MORE ABOUT CLINTONVILLE

A few weeks ago, I received an email request for any old records I might have on Clintonville football from their new head coach, Nick Raasch. I have old files of records and admittedly I did not have much. One name stood out and I scratched my head wondering why I hadn’t done a blog on him when I wrote about multi-sport stars back in early 2021. Maybe because Mike Jirschele played in the mid-70’s and the others were stories from players who stared in the 60’s. Anyway, I began to dig deep and suddenly I had a story…actually, now three. So, here is the third installment:

A special note about another early Clintonville player:

Gladwin “Bobby” Born was a 5’9, 160-pound halfback for the Truckers. A three-year starter from 1945-1947 he was the player that Don Jirschele emulated when he stepped up to the varsity in 1948. Born was quick and he could sweep for bug yardage or dive into the line for short yardage when needed. He once had a 90-yard interception return for a touchdown in the 1946 season opener, a 24-0 win over Wabeno. Back in the 1940’s through the 1970’s coaches and sportswriters from around the state were invited to submit names to a weekly honor roll story for the Associated Press. Born was to be named to 11 out of the possible 15 weekly lists for the 1946 and 1947 seasons. “Bobby” (I couldn’t find out if his middle name was William or how he got the nickname) earned honorable mention to the AP All-State squad in 1946 but in 1947 he was on the first team after rushing 89 times for 837 yards, 9.4 avg. and 11 touchdowns. Not only did Born earn All-State honors but tackle Ed Felschow and guard Bob Nass were named as honorable mention by the AP. The team went 5-2-0 in 1946 and 6-0-1 in 1947.

From the Appleton Post-Crescent...December 4, 1947

Born was a multi-sport star as he led the basketball team in scoring for three seasons, earning all-conference all three years. Admittedly scoring back then wasn’t like it is today but he was the conference third leading scorer as a sophomore and the second leading scorer as a junior and senior. He averaged about 13.5 points per game his senior year. In track he specialized in the 200-yard dash as a junior, but a stomach ailment kept him from competing as a senior. Gladwin was also a very good baseball player. Almost every story about him in 1947 mentioned that he had poor eyesight, so he worn plastic glasses. Total passing stats for him aren’t known but he was accurate from his left halfback position. Against Oconto in 1947 Born tossed the ball for 103-yards and two scores. He was a high percentage outside shooter in basketball, so the glasses were a big help. Born went on to star in football at Ripon. Like Don and Mike Jirschele, Gladwin was a very good student.

On August 18, 1948, the third high school All-Star game was played in Madison and the North squad, for whom Born played for, won over the South by a 7-0 score. On the second play Gene Felker of Milwaukee North Division intercepted a lateral and raced 19-yards for the lone score. He then kicked the extra point, and the scoring was over. Gladwin was the leading rusher in the game, carrying 17-times for 93-yards.

From the 1948 Clintonville Yearbook

A Coaching Parade:

Tony D. Ellis

Gladwin Born’s football coach was Tony D. Ellis a future WFCA Hall of Fame member. Ellis started at Spring Green (Now River Valley), spending nine seasons there. A very small school with often fewer than 100 students, he was able to be successful by working his team hard and through smart coaching. They were often playing schools two to three times larger. The 1930 team went undefeated and outscored their opposition 397 -2. After the 1940 season he moved to Oregon high school where he started the school's football program. He stayed only one year before moving to Clintonville where he spent the next 25-years coaching and teaching science. In 1967 Ellis announced that he was retiring from coaching at the age of 61 with a 100-77-12 overall record at Clintonville. In conference play the school was 73-73-9. That’s a 27-4-3 against non-conference opponents. While a coach he also led basketball, boxing, baseball, track and golf squads. His 35-year football overall record was 150-96-13. Oregon didn’t play a varsity schedule in 1940 so he was 50-19-1 at Spring Green.

Chet Jurkovac

One door closes and another opens. Ellis left the coaching profession and in stepped another future Hall of Fame coach. Chet Jurkovac started at Edgerton as an assistant. He then moved to Mineral Point as the head coach for three seasons before taking over for Tony Ellis. While at Mineral Point, he had several very good assistants…future HOF coach Bill Rice who directed McFarland for 33 seasons and future University of Wisconsin head basketball coach, Dick Bennett.

