“THE GIANTS AT MONROE” AND THE 1909 CHASES FOR THE STATE TITLE…PART 2

Last spring (2025) I received notice that Ladysmith High was going to begin an Athletic Hall of Fame and I was invited to attend the banquet to be held on Friday October 10 with the homecoming game to follow the next day.  First, I have never been to Ladysmith nor, until I wrote a stories about the 1940’S-1960’S teams…HEART OF THE NORTH…LADYSMITH…PART 1 and HEART OF THE NORTH…LADYSMITH…PART 2 

I had never talked to anyone from the town.  Maybe the stories helped get the ball rolling for the HOF.  Second, I have never been invited to a HOF dinner and I was excited.  I put the date on my calendar.  However, I work part-time for the Milwaukee Brewers and I had to tell the people at Ladysmith that if the Brewers made it deeper than the first round of the playoffs I couldn’t attend. As time for the banquet grows closer, I was made aware of the grandfather of Bob Davis, Frank.  Bob, who earned honorable mention All-State in 1959 at Ladysmith and who will be inducted into the first HOF class there wrote that the 1909 Monroe team was a very strong squad and I should look into things.  Bob sent me photo copy of a page from the October 13, 1973 edition of The Monroe Evening Times.  It was in very poor condition.  A hard to read and slightly crumpled and, in my view, fading photo. 

Since it was hard to read, I decided to take a day trip from Milwaukee to Monroe to look at microfilm at the public library.  Upon my arrival I found that the microfilm for that period of 1973 had been sent off for repair.  Yearbooks at the public library, the high school and the county historical society for 1910 (Covering the 1909 team) are not available.  So, I had to wait for the film to be returned and repaired.  I was told it may be weeks so I put this potential story on hold.  While at the public library, I looked at the 1909 Evening Times editions and found very little in the way of game reports on the team.  Some scores weren’t even reported.

Suddenly, four days later I received a pdf. file from the library.  It was crystal clear and has proved to be a big help.  I had found in the 1909 editions of The Evening Times there were only had four small game stories until a final December recap. 

 October 13, 1973 The Monroe Evening Times

It was strange that I found little local information in the 1909 newspapers but the 1973 story filled in a little bit of the season and also had some misinformation.  The above picture was taken by a E.H. Gloege.  Where the 1973 paper obtained the picture is a mystery to me as previously stated, the libraries, public or high school nor the local historical society had not a thing on the 1909 team.  I looked into mid-December of the 1909 newspaper and didn’t find the photo.

Next, the 1973 news story stated that they played eight games and scored 418 points.  They actually played nine games and scored 399 points.

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The above schedule is taken from a very late November edition of The Evening Times (I didn’t record the date) and you will note that there is a mistake in the Madison score.  The Capitol city high school actually scored 12 points not the two that is on the scoring schedule but is correctly noted in the brief story that the team allowed only 18 points overall on the year.  That’s an average of scoring 44.33 points per game and allowing only 2.0 points a contest.  BUT note that they scored the 399 in the next seven games after they had been shutout in the first two.  So, when the team could put points on the board in those seven games, they averaged 57.0 points!

The above schedule also lists that they played Delavan, but it wasn’t the local high school but rather the Delavan School for the Deaf.  That team had to use hand signals to “call” the plays.  Also, one of the stories I did find on Monroe was trhe game against “the Dummies”.  A derogatory reference to the boys with hearing problems but, well, that was ok in those days, I guess, but certainly not acceptable today. 

The usual starting Monroe team roster was: 

Center, Frank “Muzz” Haren, right guard Carl “Plug” Ruegger, right tackle Frank “Slim "Davis who was also the team captain, right end Alfred Chilson, left guard Ben Preston, left tackle Harry “Monk” Stauffacher, left end Andrew Trickle, quarterback Roy “Nick” Collentine, right halfback Clarence Trickle, left halfback Harold B. Caradine and fullback Hoy Clayton.  Of the 15 players shown in the team picture only 12 officially earned “M’s” for their school sweaters, according to a short story in the Evening Times.  The other letter winner in that brief note was listed as Clarence Baltzer.  Since the other players in the photo have “M’s” they also must have been awarded the letter later. 

