Tales of Teams, Trophies & Trinkets - Vol 2
By
Ron Pesch
MHSAA historian
February 9, 2017
A picture may be worth a thousand words – but often, we can learn as much from a traveling trophy, game ticket, and even an old megaphone.
Michigan’s high school sports history is more than a century old and filled with legends passed on of games, teams and athletes and the roles they played as our communities rolled forward toward present day. Following up last year’s “Tales of Teams, Trophies & Trinkets,” we present a second chapter highlighting artifacts that tell some of those stories.
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1909 |
Saginaw vs. Saginaw Arthur Hill |
Football Trophy |
This bronzed football was the original used in the 1909 Thanksgiving Day contest played between Saginaw High and Saginaw Arthur Hill, and won by Saginaw, 5-0 at Burkart Park. In 1948, the ball was stylized into a trophy by the Letterman’s Associations of the rival schools, designed to travel between schools as the reward for winning the annual contest. When the Lumberjacks of Arthur Hill ripped off 24 straight victories beginning in 1971 (the teams played twice in 1974), ownership of the trophy was mostly forgotten. When talk of closing Saginaw High School mounted, the trophy was placed on display at Saginaw’s Castle Museum, then donated to the Saginaw County Sports Hall of Fame.
According to Jeffrey Cottrell, the multi-media specialist at the Historical Society of Saginaw County, when plans to close Saginaw High did not materialize, “it was decided amongst the Saginaw County Sports Hall of Fame and the Arthur Hill Letterwinners Association that it was time to put it back into use. This past fall, the Sports Hall of Fame awarded the trophy to Saginaw High when they beat Arthur Hill 40-0.”
Going forward, the Letterman's Trophy will continue to be presented to the winner of the football game between the Trojans and the Lumberjacks.
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1921 |
Detroit Cass Tech vs. Flint Central |
Football Program |
A crowd of 2,500 was on hand for this contest as Detroit Cass Tech downed Flint Central, 34-20, in an aerial battle between the squads. The Detroit Free Press arraigned for a special interurban run, with special railcars earmarked for Cass Tech students interested in attending the Saturday game at Flint. Between 200 to 300 made the trip to cheer their team to victory.
Flint Central completed 14 of 34 passes for 176 yards, but was intercepted on six occasions. Cass Tech arms were accurate on only 7 of 24 attempts for 160 yards, with four interceptions, but two completions went for touchdowns of 18 yards and 50 yards. A third pass of 35 yards helped set up the visitor’s first score. Bruno Murkobred, Cass Tech’s speedy quarterback, was the star of the contest, scoring three of his team’s five touchdowns.
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1939 |
Kalamazoo Central vs. Battle Creek Central |
Basketball Program |
This tattered memento, from a scrapbook kept by historian Dick Kishpaugh, illustrates the modest design of a high school basketball program back in 1939. Likely created by the high school print shop, this single sheet, printed specifically for distribution at the game, features autographs gathered by its owner. Wes Clark, one of the names captured on the cover, led Battle Creek Central with 10 points, including a pair of buckets in the final minute to secure a 27-26 win by the Bearcats.
Newspaper reports from the time indicate that halftime of the contest would feature “a table tennis exhibition between Helen Van Dyke of Flint, four-time state champion, and Floyd Painter, Battle Creek champion.” Miss Van Dyke was a sophomore at Olivet College at the time.
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1940 |
Lansing Eastern vs. Lansing Central |
Football Program |
This is the program cover from the 13th annual Football Classic between the Quakers of Eastern and the Big Reds of Central. Fans were requested to “refrain from making unnecessary noise as they drive away from the stadium … due to the nearness of Sparrow Hospital.”
At the time of the 1940 contest, Lansing Central led the series with six wins against five defeats. The series featured a single tie, a 6-6 result in 1935.
Eastern’s 1940 squad, coached by Walter Graff, was able to knot the series at six wins apiece with a thrilling 7- 6 victory over the crosstown rivals, coached by Al Bovard.
The 16-page document was hand set and printed by the Eastern and Central High School Vocational Printing Classes, and included rosters, messages from the two school principals and athletic directors, as well as comments from each member of the coaching staffs, team captains, student council presidents and numerous team members from each school with their views on the game. Of course there is a photograph of each high school football team, but also photos of each band, their directors, and a list of the band members for both Eastern and Central. Finally, there are photos of the Eastern and Central Yell Leaders, nine for the Quakers and six for the Big Reds.
