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ANNALS OF FOOTBALL'■ 1High 9cBool Students on Gridiron—School Has Produced Amazing Lotof Players and LeadersBy MAC HENRY SCHAFEROne of Oak Park high school’s many claims for fame rests on the football teams and players developed in the lastthirty years.CHICK HEILErFootball as a sport in Oak Park had its inceptive away back in 1891 when North Division High challenged the local high school. A team was hastily gathered together under the direction ofGaylor4 Brown, an Oak Park citizenwho had played college football, and undertook the job of coaching raw recruits in the rudiments of the game as then played, which consisted only in punting, end running, and line bucking. Shift plays were not allowed and the forwardGLENN THISTLETHWAITEpass was unknown. The team as a whole played in a compact mass or wedge, and the game was one of brawn alone. Only one game was played that year, the score or winner of which is unknown.In those days there were only three high schools in Chicago, and gameswere arranged only thru challenges The Chicago Manual Training Higl consistently proved to be a stumblinj block for Oak Park, as she met defea at its hands every time they met. Ii '92 Oak Park defeated all challenger except the Manual Training team.Until 1902 games were picked u]wherever they could be found, am played with varying success. In 1901 the first league was formed by higl schools in and around Chicago, sevei in number. Oak Park promptly becami champion of the circuit. A few year! later the schools were divided into cit] and suburban leagues.In 1904 Oak Park obtained her firsireal athletic director, when Louis Omei was engaged to devote his whole time to the athletic education of students Mr. Omer perhaps did more than an] Other man to build up the strong school spirit and enthusiasm that has been primarily responsible for the splendid success of Oak Park’s teams from 1910 tc the present. During his six years at Oai Park his teams were not always chamBOB ZUPPKEpions, but he showed great ability in building up a strong team morale, and constructing successful teams frompractically raw recruits. In 1910 Mr.Onier left and the school authorities hurriedly looked around for another.In Coach Robert Zuppke they found a gold mine of football brains and sense that was destined to secure two national championships in his three-year .stay at Oak Park. Mr. Zuppke was drafted from Muskegon High, where he had produced three teams that had won thechampionship of northern Michigan for three c consecutive seasons. In his first year here Oak Park jumped from local prestige to national fame.In the early season of 1910 Oak Park’s prospects were in doubt but as victory after victory was rolled up Zuppke’screw took on the appearance of champions. That year they cleaned up everything in reach in and around Chicago. Then Oak Park took on Portland High of Portland, Ore., in a tussle to decide the national championship. The teams met on December 31 on a field of mud.
Newspaper Details
Oak Park Oak Leaves
Oak Park, Illinois, US
Sat, Dec 23, 1922
Page 13
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 15 Jan 2020
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