This a lineup from The Beloit Daily Free Press, October 11, 1909. The only lineup I could find.  If you compare the lineup to the afore mentioned starters that some players switched positions…Spauffacher (Mis-spelled Sauffacher) moved from fullback to left tackle.  Yes, only 10 players from each side are listed. Another misprint.  The right end list for Monroe, last name Pergl.  No left end is listed. Since the 1973 article had one of the players is listed as "unknown”, this maybe he.  Again, no yearbook to check.  Unfortunately, the Beloit newspaper story didn’t give any meaty details, just like the Monroe edition.  One other point in the story was that Monroe was champion of four states...Wisconsin and three others. Well, that's not true. They didn't win the Wisconsin state title. They did beat Sterling (IL) which was considered the Western Illinois state Champion. They defeated Danville, champ of downstate Illinois and they defeated both Moline and Rock Island, both of whom defeated Davenport (IA) the 1908 Iowa champion

The Evening Times did have one tid-bit.  Frank Davis was the team's kicker…punting, kicking off and extra points.  If you figure that Monroe scored six touchdowns, at that time they were worth five points, then Davis possibly converted on two of those point after attempts.  Later, in the other story reports, Davis was mentioned as the kicker.  Not having scoring information, it is hard to tell how many team touchdowns, extra points and field goals were actually scored.  I can only estimate that 68 touchdowns were made by the team and 59 extra points possibly kicked.  Did Davis kick 13 extra points against Lake Mills and 59 on the season? I haven’t included possible field goals.  BUT these are only estimates. My numbers are just conjecture.  

One other thing stuck out in looking at the schedule.  The 103 points against Lake Mills was not in my state records lists and so it has been added.

Since the Cheesemakers were out of final contention for the state title, the team scheduled a Thanksgiving Day game against Sterling Illinois.  Several schools in Illinois, like Wisconsin, claimed the state title.  Sterling made a similar claim even though they lost 5-0 in the serason opener to Rockford.  Later in the season, after Sterling beat Rock Island 22-0, Rock Island turned things around and beat Rockford 5-0.  Sterling then beat Danville, considered by many as the best team in downstate Illinois, 42-9.  East Aurora also had a very good team but the class of the state was Chicago Engelwood which went 11-0-0 and is listed in a WIKI page as the 1909 Mythical Champion… High school football national championships - Wikipedia.

While WIKI doesn’t have the actual season record (11-0-0), in another file that I found online about 15 years ago.  No author credited.  The Excel file has game-by-game scores of all the proclaimed Mythical National Champions from 1897.  Englewood faced some tough opponents and deserved to be #1 in Illinois and the country.  Tim Hudak, who is the author of “All the Way To #1” which is about most of the teams listed in the WIKI story, agrees that Englewood was the best. It’s a big book but a good read on football history.  Tim is also the creator of the Ohio High School football record book and is national known by us high school football history geeks.  

Sterling played some tough competition and after the season opening loss to Rockford, they reeled off eight consecutive wins against generally tough central/western Illinois teams.  Two wins were against Dixon College and De Kalb Normal (Now called Northern Illinois University).  This was truly a very good team but so was Monroe and when the two met in late November it was the size of their Wisconsin opponent and in truth, better coaching.  Most teams average weight was around 145-160 pounds.  Monroes opponent Lake Mills had two “giants” who stood 6’0 and weighed 190 pounds.  But the team’s average weight was only 150.  The largest player for Chippewa Falls was left tackle Nate De Long who was a massive 5’10, 170.  The team’s weight averaged only 152.45 with ends Will Velte (135) and Robert Wiley (138). Quarterback Gus Dorais’ weight was usually reported as 140 but some papers had him at 130.