It is a true work of art.
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1950 |
Central Michigan College Relays |
Track Medal |
More than 2,300 athletes from 97 high schools descended upon Mt. Pleasant for the Tenth Annual Central Michigan Relays. Ecorse in Class B and Flint School for the Deaf in Class D earned team titles on Friday, May 5th while on Saturday, the 6th, Flint Northern and Milan won Class A and Class C, respectively. Six event records fell during the two-day event, three in the broad jump.
This medal, honoring a member of the winning Class C sprint relay team, was awarded at the event. The winning team, and therefore, the name of the individual awarded the medal, remain a mystery.
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1962 |
Saginaw Sacred Heart |
Megaphone |
As at the majority of schools across the state at the time, athletic competition against other schools was not an option for Gloria Groll and her female classmates during her days as a student at Saginaw Holy Rosary High School. So, from the fall of 1959 until her graduation with 27 other students in the spring of 1962, she was a cheerleader for the Greyhounds. This beautiful megaphone, donated by Groll to the Saginaw County Sports Hall of Fame, is a memento from those times.
Holy Rosary was one of nine Catholic high schools operating in the Saginaw area in the 1950s and 1960s. Population shifts from the cities to the suburbs over the coming years would impact enrollment figures at schools nationally. In Saginaw, the opening of the Buena Vista School District in 1956 directly impacted Holy Rosary. In 1970 the school closed. A year later only three schools – SS Peter and Paul, St. Mary and Saginaw St. Stephen – remained. In 1984, those schools were consolidated to form Saginaw Nouvel Catholic Central.
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1963 & 1930 |
Grosse Pointe St. Paul |
League Trophies |
On the left, we find the trophy awarded to Grosse Pointe St. Paul's after winning the 1963 city championship. Bob Martin, a 6-foot-6 junior who earned first division all-Catholic honors, scored 14 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Lakers to a 55-46 upset-victory over Detroit Pershing. The game was played at University of Detroit Memorial before 6,979 spectators. It was the first time since 1958 that the Catholic League won the annual matchup with the champions of the Public School League.
To the right is the trophy awarded to St. Paul for winning the first golf tournament of the South Michigan Catholic High School League. The school's four golfers shot 710 over 36 holes on the day, 69 fewer strokes than second-place Detroit St. Rose. Played at Clinton Valley, the event saw Bill Beaupre win individual honors with a total of 158, including 76 in the morning. His cousin and teammate, Harold Beaupre, finished second with 169, while Peter Bononis of Detroit Holy Name was third with 171 strokes.
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1965 |
Fennville vs. Kalamazoo Hackett |
Ticket Stub |
This ticket stub from a doubleheader hosted at Western Michigan University’s Read Fieldhouse on February 18, 1965 was the first chance for many to witness lightning in a bottle. A capacity-plus crowd of 9,100 fans slid through the gate to watch a rumor.
The antics of 5-foot-7½ guard Richie Jordan had been talked about around the Kalamazoo area, but few had actually seen him play. His skills were on full display on this Thursday night, as he netted a fieldhouse scoring record with 49 points in a come-from-behind 76-72 win over a much taller team from Kalamazoo Hackett. Jordan’s output during the evening’s second game eclipsed the 45 points Manny Newsome scored for Western Michigan University against Toledo, just over a year before.
The evening hadn’t started well. According to the Kalamazoo Gazette, “Jordan hit only six of his 13 field shots in the first half and threw the ball away eight times. Trailing Hackett by 17 points, 50-33, with two minutes to play in the third quarter, the Blackhawks were able to cut the deficit to 13, 60-47 as the teams entered the final frame.
Quickly, everyone in the fieldhouse knew who was getting the ball during the comeback attempt. Jordan grabbed control; with his drives for layups and “softly-arched” jump shots against intense pressure, he hit seven of nine field goals, wowing the crowd. With 2:36 to play, Jordan nailed a pair of free throws to tie the game at 72 all. Then, with 57 seconds left, the “Fennville Flash” nailed the go-ahead basket, followed by two insurance free throws to seal the win. For many, his 24 points in the fourth quarter sealed his journey from rumor to legend and, no doubt, inspired the single-sentence first paragraph of the next morning’s coverage in the Gazette.
“Yes, there is a Richie Jordan!”
(P.S. – Kalamazoo Central upset eighth-ranked Lansing Sexton, 67-57, in the evening’s opening contest).
