The 1966 Central High School Girardot reported that the 1965 tennis squad opened the season with a decisive 6 – 0 victory over the Jackson Indians. With consistent teamwork and impressive individual wins, the Tigers posted a 5 – 2 season record. The netmen downed College High, Bonne Terre, Chaffee, and Jackson twice, while dropping two to Sikeston. Coach Bob Hagedorn had four returning lettermen from the 1964 squad and lettered six for the 1965 season.
The caption identified the players as
- Kneeling: Stan Friese, John Sachse, Mike Stuart, Bob White, Kenny Shrum, Bill Kaiser
- Standing: Kenny Baker, Danny Jacob, Bob Wolfenkohler, Coach Hagedorn, Steve Black, Bob Malahy.
1968 Championship Tennis Team
Central Junior High School Athletic Directory Terry Kitchen saved this photo of the 1968 championship team from the trash when Central moved to the new school west of town. You can see more championship photos and hear Kitchen talk about the Ghosts of Central High School here.
The Tennis photos bought back some memories. The Tennis team was organized as a spring sport in 1962. I went out for the team to support the new venture. We started practicing indoors at Washington School. I was the only Senior as I recall. There ended up being enough underclassmen players like Clyde Benson who were really good. The team was going to play a “B” team schedule to begin the sport, as I recall. There was nothing I could contribute and there was no future for me as a Senior. After talking to Coach Muir (I think he was the coach) we agreed that it would be ok for me to drop the sport. However, it was a positive experience and I am glad I went out for the sport.
I was pretty sure Clyde Benson was on the team, but he didn’t show up in either photo.
I recognize most of these faces. Bill Kaiser was my good buddy. Kenny Shrum made my life miserable. That is MARK Stuart, not Mike. Love the pics Ken.
You’ll have to blame the Girardot staff for the Mike / Mark Stuart confusion. I just copied down what was in the yearbook.
that’s Mike Stuart for sure.
It was in the 1966 Girardot, so Nancy Jenkins and I are off the hook for the error. It was my photograph, but someone else wrote the caption. Or, at least that’s my story.
That is Mark forsure!! Those were the day’s my friend!!
1966 photo ok, I was having trouble remembering any of these guys in the photo from the 1965 class who would have been freshman my senior year.
Also after 50 plus years the memories fade, let me correct my comments from yesterday. Tennis was restarted my Junior year so it was the spring of 1961. The coach was Bixler. I don’t remember anything about him. There were three of my junior classmates on the team, Mark Michel, Jack Crowe and Ron Duff.
The 1968 team (my graduation year) was overflowing with Bukstein boys who moved to Cape in 1963 I believe as they bought our original family home on Sunset. Don became a lifelong friend as well as an excellent tennis player and is a renowned pulmonary specialist practicing in Madison, Wisconsin. On the 1966 team, Kenny Shrum looks to be the sole sophomore. Wonder where he is now.
As Bob says, those were the days. Nothing like traveling to Kennet in Coach Hagedorn’s small car. Lucky we could walk when got there, but guess our youth prevailed.
Ken;
Clyde Benson was on the tennis team. He would be in the 63 and 64 yearbooks. Great Blog! Just found it recently. I got one of those REMEMBER WHEN? emails a couple of weeks ago, and the first photo in the Powerpoint presentation was Roseanne Hecht and Joni Sue Tickle in their gym suits. I googled Roseanne and it lead me to your site. It’s fun to read the comments of lots of my old friends likes Terry Hopkins, Darla Yow, