Althoff Football Reunion

[crusader_of_90]

The first inaugural was held at a local tavern, starting at noon today. Parking lot was FULL and spilled into the neighborhood by 12:30. Day drinking and Coach Schott will draw a big crowd in Belleville!

Guys from his early 1970s teams up until recent classes were there. The old guys are in their 70s talking about Coach as a young man and how brutal practices were. Hamburgers (modified Oklahoma drill) resulting in broken helmets and facemasks. Post-game practices that were lit by headlights if he was pissed off enough. Laughing recounts of head slaps from the old guard/linebacker for the Broncos. Heard stories about when he was the wrestling coach and how awful it was to roll with the old man as punishment.

For every story, there were three big hugs and tons of laughter. A different era, for sure.

The present and the past.

 

[crusader_of_90]

I was having a smoke outside when he was leaving. I immediately hid my cigarette and tossed it. Did not want his wrath!

 

[cornerrat]

All.... Did this gent make the reunion? Ratsy

ALTHOFF STAR SETS RECORD STRAIGHT

Down on Main Street, two words painted on a storefront window amply express the feelings of most of the locals in this southwestern Illinois town: ”Hickey Knows.” What does Belleville A…

www.chicagotribune.com

 

[crusader_of_90]

All.... Did this gent make the reunion? Ratsy

ALTHOFF STAR SETS RECORD STRAIGHT

Down on Main Street, two words painted on a storefront window amply express the feelings of most of the locals in this southwestern Illinois town: ”Hickey Knows.” What does Belleville A…

www.chicagotribune.com

He did not. As the inaugural event, the meet up was only promoted as of Wednesday when Coach Frazier co-opted a 40-year-running holiday gathering of guys from the early 1970s teams. Lots of old dudes.

 

[Silver Rain]

What about the guy from Archview Security? What position did he play? And was he any good?

 

[crusader_of_90]

What about the guy from Archview Security? What position did he play? And was he any good?

Senior starter ... no college prospects. Made some plays in the final that are still spoken about and earn me free drinks.

 

[tjjrr]

I can remember quite a few games between SHG and Althoff, and also Griffin High School, (pre-1988) as it has only been SHG since 1988. One playoff game I remember was 1979, (yes I'm old). The game was played in Springfield and Althoff had the better team, plain and simple. They had a much bigger line than Griffin and we were not able to overcome that. Griffin was held in the game by one player, (Jim Rockford) the QB. It was pretty much a one man team with him running for a couple td's and keeping us in the game for a while. Final was 27-14 Althoff. Rockford went on to play at Oklahoma as a db and then a short stint in the NFL and then in the Canadian football league and was a part of a couple Grey Cups. Another playoff game between the 2 was in 2002, also in Springfield. I thought SHG had the game won. We completed a long TD pass late in the game to go up 31-28. With around 2 minutes left Althoff went right down the field, mostly passing the ball to one Matt Lauber, who until last year was the head coach at Springfield Southeast, (now he's moved on to Rochester as an administrator I believe. Althoff won the game 35-31. The 2 schools also went through a period of time when they played each other in week 9 of the regular season as well. Althoff always gave us a tough time.

 

[rocketnation]

Jim Rockford had Fran Tarkenton caliber scrambling ability.

 

[tjjrr]

He was probably one of the best athletes/football players to ever come out of Griffin/SHG. He's one of the first ones I think of out of a slew of athletes that have come out of there over the years.

 

[cornerrat]

I can remember quite a few games between SHG and Althoff, and also Griffin High School, (pre-1988) as it has only been SHG since 1988. One playoff game I remember was 1979, (yes I'm old). The game was played in Springfield and Althoff had the better team, plain and simple. They had a much bigger line than Griffin and we were not able to overcome that. Griffin was held in the game by one player, (Jim Rockford) the QB. It was pretty much a one man team with him running for a couple td's and keeping us in the game for a while. Final was 27-14 Althoff. Rockford went on to play at Oklahoma as a db and then a short stint in the NFL and then in the Canadian football league and was a part of a couple Grey Cups. Another playoff game between the 2 was in 2002, also in Springfield. I thought SHG had the game won. We completed a long TD pass late in the game to go up 31-28. With around 2 minutes left Althoff went right down the field, mostly passing the ball to one Matt Lauber, who until last year was the head coach at Springfield Southeast, (now he's moved on to Rochester as an administrator I believe. Althoff won the game 35-31. The 2 schools also went through a period of time when they played each other in week 9 of the regular season as well. Althoff always gave us a tough time.

All..... The away games were always fun. Especially when Coach Leonard and Coach Schott would stare at each other and on occasion yell. lol I vaguely remember that field and the crown on it. And of course the train tracks nearby. Ratsy

 

[tjjrr]

Remember that place pretty well. The railroad tracks ran behind the visitor's stands. One other game I remember was '92. Week 9 and SHG had to have a win to get in the playoffs. We scored very late in the game and then went for 2 for the win. We did a QB run behind center and I thought for sure we were in. The refs said otherwise and said we were short of the goal line by a couple inches. SHG finished 6-3 and did not make the playoffs. It was not one of our more stellar teams, if I recall.