Ron Pesch has taken an active role in researching the history of MHSAA events since 1985 and began writing for MHSAA Finals programs in 1986, adding additional features and "flashbacks" in 1992. He inherited the title of MHSAA historian from the late Dick Kishpaugh following the 1993-94 school year, and resides in Muskegon. Contact him at [email protected] with ideas for historical articles.
PHOTO: Fennville's Richie Jordan pulls up for a jumper, showing off the form that's become iconic when recalling the high school phenom. (Photos of Letterman's Trophy and Megaphone were provided by Jeffery Cottrell, and photo of Grosse Pointe trophies was provided by Bill Roose.)
2025 Scholar-Athlete Award Recipients Announced in Class C & D
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
February 4, 2025
The Michigan High School Athletic Association has selected 10 student-athletes from Class C and D member schools to receive scholarships through the MHSAA/Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete Award program.
Farm Bureau Insurance, in its 36th year of sponsoring the award, will give $2,000 college scholarships to 32 individuals who represent their member schools in at least one sport in which the Association sponsors a postseason tournament. The first 30 scholarships are awarded proportionately by school classification and the number of student-athletes involved in those classes; also, there are two at-large honorees who can come from any classification.
Students applying for the Scholar-Athlete Award must be carrying at least a 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale) grade-point average and have previously won a letter in a varsity sport in which the Michigan High School Athletic Association sponsors a postseason tournament. Other requirements for the applicants were to show active participation in other school and community activities and produce an essay on the importance of sportsmanship in educational athletics.
The 32 scholarship recipients will be recognized March 15 during the MHSAA Boys Basketball Finals at the Breslin Student Events Center in East Lansing.
The Class C Scholar-Athlete Award honorees are Dayne Behning, Munising; Kelcie Pung, Fowler; Isaiah Kabban, Harbor Beach; Trevor Nolan, Munising; and Wheatley Rodammer, Saginaw Valley Lutheran.
The Class D Scholar-Athlete Award recipients are Sarah Bradley, Clarkston Everest Collegiate; Ella Knudsen, Leland; Joshua Gaunt, Dollar Bay; and Dakota Malek, Fulton.
Overviews of the scholarship recipients of the Class C Scholar-Athlete Award follow. A quote from each recipient's essay also is included:
Dayne Behning, Munising
Played four seasons of varsity tennis and three of varsity volleyball, is playing her fourth of varsity basketball and will compete in her fourth of track & field this spring. Earned all-state in cross country, all-Upper Peninsula recognition in tennis and all-conference in volleyball and basketball; and earned academic all-state team and individual honors in cross country. Served as team captain of tennis and volleyball varsities. Serving in second year on student council with leadership roles as council vice president and also class vice president. Participating in fourth year of Key Club and as vice president. Participating in second year of National Honor Society, third in Youth in Government, third on yearbook staff and competing in first year of quiz bowl. Is considering attending Baker College to study veterinary technology.
Essay Quote: “The reality of high school athletics in the Upper Peninsula often means long bus rides and hours of travel for away games. This distance creates a unique dynamic among athletes, especially when you spend years competing against the same opponents. Over time, the girls on opposing teams become familiar faces – people you’ve grown up playing with. Through countless games and practices, rivalries evolve, and competition becomes a shared language. We end up being each other's biggest cheerleaders.”
Kelcie Pung, Fowler
Ran four years of varsity cross country, will compete in fourth season of track & field this spring and played varsity basketball as a sophomore and junior. Earned all-state in both cross country and track, the latter all of her first three seasons, and helped track team to Lower Peninsula Division 4 Finals championship last spring. Served as cross country team captain this past fall. Serving fourth year on school’s student athletic advisory council, and as president, and also serving as student council class secretary. Participating in fourth year with school’s LINKS program and serving as president for second year. Participating in third year of National Honor Society and fourth with school’s renaissance program for students with strong academics. Will attend Saginaw Valley State University and study upper elementary education.
Essay Quote: “Sportsmanship can be seen in the moments where adversity is overwhelming and where the outcome is far from expectation. In the depths of a difficult situation, there is a choice to make. The decision between sportsmanship or dwelling on defeat define one’s character. Just like other personal values, genuine sportsmanship is contagious and does not go unnoticed.”
