Tomah High School - Hamot Yearbook (Tomah, WI)

Page 31 text:

, YYY, TOMAH HIGH 31 HAMOT '18 History of the First Team RGANIZED athletics in competition with other schools, was introduced by Wallace McPherson of the class of 1895, by the organization of Tomah High's first foot- ball team, in the fall of 1894. Early in September of that year, Wallace witnessed a game of foot-ball between the Badgers and Gophers at Camp Randall, and was so taken up with the game that he set out to organize a Western Wisconsin High School Athletic League. Tomah, Sparta and Mauston took favorable action and a schedule of four games was arranged. Opposite is a likeness of the team of 1894. The first game was played on the old base-ball Held of Hollister Ave., between Council and Juneau streets, resulting in a victory for Tomah over our ancient rival Sparta, by a score of 22 to 6. Col. Robt. B. McCoy was referee of the ight and allowed the contestants to go the limit. There were no casualties. Two Weeks earlier Sparta defeated Tomah at Sparta 6 to 4. By winning both games played with Mauston High, Tomah led the league. The center quintette of this team was probably the heaviest of any High School Team, averaging around 200 pounds per man. Jim Winter, Robertson, Cassels, Calkins and Rough Hollister, tearing openings in the opposing line through which a locomotive could pass. Deacon McPherson at end, said little but did much toward the success of the team, while Jackson on the other end, helped out wonderfully and did the talking for the whole team. Wally McPherson, captain and full-back, was half of the team and deserved much credit for making it a winner. Eddie Wells at half, with good interference of the backs, skirted the ends for many a gain. The success of the foot-ball team of 1894 aroused the athletic spirit of the student body. Base-ball and track teams were organized the following spring, and a successful field meet at Sparta between Tomah, Sparta, Mauston and Viroqua, firmly established athletics in the schools of this district. Possibly the alumni would be interested to know the locations and occupations of the athletes in the picture. Arthur Winters, '95, is one of our home physicians and surgeons, and president of the Board of Education. George Robertson, '95, is a physician and surgeon, practicing at Ft. Washington, Wis. Roy Hollister, '95, is the leading dentist of Stillwater, Minn. Otis Calkins, '95, is a physician and surgeon at Moore, Mont. Captain Wallace, '95, with his brother Harry, owns and operates a large ranch in the foot- hills of the Rockies near Berthoud, Colo. Rufus Jackson, is at Sioux City, Iowa, a locomo- tive engineer for the C. M.81St. P. Ry. Simon Bailey, '97, is practicing medicine at Round Up, Mont. Eddie Wells, '96, who helped to make the Monitor Herald what it is, is now smiling twice daily at half the population of the city while handing out Uncle Sam's mail. Claude Sowle, '98, for several years assistant post master, is now doing time as chief clerk at the B. 81 B. office of the C.M.8lSt. P. Ry. Alfred Schultz, '96, is authority on matters geological with a government service record of nearly twenty years, headquarters, Wash- ington, D. C. Skinny Johns. owns a large wholesale millinery establishment in New York City, while John Larkins, '98, is taking notes in shorthand and manipulating the type- writer for a state official in Sioux Falls, S. Dakota. C. R. S. '98.

Page 30 text:

HAMOT '18 30 TOMAH HIGH 'l'Omah's First Football Team Loft to Right. B0ttOH1-ED. WELLS, Half, VVJALLY NICPHERSON, Capt., Fullbackg SIMON BAILEY, Half, SKINNY JOHNS, Sub. MicldlcECEO. CASSELLS, Guarclg JIM XNYINTERS, Center, ROUGH HOLLISTEII, Tackle. Top-RLISTY SOVVLE, Quarter, RUFUS JACKSON, EI1ClQJOHN LARKIN, Sully GEO. ROBERTS, Guarclg ALFRED SCHULTZ, Sulmg OTIS C.ALKINS, Tackle, DEACON lXflCPHERSON, End.

Page 32 text:

HAMOT I8 32 TOMAH HIGH Football HE Football season of Tomah High began with a, number of new men. However, the new recruits rapidly cle- veloped into promising men. Through the untiring efforts of Coach Beach, they soon made a fast and eflicient machine. Capt. Folson, our right tackle, always played a consistent game. Not only could he be relied upon to tear a hole in the opponents, line but was always there with the lighting to put the pep into the members of the team. Finn, our fast quarter back, who is new on the High School team but old in the game, showed very good generalship the entire sea- son. Bucko was the favorite in all the games. Nipe showed remarkable ability as a fullback, well demonstrated in the Sparta game. Jud was not a reversion of the family trait and could always be relied upon for a needed gain. Spud played a good game at center. Chunky was the real lighter of the team, and in reward of prowess is captain elect. Ray although a Freshman, held up his end with the experienced players. Griggs the heavyweight of the team, played a good tackle. Stelter played a fast game at end, but Bryan's favorite beverage proved too much for him at Reedsburg. Canners played a consistently good game at end. Blaschke, Lowe and Dewey, as substitutes, were always ready to fill in whenever they were needed.