Chet Jurkovac…1994 Appleton Post-Crescent

Jurkovac taught social studies plus physical education as well as coaching golf and wrestling besides football. Besides winning the 1978 state title over Oregon 21-6 his 1976 team went undefeated for the first 10 games before losing 12-7 in the state finals to Menomonee Falls. For many seasons his Truckers were at the top or near the top of the Bay Conference. His teams won 22 consecutive games in the 1970’s and then there were down years in the 90’s when they went winless in 1991 and that was part of a 13-game losing streak. Clintonville was one of the smallest schools in the Bay and it was hard to compete. His overall record, including his time at Mineral Point, was 152-99-2

Carl Bruggink

From 1960-2001 the man who roamed the sidelines of the Clintonville basketball court was another Hall of Fame coach, Carl Bruggink. Inducted in 1980 to the hall he was the youngest man to be inducted, 21-years before he retired. When he retired, he was the 8th winningest coach but over the years he has dropped to #14 but still, his 544-368 record was still impressive. In the 1980s and 1990’s it was rare for his teams not to qualify for State.

1989…Appleton Post-Crescent

He directed the Truckers to the 1977 and 1989 state titles, and they were runner-up in 1976, 1987 and 1988. They made eight trips to State, three times in Division 1 and five times on Division 2. When he wasn’t coaching his team at State, he often was the color-analysts for the state-wide TV broadcasts. The basketball court at Clintonville was dedicated in his honor in 2011. His daughter Sheri married one of Clintonville's former multi-sport starts, Mike Jirschele.

It's not very often that three distinguished men overlapped their careers in the same place. Clintonville seemed to be the right town to coach.

A MULTI-SPORT FAMILY OF STARS…PART 2

The 1976 football season rolled around quickly after summer baseball, and it would be a very good year for the Truckers. They opened the season where they left off by beating Oconto in the opener 70-0. Mike Jirschele was spectacular as he rushed 11 times for 147 yards, running 43-yards for one touchdown, passing 16 and 27-yards for two more as well as kicking eight extra points and tossing for a 2-point conversion. Running the wishbone offense, he didn’t need to pass often as he completed two of three passes for the 43 -yards that were part of his two touchdown passes. The team rolled up 436-yards while allowing only 82.

Mike Jirschele…Clintonville 1977 Yearbook

The win over Oconto was followed by a 30-0 win over Oconto Falls. Jirschele was held to his lowest rushing total, 37yards in 14 carries, but he still scored two touchdowns, kicked two extra points and he booted a 27-yard field goal. Jirschele suffered a sprained ankle and sat out the third game, a 49-0 pasting of Pulaski. Jerry O’Connor led the team with 170 yards on only nine carries as he and his teammates took up the slack of their missing star quarterback.

The Truckers were on a roll as they beat Seymour 23-8 in game four. Jirschele was back but the team was more than just a one-man show and others were stepping up. In this game he kicked a Bay-Conference record 47-yard field goal, but the ankle would still nag Mike for the rest of the year. Game five was a closer win, a 14-6 victory over West De Pere and again, Jirschele suffered an injury to his left ankle and missed some of the game. Coach Chet Jurkovar hadn’t planned on using Mike to return kicks and it was on a punt return that he turned the ankle.

The next week against Bay Port Jirschele was still bobbled by his two injured ankles but his team won 23-3. Game seven rolled around and it seemed that all was well with the ankles as Clintonville dropped Ashwaubenon 27-0 as Mike had as super evening as he scored three times, passed for a fourth, kicked one extra point and then picked up a botched snap and ran it in for a two-point conversion. He rushed 179 yards on 16 carries and completed six of 10 passes for 66 yards. Coach Jurkovac (A WFCA HOF coach who spent 24-years at Clintonville) reported that he was almost 100% and that his team was good without Mike but a lot better with him in the lineup.