Isaiah Kabban, Harbor Beach
Played two seasons of varsity football and will compete in fourth of track & field this spring; also played junior varsity basketball two seasons. Earned all-area in football and helped team to league and District championships. Earned all-state in powerlifting and twice qualified for state meet. Earned academic all-league in football and track. Served as football and track throws captain and coached middle school flag football and as varsity basketball student assistant. Will complete second associate degree before high school graduation. Serving on MHSAA Student Advisory Council and participated in student government throughout high school including as vice president. Served as representative for local district’s Congressional Youth Council. Serving as national director of ongoing legislation for American Youth Association and was a national spokesperson finalist for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Youth Leadership Council. Participated in American Legion Boys State and Boys Nation with leadership roles. Is undecided on which college he will attend, but intends to study public policy.
Essay Quote: “Sports only matter because we agree they do – and because of the relentless work we put into them. … (Sportsmanship is) what makes the game more than just a competition. It’s the foundation that gives sports their meaning, their stories, and their legacy.”
Trevor Nolan, Munising
Ran four years of varsity cross country, is playing his fourth of season of varsity basketball and will compete in fourth of track & field this spring; also played varsity football for the first time this past fall. Helped basketball team to 2023 Division 4 Finals championship and has earned all-state and academic all-state recognition in that sport. Won multiple league championships in cross country and earned all-Upper Peninsula honors, and was Finals relay champion in track. Earned all-conference honorable mention in football. Served as cross country and basketball team captain. Participating in second years of National Honor Society and Key Club and served on student council as a freshman as class president. Is undecided on which college he will attend, but intends to study physical therapy or kinesiology.
Essay Quote: “A coach once told me that the reason why high school sports are so successful is that they are great at teaching young kids how to mature into adults. There is no better way to teach kids how to develop great character than by teaching them the importance of sportsmanship. … Growing up, I was not always a good sport, but as I got older I learned the importance of sportsmanship through many important lessons.”
Wheatley Rodammer, Saginaw Valley Lutheran
Played four seasons of varsity soccer, is playing his second of varsity basketball and will compete in his fourth of track & field this spring. Earned all-league and all-District in soccer and contributed to academic all-state team. Qualified for MHSAA Track & Field Finals as part of relay. Served as captain of soccer and basketball teams. Participated two years in National Honor Society, four years in school’s Protect Life group and in STEM and Global Awareness clubs as a junior. Will serve as head timer for grade school track meets for fourth year this spring and head announcer for third year. Completed Great Lakes Area Leadership Camp. Will attend Saginaw Valley State University and study a business-related major.
Essay Quote: “Throughout my years in grade school and high school sports, I have often heard coaches repeat phrases like “practice makes perfect” and “you get out of it what you put into it.” These lessons have prepared me for life beyond sports. Having good sportsmanship is a personal choice that requires commitment. There is a significant difference between showing sportsmanship only when it feels convenient and displaying it consistently, no matter the circumstances. Educational athletics often throw curveballs your way, requiring you to remain composed and prepared at all times – not just when you feel like it.”
Other Class C girls finalists for the Scholar-Athlete Award were Baylee Goddard, Alcona; Kaylee Kranz, Clinton; Alexyn DuBois, Hanover-Horton; Grace Hayhurst, Harbor Springs; Allie Nowak, Johannesburg-Lewiston; Kate Mattson, Munising; Ashlyn Orr, New Lothrop; Tess Tillman, Royal Oak Shrine Catholic; and Makayla Zelinko, St Charles.
Other Class C boys finalists for the Scholar-Athlete Award were Lucas Hall, Bark River-Harris; Owen Heath, Bridgman; Jason Zarate, Brighton Charyl Stockwell Prep; Matthew Mellendorf, Cass City; Korbyn Russell, East Jordan; Carson Kienitz, Munising; Ian Weldon, Reese; Ben Denlinger, Roscommon; and Landon Pestrue, St Louis.
Overviews of the scholarship recipients of the Class D Scholar-Athlete Award follow. A quote from each recipient's essay also is included:
Sarah Bradley, Clarkston Everest Collegiate
Played four seasons of varsity volleyball, playing fourth of varsity basketball and also played varsity softball as a sophomore. Led volleyball team to Division 4 championships the last two seasons, making the all-state first team after both and earning honorable mention as a sophomore. Helped basketball team to District titles her first three seasons, earning all-state as a junior and academic all-state in that sport as well. Served as volleyball team captain three seasons and basketball her final two. Earned AP Scholar recognition and is ranked first in her graduating class with a 4.3 weighted grade-point average. Serving second year on student government, as vice president, and participating in second year of National Honor Society. Served as ECyD youth group team leader throughout high school and two years as yearbook senior editor. Will attend Calvin University and study nursing.
