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.

THE BEST EVER??

1992 rolled around and Cliff Christl of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel sent out requests to 300 current and former coaches, players and sportswriters to submit their thoughts on who they thought where the best ever in Wisconsin high school football. The voters were to help create an all-time first team and second team of great players and recognize the top coaches. The voting was to be done on the basis of a player’s high school career and not what they did in college or if they made it to the pros. Some voters didn’t keep post high school graduation efforts out of their lists. The lists were to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the formation of the Milwaukee City Conference in a 1993 article and it would take time to collate the replies. A few schools had been playing football for several years before the conference was formed in 1893, most notable Delafield St. John’s Military Academy and Madison High School. From the polling of the group a first and second all-time squad was finalized along with the best coach of the last 100 years.

There were a total of 44 names on the two all-time offensive, defensive teams plus a kicker and a punter for each of the two teams and 136 other names were on the honorable mention list. A few players made it onto the first or second team at one position and then on the honorable mention list for another spot. Tom Straka of Madison West (1977) made the first team defense as a defensive back and the second team as a receiver. Todd Gregoire of De Per Pennings (1973) made the second team as a kicker and honorable mention as a linebacker. Bob Petruska of Lake Mills (1946) earned the spot as the punter on the all-time second squad and honorable mention as a running back. Jim Melka (1979) of West Allis Hale made the honorable mention list at running back and linebacker while Jum Strzykalski (1940) of Milwaukee South Division was also named to the running back and linebacker spots on the honorable mention squad. All fine players as were those others who only were mentioned once (Hopefully I didn’t miss anyone else). Well, I did find another who stood out and he’s what the blog is about.

Now, the player who received the most overall votes and was listed as the Player of the Century was Kenosha (1950) native Alan Ameche. I believe that Ameche was a great fullback with some decent speed. He led Kenosha to the mythical state title, then won the Heisman at Wisconsin and was a good NFL player. He took a handoff from Baltimore Colt quarterback Johnny Unitas to run into the end zone to win the NFL title in 1958 in a sudden death final, billed at that time as the greatest NFL game ever. He wasn’t in the league of fullbacks such as Cleveland’s Jim Brown (Who in my thoughts, no one was or ever has since been as good of a running back) or the Packers Jim Taylor. But he was solid. NFL back. I’m old and have watched a lot of pro games on TV and regretfully, only two in person and I never remember watching Ameche. But I did see a lot of Brown and Taylor.

When I was doing my blogs on the 1950’s I spent a lot of time going through the Kenosha News newspaper. While Ameche was in an era where high school players went both ways, I failed to find notations about his defense. He was probably good but maybe not as notable as a few others on that great 1950’s team. Yet, I still listed him as the Player of the Decade. Looking over the list of great players from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel story one player did stand out above all others. That was Waukesha’s John Anderson.

John Anderson…Waukesha Freeman 1973

The All-Century Team listed Anderson as a first team linebacker and on the first team offense as an end. He was the only player noted to make both first team squads. On top of that he made honorable mention as a kicker and as a punter. Again, the only player to make the listings in four categories and his voting status was nearly 20-years after he played his last high school football game. He did go on to have a very good career at the University of Michigan where he played as a linebacker. He was drafted in the first round of the NFL draft by the Green Bay Packers. He ended his career as having the most tackles by a Packer and he tied Ray Nitschke with 25 career interceptions. But I’m keying in on his high school days.

So, what made so many people vote for John Anderson in four different categories?

First, he was a tremendous blocker on the Waukesha offensive line as well as a very good receiver…33 receptions for 416 yards and nine touchdowns. Standing 6’3, 205 he could have had many more receptions if the team passed a lot and also tossed the ball downfield more often. But, in a run first-offense he was outstanding. On defense he made 86 tackles, recovered three fumbles, forced seven fumbles, intercepted five passes, knocked down six passes and blocked two kicks while sitting out many games shortly after halftime due to the team being so far ahead. As a kicker he was 43 of 48 on extra points and four of six on field goals, including a 45-yarder. Overall, he scored 111 points on the season. And while the Freeman newspaper didn’t report punting game totals in their box score’s he is thought to have averaged between 41-42 yards per punt and had the knack of placing the ball just so there would be no return or out kick the coverage.

Maybe his top game was the second of the season, a 43-0 rout of Wauwatosa East in which he caught five passes for 70 yards including a 33-yard touchdown, returned an interception for 60-yards for a score, recovered a fumble and returned it 18-yards for a touchdown, he was 5-6 on extra points, kicked a field goal and made 12 tackles. This as his team overcame six of their own fumbles.

Four weeks later in a 34-6 win over Wauwatosa West, an undefeated team that was 5-0 coming into the game and ranked #10 in the UPI poll Anderson twice kicked his Blackshirts team out of danger when stopped in their own territory with punts of 57 and 54 that could not be returned by West. A few minutes later on defense he helped stop the West team by forcing two turnovers that led to Waukesha scoring.

The 1973 season was magical for Waukesha for the first seven games. They had defeated Wauwatosa West to drop them from being in contention for the conference title but game eight was a matchup against South Milwaukee, a game neither team would forget. The Blackshirts had given up only three touchdown, 20 points, and had five shutouts in their first seven games. South Milwaukee was good but not spectacular as the two faced each other. The Rockets turned miscues into opportunities they just outplayed Waukesha, 54-35. Kevin Kuckevar for the Rockets scored four times on a 70-yard punt return, a 65 and a 63-yard pair of scoring runs and a 65-yard reception. John Luby had an 85-yard kickoff return for another South Milwaukee score. The Blackshirts won their final game and did finish #6 in the UPI final poll but the loss in game eight was a heartbreaker. You can see all the scores in my June 7, 2021, blog on the great Waukesha teams…” Waukesha-1964-1976”.

As the season ended Anderson was getting a lot of recognition for his great senior season. First, he was named Player of the Year the Suburban conference and earned honors as an end, linebacker and kicker. Next, he was the Waukesha County Player of the Year in the Freemans ratings. Then he was named Player of the Year on the Milwaukee Sentinel All-Area Team and that was followed by earning All-State honors in both final listings by both the UPI and AP polls. In the UPI poll he was listed as Honorary Captain.

He was more than just a football player. He was named All Suburban conference in 1973 as a junior and 1974 as a senior in basketball. He again earned honors by the Waukesha Freeman newspaper as the county’s basketball Player of the Year (He averaged 14 points and 12 rebounds as a power forward) in 1974. Besides starting three seasons for coach Ken Holub on the football team he also started three seasons for coach Dick Hughes on the Blackshirts basketball team. Anderson was a very good tennis player and was the teams MVP as a senior leading his team to the state tournament. The Milwaukee Pen and Mike Club (An organization of writers and broadcasters) named him the 1974 Player of the Year.

As a junior in 1972, Jim Anderson earned All-Suburban Conference for football as he caught 16 passes for 250 yards and four scores while kicking 25 of 28 extra points and two field goals.

Because of his overall talent, a guy who it seemed to be that he could do just about anything on the football field he gained a lot of notice and caught the attention of voters on the All-Century team. Now, thirty years after the article and as I’ve noted in other blogs and my book that there were a lot of players who could “do it all.” But maybe, just maybe, John Anderson is/was truly the best ever.