Clintonville was ranked #1 in the middle-sized school press polls, and they played game eight against De Pere to a close 21-16 win. The 16-points scored by the Redbirds were almost equal to the 17 points the Truckers had given up in the previous seven victories. They were also outgained 226 yards to 189 but they were able to pull out the win. The sore ankles were back but Jirschele was the difference with a 31-yard field goal as the Truckers were able to eke out a 10-8 win over Marinette. The win propelled the school into the first ever WIAA playoffs and they would face Wisconsin Dells in the Class A division. Mike seldom ran the ball, but he did pass the ball nine times for 49 yards in the game. The win provided by the defense that sacked the Marines quarterback five times and recovered two fumbles.

Two undefeated teams met for the opening round of the playoffs, but it was the Truckers and Mike Jirschele who won over the Orioles of Wisconsin Dells, 19-0. However, even though the team won the injuries were piling up. Not only were the ankles still bothering Jirschele, but others were hurting. Prior to the title game Mike was again named to the All-Bay Conference team at the quarterback and defensive back spots. Menomonee Falls with over 1,500 students was matched by the WIAA to face Clintonville, a school with just over 800 students. As mentioned in a blog written back on December 18, 2020, the decisions by the WIAA to match up several teams in the initial playoffs to be a head scratcher. Read that blog…1976: A LOOK AT THE START OF THE WIAA FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS (wihifootball.com) for more details.

The game was a nip and tuck affair, but it boiled down to injuries. Against the Dells the Truckers lost fullback/middle linebacker Dave Ruch who watched from the sidelines on crutches. Hobbled with bad ankles, Mike Jirschele was forced to move to the spot linebacker position. Backup quarterback Randy Schmoll stepped in to cover the defensive back spot but due to a lack of experience he was burned on a second quarter 43-yard touchdown pass play. Defensive end Duane Knaack, the team’s top pass rusher may have been able to get to the Menomonee Falls quarterback before he was able to toss the key touchdown pass. Two more running backs for the Truckers were hurt in the game. The game was a defensive battle with Clintonville taking a 7-6 lead on a fourth quarter run by Jirschele. Falls was able to mount a drive and they scored a fourth quarter touchdown to take the lead, 12-7. A drive by Clintonville was stopped as on two consecutive runs Jirschele was unable to pick up the needed yardage to get a first down. Ans so the 1976 football season ended with the 12-7 loss but honors for Mike’s overall play was pilling up. With over 40 college offers just to play college football he was named to the AP second team All-State at the quarterback spot. The UPI named him to their first team as they presented 22 offensive and 22 defensive players on their first team squads. For his career Mike carried the ball 341 times for 2,411yards. He passed 235 times for 108 completions, 13 interceptions, 1,628 yards and 20 touchdowns plus six 2-point conversions. He scored 35 overall touchdowns, kicked 59 extra points, ran for two 2-point conversions, seven field goals and 292 points. On defense he intercepted 12 passes in his career. All very good numbers in an era before today’s high-powered offenses.

NOTE: Coach Chet Jurkovar would mold the Truckers around a number of players from the 1976 team and they would win the Division 2 football title in 1978, a 21-6 win over Oregon.

Mike made it known that if he played college football, he hoped it would be with a school in the southern part of the states so he could also play baseball. His reputation as a baseball player was growing after the 1976 summer play with older teammates and opponents. He knew major league scouts were interested in him but now, he needed to concentrate on the upcoming basketball season.

And what a season it was for Mike and his teammates. In Madison at the state title games Jirschele scored 29 points in the semi-final game against Ladysmith and then 31 more in the championship game, a 91-74 win over Prairie du Chen. Clintonville went 22-3in the 1976-77 season. Not many athletes get to play in three state title games in a years’ time, but Mike Jirschele did. Quite an accomplishment. But there was more to come. Mike was named to the first team AP All-State team and then a few weeks later he was named by the UPI first team as well as the co-player of the year along with Racine St. Catherine’s Harvey Knuckles.