Essay Quote: “To truly have this pivotal quality, it is necessary to not only be a good winner but also a good loser. It is easy to congratulate the other team on playing well when the outcome is in your favor. However, it is much harder to look into the eyes of your opponent who just ended your season and tell them they played well.”
Ella Knudsen, Leland
Played four years of varsity golf and ran four seasons of cross country, is playing her third of varsity basketball and will compete in her fourth season of track & field this spring; also played varsity soccer as a freshman and sophomore. Earned all-state three times in cross country, once in track and all-conference in basketball, and earned academic all-state in those three sports and golf. Served as captain of cross country, basketball and track teams. Earned AP Scholar recognition and Rural and Small Town Award from College Board. Serves on MHSAA Student Advisory Council and is participating in third years on Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation Youth Advisory Council and as part of student government. Participating in second year of National Honor Society and third of National Art Honor Society, serving as president of both chapters and student council. Will attend Hope College and study kinesiology.
Essay Quote: “Over the years sportsmanship has been the driving force for me to connect with other competitors in our area. … These relationships have allowed me to care for others and in return I have been encouraged and motivated because of these connections over the course of high school.”
Joshua Gaunt, Dollar Bay
Ran four years of varsity cross country, playing fourth season of varsity basketball and will play fourth season of golf and compete in fourth season of track & field this spring. Helped cross country team to two Upper Peninsula Division 3 Finals championships and earned all-UP in track and golf. Served as basketball and cross country team captain multiple seasons. Serving fourth year on student council and as vice president, and participating in second year of National Honor Society and serving as chapter president. Serving as director of leadership while participating in fourth year of Student Leadership Advisory Council of the Keweenaw. Playing fourth year in school band and contributed to multiple festival superior ratings. Will attend Michigan Technological University and study mechanical engineering.
Essay Quote: “In educational athletics, sportsmanship is much more than just treating others with respect. It is about being honest with yourself and the game. … By showing integrity and embracing honesty, athletes not only honor the spirit of competition but also create a foundation for success in life. True sportsmanship ensures that victories are meaningful, challenges are overcome, and every moment in sports becomes a stepping stone toward becoming a better person.”
Dakota Malek, Fulton
Played two seasons of varsity football, wrestled two seasons and competed on track & field team as freshman and junior. Earned individual and team academic all-state honors in football and served as team captain his final two seasons. Participating in third year of National Honor Society and second as chapter president. Competing in fourth year of Business Professionals of America and is a three-time state competition qualifier. Participating for fourth year in school’s Above the Influence group and serving second year as student representative to school district’s board of education. Serving fourth year as broadcaster of school sporting events. Will attend Central Michigan University and study meteorology and broadcasting.
Essay Quote: “After the final whistle, I fell to the ground. I wanted to rewind and redo the play, but that wasn't possible. Instead, I got up and helped the Kingston defender up. I pulled it together, managed my emotions, and got in my last line to shake the opponents' hands. It was hard to see it in that moment, but that loss prepared me for the future. Losing my last game in that fashion prepared me to better manage my emotions and take responsibility.”
Other Class D girls finalists for the Scholar-Athlete Award were Keira Jean Graham, Bessemer; Molly Coppens, Chesterfield Austin Catholic; Ella Grace Gasperich, Crystal Falls Forest Park; Leah Durfee, Fife Lake Forest Area; Mallory Rich, Muskegon Catholic Central; and Kaitlyn Miros, Saginaw Nouvel.
Other Class D boys finalists for the Scholar-Athlete Award were Seth Davis, Adrian Lenawee Christian; Owen Plum, Britton Deerfield; Andrew Spiegel, Hillsdale Academy; Carter Kosinski, Kinde North Huron; Alex Tyndall, Mason County Eastern; and Grady Pieratt, Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart.
The Class B scholarship award recipients will be announced Feb. 11, and the Class A honorees will be announced Feb. 18.
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The MHSAA is a private, not-for-profit corporation of voluntary membership by more than 1,500 public and private senior high schools and junior high/middle schools which exists to develop common rules for athletic eligibility and competition. No government funds or tax dollars support the MHSAA, which was the first such association nationally to not accept membership dues or tournament entry fees from schools. Member schools which enforce these rules are permitted to participate in MHSAA tournaments, which attract more than 1.4 million spectators each year.