So, when Sterling stepped onto the Monroe football field that Thanksgiving Day, they were facing an opponent that averaged 175 pounds!  HUGE.   One of them was 250-pound tackle Frank "Slim" Davis. Sterling went to Monroe after being offered the princely sum of $50.00 to play the Cheesemakers.  Despite having a great season, the team ended $30.00 in debt and couldn’t afford to give the players a letter sweater.  The Sterling yearbook said that the team was out of shape, not having practiced for a few weeks.  The Monroe field was made of mud and slush from snow that had to be shoveled in order to play.  Sterling’s team averaged 145 pounds and the weight difference showed.  Early on the two starting ends for the visitors were hurt and couldn’t continue playing with broken ribs.  Monroe dominated, winning 61-0.  Sterling had scored 275 points in their next eight games following the shutout issued by Rockford and had allowed only 40 points prior to losing to Monroe. 

Monroe ended with a very respectful 7-1-1 and the big story in the local paper was about the banquet the school and town gave the team.  Many local dignitaries (The mayor, councilmen, the coach) spoke and then team captain, Frank Davis was asked to say a few words.  And he did.  “Thanks” was all he could muster.  Stepping up after Davis was Roy Collentine who said a few more words: “We aren’t afraid to play any team in the U.S.A.”  The audience rose to their feet with great applause and the dinner was over.

I haven’t mentioned the Monroe coach.  His name was Tommy Mills, born in Beloit in 1883, and a graduate of Beloit College.  Mills had been a star halfback for the college. He had been living in Rockford prior to the 19o9 season and only coached the one year at Monroe.   He would move back to Rockford and become the head coach at Rockford High School for the 1910 season, guiding the team to an 8-0-0 record and a claim to the state title.  However, Oak Park is considered by experts to be the Illinois and National Champions with a 10-2 record.  Their two losses were to adult athletic clubs and they played Portland (OR) Washington, the top team west of the Mississippi River, for the national championship.  Interestingly, in 1910 Rockford beat Chicago Englewood, the 1909 champion, 35-0.

Mills would move on to Omaha where he would coach Creighton Prep High School and Creighton University in football and basketball.  He would have coaching tenures at Beloit College, Georgetown and Arkansas State as head coach for both sports as well as head basketball coach at Notre Dame and working as a football assistant coach to Knute Rockne (1928-1929).  He would later be a sports administrator at Notre Dame where he died of a heart attack in 1944. 

NEXT, FINAL NOTES ON 1909 MONROE AND A BIT MORE.

“THE GIANTS AT MONROE” AND THE 1909 CHASES FOR THE STATE TITLE…PART 1

The quote was from the Sterling Illinois Evening Gazette, November 26, 1909.   Those words about giant’s spoke of one of the best teams in Wisconsin that year.  Much more on Monroe later.

Sorry for you, the reader, to make such a long about story but as I got into the history of Monroe 1909, I found that there was a lot of important contexts to show not only the Wisconsin landscape, that of Illinois and a bit nationally.

1909 was a year for many teams to challenge for the mythical state title.  With few set schedules, except for the first few games, teams had to scramble in those days to get the best matchups possible.  In the end, there were eight teams that fought hard for the title and in the end two led claim but one in the end was universally (Or at least in Wisconsin) acclaimed.  That team was Chippewa Falls which posted a 6-0-1 record. 

 During this period in high school football several top teams played each other during the season and despite having a great overall record the press was the final judge.  Often a team would turn down a challenge from another because of the location of the game, the split of the gate receipts, the size of the opponent or even they were being cautious against an especially tough opponent.  Other schools didn’t mind playing potentially tougher squads.  Teams crisscrossed the state to play and a few only wanted to play home games. 

Those eight teams that could or would make the “Final” rankings amongst minds of the newspapers were:

Oshkosh with a 4-2-1 record.  Their two losses were to Ripon College and Oshkosh Normal.  The school refused to play Marinette early or late in the season.  The school claimed several state titles (1909 and 1911) and a long undefeated winning streak. They claimed these efforts due to their only being defeated by college teams.  They earned state titles in 1908, 1910 and 1912.

Eau Claire with a 5-1-0 record, losing to Marinette 15-0.  Interestingly, Eau Claire might have matched up for the title against Chippewa Falls, a team they didn’t want to face earlier in the year.

