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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.

  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.

  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.

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.

  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.

  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.

  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.

  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.

  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.)

Belleville blockers including Damon Denny (57) create running room during Saturday's 63-21 Division 1 Semifinal win over Davison.

1st & Goal: 2023 11-Player Semifinals Review

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

November 20, 2023

Of 16 teams that earned trips Saturday to this weekend’s MHSAA 11-Player Football Finals, eight will be returning to Ford Field for at least the second season in a row – with a repeat Division 8 championship game leading off the upcoming lineup.

MI Student AidNotable as well, four schools earned an opportunity to play on the season’s final day for the first time – and those are just some of the storylines to catch up on during a quick week that will conclude the MHSAA’s 2023 Fall season.

We’ll be back with a preview of all eight championship games Wednesday evening. For now, see all 16 Semifinals at a glance:

(Note: Highlights from Saturday's 8-Player Finals will be included in a final football championship "Review" next week.)

Division 1

HEADLINER Belleville 63, Davison 21 At 38 straight games, Belleville’s winning streak is up to the seventh-longest in MHSAA history and fourth-longest among streaks taking place entirely during the playoff era. The Tigers (13-0) earned the opportunity to play for a third-straight Division 1 title by scoring more than 60 points for the second time in three weeks, and despite giving up a season-high 21 points to the Cardinals (12-1). Click for more from MLIVE-Detroit.

HEADLINER Southfield Arts & Technology 40, West Bloomfield 35 Quarterback Isaiah Marshall scored the game-winning touchdown on the final play to send A&T (12-1) to its first Final in this sport. The win also avenged the Warriors’ 31-20 loss to West Bloomfield (10-3) in Week 8. Click for more from the Oakland Press.

Division 2

HEADLINER Muskegon 42, East Lansing 7 Running back Jakob Price was the biggest star this time as Muskegon (11-2) broke away to earn a return trip to the Finals after finishing Division 3 runner-up a year ago. East Lansing (10-3) capped its winningest season since 2001. Click for more from the Muskegon Chronicle.

HEADLINER Warren De La Salle Collegiate 45, Waterford Mott 19 The two-time reigning Division 2 champion is heading to the Finals for the fourth-straight season after extending its winning streak to nine this fall. The Pilots (11-2) opened up a 21-7 halftime lead on the way to advancing, and ended Mott’s longest playoff run and winningest season at 10-3. Click for more from the Macomb Daily.

Division 3

HEADLINER Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central 18, Zeeland West 14 The Rangers (12-1) also will be making a return trip to Ford Field after finishing Division 2 runner-up last season and thanks to a go-ahead touchdown during the final minutes after the teams traded scores during the fourth quarter. West finished 9-4, those losses by a combined 20 points. Click for more from the Grand Rapids Press.

HEADLINER Mason 26, Detroit Martin Luther King 20 Mason (13-0) is off to its first Final, and after falling to the Crusaders in Semifinals the last two seasons. King (7-6) led 13-10 at halftime, but after the teams traded scores to start the second half Mason eventually went ahead for the final time in the fourth quarter to get past the two-time reigning champ. Click for more from the Lansing State Journal.

Division 4

HEADLINER Grand Rapids South Christian 21, Portland 6 South Christian (10-3) earned an opportunity to repeat as Division 4 champion after limiting a Portland offense that averaged nearly 41 points per game entering the day. The Raiders (12-1) also shined on that side of the ball, holding South Christian to its second-lowest output of the season. Click for more from the Lansing State Journal.

HEADLINER Harper Woods 35, Goodrich 24 Harper Woods (10-3) will play in its first championship game in this sport after ending another long run for the reigning Division 4 runner-up Martians. Harper Woods tied the score at 21 all just before halftime, then pulled away during the second half while holding Goodrich (11-2) to just a field goal over the final two quarters. Click for more from MLIVE-Detroit.

Division 5

HEADLINER Grand Rapids Catholic Central 35, Frankenmuth 0 After a year away from Ford Field, GRCC (12-1) is heading back for its fourth Final over the last five seasons after shutting down an offense that averaged 46 points per game entering the weekend. Connor Wolf threw three touchdown passes and Kellen Russell-Dixon scored three times including twice rushing for the Cougars. Frankenmuth (11-2) was playing in its fourth-straight Semifinal and is a combined 47-5 over those seasons. Click for more from MLIVE.

HEADLINER Corunna 49, Flat Rock 0 Corunna (13-0) is headed to its first championship game in this sport after posting its fourth shutout this season and against an offense that averaged nearly 39 points per game during the regular season but 47 over three playoff wins. Flat Rock finished its first Semifinal run since 1976 at 9-4. Click for more from the Owosso Argus-Press.

Division 6

HEADLINER Kingsley 37, Reed City 7 Kingsley (11-2) added to its season-opening win over the Coyotes, this time to reach the Finals for the first time since 2005. Skylar Workman scored four times for the Stags, who held Reed City (9-4) to its two lowest scoring outputs of the season. Click for more from the Traverse City Record-Eagle.

HEADLINER Almont 45, Ovid-Elsie 21 Almont is headed to Ford Field for second time in five seasons after building a big first-half lead and carrying it through the second. The Raiders (12-1) scored on the first play with Chase Battani breaking away for a long run, one of his three rushing touchdowns. Ovid-Elsie finished its first Semifinal season since 2008 at 8-5. Click for more from the Port Huron Times Herald.

Division 7

HEADLINER Menominee 32, North Muskegon 21 The Maroons (11-2) earned a return to the Finals for the first time since 2016 by handing North Muskegon (12-1) its only loss – scoring the most points the Norsemen gave up this fall. Menominee jumped out to a 20-0 lead and held off the comeback attempt. Click for more from the Eagle Herald.

HEADLINER Jackson Lumen Christi 35, Millington 7 The Titans (12-1) earned an opportunity to play for a repeat championship this weekend by handing Millington (12-1) its lone loss this season. It was the ninth time Lumen Christi had held an opponent to single-digit scoring. Click for more from the Jackson Citizen Patriot.

Division 8

HEADLINER Ubly 24, Beal City 6 For the fifth-straight season, these two met with a trip to Ford Field on the line – and for the second straight Ubly (13-0) will be making it. Record-setting kicker Brett Mueller caught two touchdown passes and also booted a 54-yard field goal for the Bearcats. Beal City finished 11-2 and is a combined 33-5 over the last three seasons. Click for more from the Huron Daily Tribune.

HEADLINER Ottawa Lake Whiteford 35, Riverview Gabriel Richard 6 Reigning Division 8 champion Whiteford ran its winning streak to 27 games in earning its Ford Field return, also holding an opponent to single digits for the ninth time this season. Gabriel Richard finished its longest tournament run at 8-5. Click for more from the Monroe News.

MHSAA.com's weekly “1st & Goal” previews and reviews are powered by MI Student Aid, a part of the Office of Postsecondary Financial Planning located within the Michigan Department of Treasury. MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information. MI Student Aid administers the state’s 529 college savings programs (MET/MESP), as well as scholarship and grant programs that help make college Accessible, Affordable and Attainable for you. Connect with MI Student Aid at www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid and find more information on Facebook and X (Twitter) @mistudentaid.

PHOTO Belleville blockers including Damon Denny (57) create running room during Saturday's 63-21 Division 1 Semifinal win over Davison. (Photo by Terry Lyons.)