A few days later on April 12 it was announced that Mike had turned down the offer tom play in the First Shrine All-Star football game to be held in Oshkosh on July 22. With his high school playing of baseball and then being on three summer league teams the 10-days of football practice for the All-Star game and the game itself wouldn’t work out. So, he continued to play baseball until August when on the 4th it was announced that he had been drafted by the Texas Rangers and signed with them after some negotiations from the Rangers original offer. Mike had finally decided to attend the University of Wisconsin to play football (The school still had a baseball program then) but baseball had always been his best sport.

Mike spent 12 years in the minors from 1977-1990. (He was out for the 1986 season) including six seasons at Triple-A before he retired as a player, having never made it to the majors. While his dad, Don, was still coaching the BABA A’s team, Mike began a career as a baseball coach at the Minor League level in 1992. He stayed there until 2014 when he moved up as the bench coach for the Kansas City Royals. While coaching in the minors he won his 1,000th game in 2011. He spent several seasons with the Royals, also as the third base coach but moved back to manage in the minors. This past April 8, 2023, he won his 1,000th game as the coach of the Omaha Chasers, the Royals Tripple-A affiliate.

But the story of the Jirschele family isn’t over. Baseball runs in the family. Miles and his wife Sheri have three children, one boy named Justin who manages the Chicago White Sox Tripple-A team, the Charlotte Knights. Their other son, Jeremy is now the head baseball coach at UW-Stevens Point after a very good college career at UW-Oshkosh. Sheri is the daughter of Mikes former basketball coach, Carl Bruggink who is in the Wisconsin Basketball Hall of Fame and who spent 41 seasons coaching at Clintonville. His teams won 549 games and when he retired, he was listed as the *8th winningest Wisconsin high school coach. He’s now #12. One of Mike’s sisters, Marge, married Dave Arneson, who played at Madison and lettered in 1983 & 1984. Their son Sam started in 2014 as the Badgers tight end after a high school career at Merrill where he played quarterback, linebacker and tight end. He won various honors. Projected as a mid-round draft pick, Sam decided to give up the thought of playing pro ball.

Many athletes have had sons or daughters who have followed in their footsteps but few combinations of a father and son being truly football stars is rare. In my research I can only think of one other father/son duo who come close that of what Don and Mike Jirschele accomplished and that is Arnie Hanson (1933 Eau Claire Memorial) and his son Dick (1961, also from Memorial).

So, there you have it. The Jirschele’s are quite a Family of Stars.

A MULTI-SPORT FAMILY OF STARS…PART 1

After the 1950 football season ended, the “Bear” came calling.

The Clintonville “Truckers” finished 7-1-0 on the 1950 season and won the Northwoods Conference title. They were led by Don Jirschele who earned 3rd team Associated Press All-State after scoring 17 touchdowns and kicking six extra points for 108 points. In a 60-0 win over New London, Don scored seven times on runs of 41, 40, 29, 14 and 2 yards as well as returning two interceptions for scores of 100 and 87 yards each. He was named All-Conference football both as a junior in 1949 and then again, the next season. Jirschele had very good speed with power from his halfback spot, but he suffered several minor injuries in his career that sent him on the bench during games occasionally. He had a twisted ankle several times and even a more serious broken nose. The head gear before the 1960’s and the invention of additional padding in the helmet as well as the introduction of the facemask was, well really only protecting the ears.

Don started as a sophomore not only in football but also on the basketball and track teams. He played baseball during the summer and was a star there as well. He had a brother, Dick, who was an early star for Clintonville who then played football in the 1940’s at Central State College (Now University) in Wilberforce, Ohio. Dick was also a multi-sport star in high school. Other than the touchdowns recorded there were scant other records to refer to.

So, the “Bear” came calling. Don Jirschele answered. Paul “Bear” Bryant was coaching at Kentucky and was just turning that program around utilizing a good running game with passing by All-American Babe Parilli. This was before he moved on to Texas A%M and then to Alabama. Jirschele played two seasons for the “Bear” before being inducted into the Army. He served two years in the military service and then in 1955 he signed a contract to try out with the Green Bay Packers, but a broken ankle prevented him pro pursuing a pro career. He returned to Clintonville and became a very important individual on the local sports scene. For year he coached the Clintonville A’s baseball team (BABA…Badger Armature Baseball Association) and even had the local baseball field named in his honor. He spent time as an assistant to his former coach, Tony Ellis with the football team. Clintonville is a small town, but Don was known far and wide not just for sports but for community affairs. He organized the local 4th of July activities for several years. He also worked hard to develop all sports in the community, not just for boys but also for girls. Don passed at age 87 in 2020.

