Warren Schlechte, Lloyd Spannagel and manager Kermit Ruwe.

1949-50    17 - 12     District Champions   Coach John T. Middlesworth

District Tourney at Effingham St. Anthony, on Friday, February 24, 1950, Strasburg defeated Effingham St. Anthony in double overtime 46-43 in championship game. Defeated by Altamont 62-48 in St. Elmo Regional.

                                 The Final Season  1949-50

John T. Middlesworth was the head basketball coach with players: Howard Schlechte, Walter Keller Jr., Eugene Rosine, Richard Ulmer, George Schlechte, Don Haskell, Jim Stremming, Glen Spannagel, Kenneth Von Behren, Derry Dale York, Glenn Pieper, Omer Thomas and Kermit Ruwe manager.  Cheerleaders were: Lela Mulvaney, Melvina Mueller, Ruth Storm and Emily Mulvaney. Senior, Howard Schechte was 2^nd in a poll of coaches selecting Shelby County’s Outstanding Player for 1949-50. The final victory of the season and the final victory in Strasburg High School basketball history was Friday, February 24, 1950 at the Effingham St. Anthony District Tourney, in the championship game, a double overtime win over Effingham St. Anthony, 46-43.  The St. Anthony Bulldogs had defeated Strasburg in their three previous games that season, a Howard Schlechte basket with seven seconds remaining and a free throw finished the upset.  The final game in school history was played at the St. Elmo Regional, March 1, 1950, when the Cardinals were defeated 62-48 by the Altamont Indians, and finished the season with a 17-12 record.

**Strasburg won the Class B, Shelby County Tournament in 1940, 1941, 1942 and 1943.  They were promoted to Class A in 1944.

**In the Class A, Shelby County Tournament finished 2^nd in1948, 3^rd in 1949 and 4^th in 1950.

BOYS FOOTBALL

From our good friend Brad Friese:

"As far as anyone knows, the only interscholastic football game ever played by Strasburg was played at Windsor field some time during the 1946-47 school year. The Cardinals were defeated 21-12 by the Blue Devils.  The first touchdown in school history was scored when Bob Nippe completed a pass to George Terry in the end zone.  Kermit Radloff intercepted a pass at midfield, and with the help of some beautiful blocking by Loyd Rincker, scored the last touch down in Strasburg High School history.

 

From our good friend Brad Friese:

 

 

 

Boy’s softball was played in the early years until 1944-45 and again 1947-48.  In 1945-46, interscholastic baseball was played for the first time with two trips down Rt. 32 to Stewardson. After leading Stewardson by 7 runs going into the ninth inning Strasburg lost the game by 1 run. Delbert Doehring was the losing pitcher and Darrell Rothrock the winning pitcher for Stewardson. Doehring was the losing pitcher in the second meeting of the two teams and Paul Stitt the winning pitcher.  Baseball records are incomplete.

The last official run of the Wabash Railroad was a northbound freight train through Strasburg on Thursday, November 10, 1938.  The abandoned tracks were torn up in 1939.  During 1947, the Strasburg American Legion started construction on the present ball park on the abandoned Wabash Railroad right-of-way.  The George E. Kull and Alvin Kearney families donated use of the land the park is located on.  Under the supervision of Coach John T. Middlesworth, Oscar Hood and others, the high school boys were allowed to leave school and work on the field, mostly scrape and haul off the cinder roadbed. With the efforts of York Café owner Dale York, the installation of a 21,000-watt, class C lighting system was installed on six new poles by C.I.P.S. on May 21, 1948.  Aditional improvements were made in April 1949 when new fences were erected in front of the stands. Baseball players on the first SCHS baseball team, 1945-46, were: Dwight Lading, Clarence Fisher, Lloyd Spannagel, Forrest Gene Risser, Robert Ragan, John Dale Webner, Wayne Kearney, Howard Wirth, Gene Hiatt, Loyd Rincker, Delbert Stremming, Butch Doehring, Max Tate, Robert Nippe, Kermit Radloff and George Terry.