Marinette lost to Chippewa Falls in the season finale for both squads and ended with a 7-1-0 record.  The Marines turned down a challenge from Monroe and Madison

Delifield St. John’s Military Academy had a 5-1-1 season playing Carroll College three times (2-1-0) losing to Marquette University and beating Whitewater Normal.  They played only two high schools and won both.

Fort Atkinson had a 6-1-0 record, losing to Madison in mid-season.

Madison was undefeated, 6-0-0, the only high school to not have a tie.  They turned down many challenges, often opting to play at Camp Randall rather than on the road, even at a neutral site.  They defeated title contenders Ft. Atkinson and Monroe.

Chippewa Falls went 6-0-1. The tie was against Oshkosh.  Superior cancelled and Eau Claire refused to play Chippewa Falls.  After CF played Marinette at a neutral site (Milwaukee) for the title matchup on November30 it took two weeks for Oshkosh to issue a challenge to Chippewa Falls. By then, the point was moot.  It was basketball season, both teams had turned in their gear, and neither was really ready to play in December weather

Finally, Monroe had a 7-1-1 record. Tying Platteville Normal and losing to Madison in the first two games of the season they reeled off seven impressive victories.  The Cheesemakers attempted to get games against Marinette, Fort Atkinson and Chippewa Falls along with a rematch with Madison, but they were turned down for various reasons.

One could say that Chippewa Falls didn’t play that tough of a schedule.  However, some potential opponents (Madison, Ft. Atkinson, Tomah, Sparta and Marshfield) shied away from scheduling them because of their 1908 record of 6-0-0, going unscored upon. 

When sportswriters attended the matchup against Marinette, they were so impressed by the teams play that they truly felt the squad was the best.  There was the first mention in the papers of an unofficial All-State team and named to it was 19-year-old junior tackle, Nate DeLong and sophomore, Roy Ackley, the teams right halfback.  Also named to the squad was senior right tackle, 20-year-old Ed Hunt plus another 20-year-old senior, LeRoy Watson, a right guard who also served as the team manager.  In those days a manager often helped set up games against future opponents.  Rounding out the All-State team was quarterback Charles “Gus” Dorais, a transfer from the local Catholic high school, Notre Dame.  The play of Dorais wowed the fans and sportswriters and especially the college coaches scouting there in Milwaukee.  Dorais would get college offers from Wisconsin, Marquette and Notre Dame University.  Minnesota, a school Gus wanted to attend didn’t make an offer until after he had accepted one from Notre Dame.  He went on to set the early standard for college passers teaming up with end Knute Rockne.  Dorais was also a successful college coach.

This is the setup of the next story about “THE GIANTS AT MONROE”

THE FOOTBALL GAME (S) THAT SAVED LIVES…PART 2

Continuing on from PART 1 there were two other games that I found information in dealing with the November 11, 1940 storm.

Tomah vs. Sparta

Farther north of Boscobel, Tomah beat Sparta in their annual matchup.  In the hard-fought game that also featured high winds and a blinding snowstorm, Harold “Red” Larabee took the ball from the Sparta 24-yard line and dashed 23-yards where he was finally pushed out of bounds on the one-yard line.  He then plunged for the touchdown on the next play and then ran for the extra point.  His second quarter score was the games only score.  Each team had eight first downs but only one each in the second half as they battled each other and the weather.

So, how did this game possibly save lives?  Several days later the Eau Claire Leader Telegram reported that three area men, driving to La Crosse to go duck hunting had car problems and had to stay overnight on Friday in Sparta.  Parts for the car were hard to come by and the car wouldn’t be ready until Monday afternoon.  To pass the time until 3pm, the time to pick the car up, they decided walk to the local football game at New Site Stadium.  It was great weather…50’s and sunny.  The storm hit Sparta hard.  They left early to get their car then stayed one more night but cancelled their hunting trip after learning of what happened on the Mississippi River.  More about that later.

Winona (MN) vs Rochester (MN)

Winona traveled to Rochester for an annual season ending matchup.  Both teams were in the middle of their conference rankings.  City officials expected 4,000+ attendees but a late morning rain kept the fan totals down to 600 at the start of the game.  Soldiers Field was muddy to begin at the start, then the winds came followed by the snow 10-minutes later.  A few minutes later those watching the number was down to less than 300.  Rochester would dominate the overall stats and by the by the time the game ended there were only 50-60 diehard fans in attendance.  Players from both sides huddled together to stay warm. As the two teams were placed, for some reason, along the same sideline. 

