Taft High School - Eagle Yearbook (Chicago, IL)

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Joseph Kupcinet 'photo by Bob Miller Harry Miller photo by Bob Miller COACHES Coach Kupcinet. who strives to produce top athletes who are also top students, believes in practicing what he preaches. At Harrison High School, he played four years of football and made the All-City team. After lettering in five sports in college, he went on to play two years of semi-pro football. Scholastic wise, he attended several colleges and universities and received his Masters Degree in physical education at Northwestern University. He started his high school coaching career in 1930 at Lane, where he coached football, until Taft opened. At Taft he has made a fine record by leading the football team to four section championships, five years in the play-offs, and the City finals in 1942. ln addition to football, he has coached many swimming champions. Mr, Miller, the tennis coach. attended a St. Paul high school and the Univ. of Minnesota, where he was a gymnastic star. Before coming to Taft, he coached at three other high schools, at which he led five teams 'two basketball, two baseball, and one footballi to champion- ships. At Taft he has coached baseball, basketball, swimming, and tennis, and also takes credit for organizing the cheerleading squad. While attending Lane High School, Mr, Rapper played three years of basketball and was awarded positions on the All-City and All-State teams. Upon graduation from Lane, he went to the Univ. of Ill. where he continued to play basketball and also played freshman baseball. After taking more courses in phys. ed. at De Paul, he came to Taft in 1941 and coached basketball and baseball in which he went to the playoffs in 1942. He went into the service until 1946, returned, and resumed his coaching of basketball and started to coach golf. His golf team has taken six city championships, and the basketball team went to the semi-finals in 1955-56, Another Lane man, Mr. Smilgoff played both baseball and basketball in high school. At the Univ. of Wisc. he again went out for both sports and was captain of the freshman and varsity baseball teams. In his senior year, he was named as the outstanding player. From 1933 to '38 he played pro baseball, and then spent five more years in semi-pro. In 1939 he went to Harrison where he stayed until '46 when he came tc Taft. There he took the baseball team to the play-offs every year. taking two City championships. Taft Teams under his direction went to the play-offs ten times, took City in 1949, and have a season average of 20 wins - 4 losses. ln addition to his fine coaching, he has written a book Winning High School Baseball and is co-authoring, with Harvey Kuenn, another entitled How to Hit. Jack Rapper 'photo by Bob Milleri James Smilgoff photo by Bob Millerb 4

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AUTOGRAPHS

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llTHEY'RE OUR LOYAL TAFT GIRLS v . ., me w nw. f f rr .x flex. renew 1' ef ss, it . DQR. 'WT-T X f ? Front row lleft to right Judy Snow tumbler Kathy Meccia alternate Willy Munk captain Merrlls Cook Pam Bell tumbler Back row Nancy Swanson Nancy Sedor Sue Healy Sue Mosier treasurer Barb Bromberg and Nancy France secretary photo by Bob Miler -Q? CHEERLEADERS 1956 1957 Following the Taft tradition of having the best in all fields, the cheerleading squad was easily one of the best in the area. Nancy France, the squads treasurer, received honorable mention in the Daily News Cheerleading Contest. Besides the nine fine cheerleaders, we were fortunate to have two very able tumblers in Judy Snow and Pam Beile. As an example of their never ending interest in Taft, they l 5 2 . Q Q 5 4 l L , . Taking five at a basketball game. lphoto by Larry McCannl Warming up before the game. not only cheered at all the football and basketball games but also helped at the gas station on Football Day.