The 1947-48 SCHS Cardinals finished the spring with a record of seven wins and one loss.  They played their entire schedule on the road and entered the Bethany Sub-District Tourney having won five consecutive games. Their first opponent was Mattoon, who scored five runs in the fourth to take a 6 to 3 lead, but the Cardinals came back with four runs in the top of the fifth, Mattoon tied it at 7-all in the sixth, but Strasburg took a 9 to 7 lead in the seventh when Bob Nippe was hit by the pitcher, the catcher tipped Howard Wirth’s bat, Gene Rosine pounded one through the shortstop’s legs and Delbert Stremming singled.  Mattoon scored a run in the bottom of the seventh, but the Cardinals held them off for a 9 to 8 upset victory.  In the championship game Monday, May 17, Charleston defeated the Cardinals, 7 to 5, on four runs in the ninth inning.

The first SCHS Cardinals baseball game on the renovated Strasburg American Legion field was on Tuesday, April 12, 1949.  They won the spring opener defeating the Stewardson Tigers 5 to 2. Stewardson out hit the Cardinals, 7 to 6, but Gene Rosine kept the Tigers hits well scattered.  Lloyd Allsop went the route for Stewardson.  The big blow of the game was a triple by Kenneth Von Behren, Strasburg’s sophomore third baseman.

The 1949-50 baseball season, SCHS’s final season was highlighted by the pitching of right handed Gene Rosine. On Monday, April 24 at Strasburg, Gene Rosine struck out 27 batters as the Cardinals topped Sullivan, 1 to 0, in 11 innings.  Rosine won the game in the eleventh with a hit that scored Dick Ulmer, who had singled.  Rosine faced 40 men, walked none, and gave up only three hits, he had a no-hitter until the sixth inning.  His strikeout total by innings:   First-2;  second-4;  third-3 in a row;  fourth-1;  fifth-3 in a row;  sixth-2;  seventh-1;  eighth-2;  ninth-3;  tenth-4 in a row;  eleventh-2. 

On Tuesday, May 16 at the Shelbyville Sub-District Tourney, Rosine fanned 21 Shelbyville batters in 14 innings, got on base six of his seven time at bat, and drove in two runs, the tying run in the seventh and the winning run in the last of the fourteenth as he led the Cardinals to a 4 to 3 victory over Shelbyville in the district semifinals.  The next day the Cardinals were blanked by Lovington, 6 to 0 to win the Shelbyville Sub-District Tourney, Rosine threw five innings of relief. Coached by John T. Middlesworth with players;  Howard Schlechte, Gene Rosine, Walter Keller Jr., Richard Ulmer, Wayne Reel, Glen Spannagel, Derry DaleYork, Don Haskell, Kenneth Von Behren, James Stremming, Guy Juhnke, Omer Thomas, Bill Boyer, George Schlechte, Glenn Pieper and Steve Baumgarten.

 

From our good friend Brad Friese:

 

In May, 1950, it was decided by the students what the athletic teams of the combined Stewardson-Strasburg would wear, green and white, and that they would be known as the Comets.  Don Moran of Stewardson and Don Haskell of Strasburg met with faculty representatives and selected three color combinations.  These three were voted on by the eighth graders and the first three years of high school at the Stewardson and Strasburg schools.  The selection at each school was the same.

On Thursday, May 25, 1950 the final Strasburg Community High School Commencement was held, at which Arthur C. Bell of the WLS dinner bell program spoke.  The following seniors graduated:  Marilyn Bauer, President, Richard Ulmer, Vice-President, Howard Schlechte, Secretary & Hourglass Editor, Ruth Storm, Treasurer, Walter Keller Jr., Melvina Mueller, Eugene Rosine, Ann Sapienza, Margaret Staehli, Cardinal Editor, Vivian Stremming, Jo Ann Weber and Mary Ann Weber.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Immediately Following commencement exercises, the last seniors of SCHS left for Chicago.  They made their headquarters at the Palmer House, right in the heart of the loop. Friday morning they attended Don McNeill’s Breakfast Club, and then went to the Museum of Science and Industry.  Most of the group went to Comiskey Park Friday night, and saw Bobby Feller pitch the Cleveland Indians to a 2 to 1 victory over the White Sox. On Saturday they visited some of the city’s large buildings, stores, radio stations, Riverview amusement park and shows.

During the 1950-51 basketball season home games for the newly consolidated Stewardson-Strasburg Comets were split between Strasburg and Stewardson.  The first Stew-Stras Comets game was played at Windsor on Friday, November 17, 1950 and they were defeated 45-39 by the Blue Devils. John T. Middlesworth was the head coach, Strasburg players were starting forwards, George Schlechte and Jim Stremming and Don Haskell off the bench. Stewardson players were starting guards Don Friese and Joe Moomaw, center Don Moran and Dick Renshaw off the bench.  Jim Stremming, Glen Spannagel, Glenn Pieper, Kenneth Von Behren, Lee Allsop and manager Edwin Kessler.