Down 7-0, Winona attempted a field goal in the second quarter.  With the wind now swirling all about the ball went into the air and seemed to hover for a moment.  First moving to the left then to the right but not going past the line of scrimmage, then the ball flew back over the kickers head and was down on the 37-yard line.  This culminated what was Winona’s only drive of the game as they only had 2 first downs to Rochester’s 12 and were outgained 86 to 271 in the ground game as neither team completed a pass.  Winona’s only score came on a blocked punt that was returned 52-yards by William Corchran for a touchdown, the same player who blocked the kick.   A punt by Winona’s Bob Harders in the third quarter went up in the air and hovered for 10-15 seconds, not moving back and forth like the earlier Winona field goal attempt and then was finally blown back and came down 15-yards behind Harders who downed the ball. 

With the bad weather there were lots of fumbles.  76 Winona high school students who attended the game, not dressed for the bad weather, sought shelter in a newly opened bowling alley and slept overnight there before returning to Winona the next day.   Carleton Dorn, the Winona team captain, spent the night in the hospital with a groin injury but was released on Tuesday and traveled with the team back home.  No mention in the papers (The Rochester Post Bulletin or the Winona Republican-Herald) where the team spent the night. The final score wound up 13-6 in Rochester’s favor. 

Again, a story in the local paper, The Rochester Post-Bulletin, would later credit several people who came back from hunting to attend the game as having survived the storm on the Mississippi River.

Rochester Post- Bulletin November 12, 1940

MORE ON THE BIG STORM

The Crawford County Press (Prairie du Chien) Thursday, November 14, 1940.

The storm moved out of the north-west (Oregon) on Friday, November 8, and traveled across the Rocky Mountains where it picked up steam.  It dipped into the southwest and Texas and zoomed north into Lake Superior gripping, at various times, 28 states.

Chicago Tribune November 12, 1940

At least one hunter died near Prairie du Chien.  Hunters were trapped on numerous islands all along Mississippi River from Wisconsin to central Illinois.  At least three hunters from Janesville died due to the weather 30-miles north of Prairie du Chien in the Ferryville and nine overall along the river.  Several hundred had to suffer through the night of November 11-12, stranded and unable to get to solid ground as the wind and snow made rescue, in most cases, impossible until mid-day or later.

Eau Claire Leader Telegram   Nov. 13, 1940

70 deaths were attributed to the storm wave throughout the Mid-west.  Ships on Lake Michigan sunk due the heavy waves.  On Lake Michigan the Coast Guard lost at least four of their own men attempting to rescue people.  In Nebraska at least 25% of the farm raised turkeys died while in Minnesota the rate was over 33%.  With Thanksgiving only less than three weeks away, the harvest of the birds was diminished.  Some southern states saw temperatures, normally in the 50’s-60’s drop into the upper 20’s for a day but high winds and a few tornadoes’ cut through the region.  In Chicago, which received a few inches of snow saw heavy wind damage.  A Hiram Walker whiskey sign, nearly 10 stories tall that was on a three-story building in downtown Chicago was blown over as wind gusts hit 70-80mph.  Near Mankato Minnesota three people were found frozen to death in their stalled cars, one under a snow drift.

In all I’ve able to track at least 15 Armistice Day Wisconsin football games cancelled or postponed because of the weather.  But truly, because some diehard football fans put off their duck hunting for a game on the gridiron, lives may very well have been saved.

Finally, near Madison several football games were rescheduled and there were local hunting problems.

Wisconsin State Journal November 12, 1940

You would have thought that Rupert J. Batz would have heard that a storm was coming and been prepared.

A special thanks to Derick Kelly, Sports Editor of the Prairie du Chien Courier Press Newspaper for giving me leads on these PDC vs. Boscobel 1940 game that led to more story gathering for PART 2.  Derick has also done a masterful job in collecting PDC high school records, particularly football.