Don’s life was also one of tragedy. Three of his four sons developed muscular-dystrophy and they died in their 40’s. Don and his wife also had several daughters and thankfully the disease didn’t touch them.

Don Jirschele…Sept. 21, 1949…Appleton Post-Cresent

Despite the disease of the three boys, Jim, Doug and Pete, they were there more often than not io cheer their brother Mikes efforts. Doug was his brother Mile’s best friend. With Mike there was pride in his athletic accomplishments and there were many.

As a young boy Mike Jirschele excelled in most sports. Back when the NFL sponsored the Punt, Pass and Kick contests Mike earned a trip to New Orleans to compete with other kids his age. The PP&K was initially a contest for boys that began in 1961 and broken into several age groups. Later, girls were included but the program ended in 2017 as the NFL decided to go toward a team approach for encouraging the sport rather than individual competition. Some states still have their own PP&K programs. And while mike was very good at football, he loved the baseball diamond. In high school he stared in football, basketball and baseball but when summer break hit, he played for the local BABA team against many older players, and he excelled.

As a sophomore in 1974 Mike started on the gridiron at quarterback and defensive back, like his father Don had done. The team posted a 7-2 record and improved the next season to 8-1, losing the season opener to conference champion Marinette. Mike earned All-Conference at both positions (If they named a kicker or punter to the teams, Mike would have earned those spots) as well as first team All-State U.P.I. (Second team on the A.P. team) as a quarterback. His team ran the wishbone and Mike was the primary runner, even from the quarterback position. He had 166 carries for 1,368 yards and scored 19 touchdowns, kicked 25 extra points and two field goals (One was a conference record 46-yader) for 145 points. His passing stats were modest with 71 attempts, 31 completions, only three interceptions for 428 yards and six scores. In the 10-team conference he nearly outdistanced the #2 rusher who had 767 yards by a 2-1 margin and his closest scoring opponent on the conference lists had 67 points. Against Seymour he tied his dads school scoring record with 42 points on six touchdowns, four extra-point kicks and a 2-point conversion run.

Mike started as a guard on the varsity basketball team as a sophomore (A 9-9 season) and would end up as the school’s all-time leading scorer with 1,101 points. As a junior he set sectional playoff scoring records as he led the team to a 20-5 record and just lost to St. Francis in the Class B title game 68-66. He scored 28 points in the title game with 16 of them coming in the fourth period to take the lead several times and then to keep the Truckers close. In that fourth period he also created three turnovers, hauled down four rebounds and, standing 5’10, he out jumped 6’5 Dave Dorlack on a jump ball. With three seconds to play in the game, down by two points, St. Francis dropped back and allowed the inbound pass to go to Jirschele who quickly took several steps and then let the ball go towards the basket as time expired. Unlike Beloit’s Lamont Weavers last second, 55-foot shot to win the 1969 title, his half-court shot missed. The St. Francis fans exploded with joy. Mike fell o his knees and lay face down on the court for about five seconds when his coach, Carl Bruggint, came over and asked if he was ok. Mike looked up and simply said “Yep.” There were no tears, just an acceptance that he and his team had done their best. He impressed many at the state tournament for his overall play. He would earn third team All-State by the UPI that season as well as first team All-Bay Conference.

A state-wide legend was growing.

Baseball season started soon, and the Truckers were a middle of the road team, but Mie was hitting well and playing shortstop. In one game he was involved in a triple play, catching a line shot, stepping on second for the next out and then tossing the ball to first to complete the play. Unfortunately, he also made an error in the game that led to his team losing. He hit several homers that year and was named to the All-Bay team…a triple feat after winning first team spots in football and basketball. Then it was on to summer ball where he again excelled and major league scouts were beginning to take notice.

More on Mile Jirschele and Family of Stars next time.