Central High School - Blackhawk Yearbook (Davenport, IA)

Page 156 text:

Blue Devil halfbark Tom Kenyon prepares to bite the dust as he is swarmed upon by a host of St. Ambrose tarklers. Despite this momentary setback. Kenyon went on to score four touchdowns in the Imps 40-6 rout of the Knights during the season opener. Rock Island quarterback Bill Bisby prepares to throw- a hurried pass as the Davenport forward wall closes in on him. The Blue Dev ils stopped the Rocks 20-0 to end the season undefeated.

Page 155 text:

The day of the big game . . . excitement fills the air . . . school spirit reachos a peak at the Friday morning pep aud . . . voices respond to cheerleaders' pleas for still louder yells . . . Go! Fight! Win! . . . rhythmical clapping accompanies rousing Pep Band marches . . . team captains present their orations; an ordeal worse than the hardest game . . . finally dismissal and the long, time con suming walk back to class . . . anticipation mounts as class periods drag . . . So it's hail to old Davenport . . . appetite for victory is expressed in the cafeteria . . . students make every arrangement to get good seats as game time draws near. Stands fill . . . teams complete pre-game warm-ups ... a burst of noise greets the opening whistle . . .fans' spirits rise and fall with the fortunes of the team ... it looks like a fight to the finish . . . we've got to win . . . the triumphant roar of the crowd — and victory! . . . expressions of pride on students' faces as stands empty . . . We will honor thee forever. Hail to the Red and Blue.

Page 157 text:

FOOTBALL VARSITY SQUAD. First Row: Dick Brown. Dick Pilgrim, Dick St. Cl«ir. Jerry Hillebrand, Bill Barker, Al Behm, Dave Erbst, Gary Gardner. Bob Hamilton, Skip ('.ampbell. John Payton, Tom Kenyon. Ralph Walters. Second Rou: Arnold Lowery, Frank Low, Gene Elmore, Henry Maho i, Jim Seward, John Murphy, Jim Cantent. Paul Pennock. Dennis Ashy. Mike Graham, Al Havercamp. George Smith. Pal Ruhl. Con Slack. Third Rou: Dale llarkett. Lynn Ridenour, Gary Miller, Ken Wulf, Scott Berry, Boh Behrens, Wes Plambeck, Dave McCulloch, Henry Farber, Jack Groves, Dick Goff. Dick Ihlefeld, Larry Mohurg, Jim Mosier, Larrie Albrecht. Fourth Rou : Jerry Gooch, Jim Clark, Ken Carman. Ken Showers. Larry Goff. Glenn Evans, Tom Allen. Steve Ward, Walt Pries. Norbcrt Simmons. Ed Zosulis, Mcrlyn Madden, Realff Ottesen. Stan Petersen. Mike Blocker. Willard Jones, Jerry Rathmann. Fifth Row: Assistant Coach Nick Avelchas. Assistant Coach Mike Dardis, Don Rose, Oscar Rodriquez, Russell Hayes, Hfnry Ragusa. Assistant Coach Jim Fox, Head Coach A. J. Butch'' Stolfa. “I believe this was the most versatile football team in the history of Davenport High School. On of- fense they scored in every conceivable way. De- fensively they held their opponents to a meager 32 points for the season. It was a team that ex- tended an undefeated string to 33 games thereby posing a real challenge to future DHS football teams.” This statement by DHS football coach A. J. “Butch” Stolfa expresses an opinion to which both fans and opponents of the Blue Devils will readily agree. The 1957 Demon football crew entered the season with the task of trying to extend the 24 game vic- tory string established by the two preceding teams. Rising brilliantly to their task, they swept all op- position before them in the process of annexing the City, Quad-City, Mississippi Valley and myth- ical State Championships. At the season’s end they had won nine straight games to extend the string to 33 undefeated games. On November 18 the team was honored at a ban- quet at which Gary Gardner and John Payton were elected honorary co-captains by their team- mates. Imps receiving all-state nods were Gary Gardner, Dick Brown and Jerry Hillebrand. Other senior letterwinners were Bill Barker, John ‘Skip’ Campbell, Dick St. Clair, Gene Elmore, Dave Erbst, Jack Groves, Bob Hamilton, Al Hav- ercamp, Tom Kenyon, Frank Low, Larry Moburg, John Murphy and Dick Pilgrim. With the members of their third straight undefeated team in the background. Blue Devils varsity coaches Jim Fox, Nick Avelchas. A. J. Butch Stolfa and Mike Dardis take time out for a well deserved bow. 153