The first victory was Tuesday, November 21, 1950, 54-45 over Effingham St. Anthony, at Duling Gym, Strasburg.  This was the only victory for the Comets at Strasburg, losses to Altamont, Windsor and Cowden.  The last high school basketball game played at Strasburg was a 66-58 loss to Cowden, Friday, February 16, 1951.

Strasburg High School

Boys Basketball Cheerleaders

1938-39      Grayce Schroeder and Juanita Young

1939-40      Juanita Young and Harlan Renshaw

1940-41      Joyce Reel and Stelma Volkman

1941-42   Joyce Reel and Stelma Volkman

1942-43   Lela Doeding and Lila Kull

1943-44   Lela Doeding and Lila Kull

1944-45   Donna Kull, Audrey Engel, Doris Reel, Pat Kull and Dorothy Reel

1945-46       Ramona Schlechte, Warren Schlechte and Ruth Dearman

1946-47   Dorothy Reel, Ramona Schlechte and Doris Reel

1947-48   Dorothy Doeding, Emily Mulvaney and Shirley Kelsheimer

1948-49   Emily Mulvaney, Jo Ann Weber, Melvina Mueller and Ruth Storm

1949-50   Lela Mulvaney, Melvina Mueller, Ruth Storm and Emily Mulvaney

Strasburg Community High School Carnival Queen and King

1945-46         Ruth Stuckemeyer and Delbert Stremming

1946-47    Ruth Hirtzel and Bob Nippe

1947-48    Myra Engel and George Terry

1948-49    Ann Bridges and David Lloyd                              

1949-50    Beulah Stremming and Richard Ulmer

1950-51    Emily Mulvaney and David Elam (Stew-Stras)

Strasburg High School Valedictorian and Salutatorian

1938-39       Grayce Schroeder    Hazel Bingaman

1939-40       Ruth Reel                 Majorie Engel

1940-41       Boyd P. Bridges       Wanda Maye Young

1941-42       Joyce Reel               Stelma Volkman

1942-43       Jane Hood                Mervin Ruff

1943-44       Helen Luce               Earl Lenz

1944-45       Pat Kull                    Verena Lading

1945-46       Gail Spannagel        Dorthy Wilson

1946-47       Doris Reel                 Ruth Hirtzel

1947-48       Richard Lading         Ruth Stuckemeyer

1948-49       Noel Nippe                Ann Bridges

1949-50       Marilyn Bauer           Howard Schlechte

Strasburg High School Administrators

1938-39       Leonard O. Hewitt, Supt.

1939-40       Leonard O. Hewitt, Supt.

1940-41       Leonard O. Hewitt, Supt.

1941-42       Leonard O. Hewitt, Supt.

1942-43       Leonard O. Hewitt, Supt.

1943-44       Leonard O. Hewitt, Supt.  (1^st semester) Walter H. Wilson (2^nd semester)

1944-45       Walter H. Wilson, Principal

1945-46       Walter H. Wilson, Principal

1946-47       Walter H. Wilson, Principal

1947-48       Walter H. Wilson, Principal

1948-49        Lloyd T. Elam, Principal   J. Harold Diel, Supt.

1949-50        Lloyd T. Elam, Principal   J. Harold Diel, Supt.

In addtion to Strasburg Grade School, the high school’s enrollment also included students from St. Paul’s Lutheran School, Elm Grove School, Mayflower (Wildcat) School, Whitlatch School, Turner School, Rockford School, Prairie Hall School, Richland School and Hiatt School.

Special Gratitude to Brad Friese

Brad Friese conducted most of the research for this page.  He gathered material from 1939 to 1944 REMINISCENCER Yearbooks loaned by;

Neva (Dieplotz) Buesking, Dorothy (Reel) Stremming  and Ralph Buesking.  From 1945 to 1950 HOURGLASS Yearbooks loaned by; Patsy (Kessler) and Larry Lenz,  Doris (Reel) and Delbert Stremming, Betty (Frede) and Don Vogel. Shelbyville Democrat-News microfilm Shelbyville Public Library.

 

 

Copied from the web address http://www.archive.org/stream/strasburgillinoi00stra/strasburgillinoi00stra_djvu.txt :