The sad final nail in the coffin

[crazylegs777]

Even though they weren’t world beaters in football, Joliet East did have some good teams in its short history. Under todays criteria & a few under the old would have made the state playoffs. Well this past few weeks heavy equipment came & leveled what was left of the East Football stadium & it really hurt. Sure 82 was their last football season but the lights, the stands, the goal posts, the ticket booths, the scoreboard were all still there & now all that is gone. I would walk around there & take pics on my visits back up. Lots of good memories including beating some pretty good Marian Catholic teams on a few occasions

 

[EdgyTim]

Even though they weren’t world beaters in football, Joliet East did have some good teams in its short history. Under todays criteria & a few under the old would have made the state playoffs. Well this past few weeks heavy equipment came & leveled what was left of the East Football stadium & it really hurt. Sure 82 was their last football season but the lights, the stands, the goal posts, the ticket booths, the scoreboard were all still there & now all that is gone. I would walk around there & take pics on my visits back up. Lots of good memories including beating some pretty good Marian Catholic teams on a few occasions

East alumns are hard core no question and take a ton of pride in being from Joliet East.....

 

[johnndoe]

Unique mascot (Kingsmen) that might not have persisted in current times?

 

[doctor_d]

My dad graduated from East. Class of ‘68

 

[crazylegs777]

1967 Illini 8

Unique mascot (Kingsmen) that might not have persisted in current times?

A gentleman came to East from Mishawaka Penn High in Indiana. They were the Kingsmen & he pushed for the nickname. Joliet West who won a coin toss got to choose their nickname & choose Westmen a Viking mascot but quickly within a few weeks were Tigers. East got to pick the school colors. When East 1st opened in 64 Edgy Tim I recall reading some kids way out by where you live went to East. Parents complained especially the ones who did extra curriculars about the late bus rides home

 

[crazylegs777]

My dad graduated from East. Class of ‘68

Did he play football? They went 8-1 in 1967 & won the Illini 8 & would have made the state playoffs if they had them back then

 

[jobare56]

I remember watching the Will County High School Wrestling AllStars wrestle the Polish Junior Olympic Team in a cultural exchange meet at Jolie East. The boys from Will County dominated the Polish team. Several wrestlers were from Joliet East.

 

[johnndoe]

The green and gold (right?) of Joliet East hosted a night relay meet w-a-y back in the day ('60s) that included a hurdle shuttle event with the barriers and lanes set-up on the FB field grass, oddly enough. Might have been an end-line to end-line 120-yd race with lows, however. At least we had the long spikes on since the track was cinders.

 

[doctor_d]

Did he play football? They went 8-1 in 1967 & won the Illini 8 & would have made the state playoffs if they had them back then

No he didn’t play football, he’s not a very big guy. He did play on the tennis team with Lionel Ritchie though

 

[penlight]

East alumns are hard core no question and take a ton of pride in being from Joliet East.....

…… the few, the proud …… I do not recall ever meeting a bad one.

I had the good fortune of playing on that field as home turf one year in the old YMCA Tackle Football league and then as an opponent in High School. It was hands down the best playing surface in the old Illini-8.

 

[crazylegs777]

…… the few, the proud …… I do not recall ever meeting a bad one.

I had the good fortune of playing on that field as home turf one year in the old YMCA Tackle Football league and then as an opponent in High School. It was hands down the best playing surface in the old Illini-8.

I also just remembered. Joliet Jr College was almost certain to have taken over East. They were promised & a plus was they had athletic fields which would have been great. Instead the same ppl who screwed East & closed them did a back door deal with Government & the Job Corps got it.

 

[crazylegs777]

Seeing the old football field,lights,stands & stadium being torn down was like another steak to the heart. Looking back I was angry,sad,hurt that East was closed down on a vote of 4-3 with the deciding yes cast by a parent of then or past East Students. As the years went by though I am happy to see it have happened but let me explain. Originally Joliet Central was voted 6-1 to close at the end of the 1981-1982 school year. A board member had a store down the street & that would hurt sales. They waivered on the closing as new board members were coming in. Now East was NEVER meant to get a High School. When they found out West(originally named the Westmen a Viking like Mascot) was going to get a High School The East side was none too happy & they caved in & built East. I believe the nickname Kingsmen was selected because a gentleman came from Mishawaka Indiana Penn High School & they were the Kingsmen. Now let’s look at the positives of the closure. Once a nice area the areas that fed into East including closest to old East High are not very good. Look at the shape of the schools with lots of fights & violence including teachers getting attacked more so at Central. East also didn’t have to be a part of that sham where for a brief time Joliet combined all it’s sports into one. Sure I would have loved seeing East make the record books by making the playoffs in football for example & staying open til the early 1990’s but Joliet East is,was & will always be the best Public High School in Joliet & went out on top!!!! Originally Joliet Jr College was supposed to get the building & that would have been better suited since they would have kept the old high school in great shape plus the Wolves football program would have had a field of their own!!! Thank You for my rambling but let’s be real. Today many would be saying oh good lord. That’s not the East we went to. Also I’m sure they changed over the years but what were all the different areas & towns that went to East? I recall reading a article that ppl I believe who lived in parts of Grundy County went to East when it first opened & were complaining about the long ride. Also what happened to a lot of the memorabilia? The Light up Victory V? And as a final farewell to East I’ll never forget in 1986 the 26 player strong Tinley Park High School Football team pulled up the unthinkable & won the state championship. Many people rooted them on but the ones who stood out were the Monken Family who to keep dry in the mist that was falling that night proudly wore their Joliet East Football rain jackets!!!! That made me smile almost as much as Tinley winning it all

 

[JolietWest89]

The irony is that now Joliet needs a third public high school.

 

[penlight]

The irony is that now Joliet needs a third public high school.

No, Troy Township needs to build a Public High School.

 

[JolietWest89]

No, Troy Township needs to build a Public High School.

That would require Troy Township to detach from District 204, right? Like the folks in Cherry Hill who detached from 204 so their kids could attend Lincoln-Way. Ok by me, as a Hufford Jr. High kid I couldn't stand those Troy kids.

 

[Secondo1]

My wife was the captain of the cheerleaders and a Homecoming Queen at Joliet East. (I was at a different school). The Kingsman spirit was incredible no matter how the athletic teams were doing. Mr. Nichols with the towel over his head, Sam Cartwright floating through the air were great memories. Mr. Atterbury on the sidelines. Ms. Nudi’s operettas. The kids at East always treated me really well even though I went to the other school. Was a shame when it closed.
Political move. I can name names, but it’s over. The East memories are greatly intact and remember…”You Can’t Stop the Green Machine, no, no, no, no, You Can’t Stop the Green Machine”!!

 

[LTHSALUM76]

Mr. Nichols with the towel over his head,

Was Mr. Nichols a black man?

 

[crazylegs777]

My wife was the captain of the cheerleaders and a Homecoming Queen at Joliet East. (I was at a different school). The Kingsman spirit was incredible no matter how the athletic teams were doing. Mr. Nichols with the towel over his head, Sam Cartwright floating through the air were great memories. Mr. Atterbury on the sidelines. Ms. Nudi’s operettas. The kids at East always treated me really well even though I went to the other school. Was a shame when it closed.
Political move. I can name names, but it’s over. The East memories are greatly intact and remember…”You Can’t Stop the Green Machine, no, no, no, no, You Can’t Stop the Green Machine”!! The 4 who voted YES to close East: Ford June, Robert Brumund, Arlene Albert & Frances Holmquist. The one who voted the deciding vote to close East had kids who went there.

 

[crazylegs777]

The 3 Awesome people who voted NO to close East: Ernest Tonelli, R Joseph Huff & Beverly McNiff

 

[Secondo1]

The 3 Awesome people who voted NO to close East: Ernest Tonelli, R Joseph Huff & Beverly McNiff

Exactly! And we know the others who voted to close down the Kingsmen! Self serving “leaders” of the community.

 

[LTHSALUM76]

Exactly! And we know the others who voted to close down the Kingsmen! Self serving “leaders” of the community.

I don't want to sound callous. But, are any of these people still alive? I mean, this happened quite a few years ago. Doesn't make it right. But, there has been far less written here about Lawrence Wyllie whose allegations against him are just as bad and his alleged actions are very recent.

I too hate the idea when politicians get involved with things like this as well as their "involvement" in harassing businesses and business owners. Ninety-nine out of one hundred times their votes don't have a negative impact on themselves and their interests. People like this closed a school that probably shouldn't have been closed and in later years built one that shouldn't have been built.

 

[crazylegs777]

I don't want to sound callous. But, are any of these people still alive? I mean, this happened quite a few years ago. Doesn't make it right. But, there has been far less written here about Lawrence Wyllie whose allegations against him are just as bad and his alleged actions are very recent.

I too hate the idea when politicians get involved with things like this as well as their "involvement" in harassing businesses and business owners. Ninety-nine out of one hundred times their votes don't have a negative impact on themselves and their interests. People like this closed a school that probably shouldn't have been closed and in later years built one that shouldn't have been built.

We almost had Manhattan Lincoln Way South High School

 

[Secondo1]

I don't want to sound callous. But, are any of these people still alive? I mean, this happened quite a few years ago. Doesn't make it right. But, there has been far less written here about Lawrence Wyllie whose allegations against him are just as bad and his alleged actions are very recent.

I too hate the idea when politicians get involved with things like this as well as their "involvement" in harassing businesses and business owners. Ninety-nine out of one hundred times their votes don't have a negative impact on themselves and their interests. People like this closed a school that probably shouldn't have been closed and in later years built one that shouldn't have been built.

The board members in question then have all passed on.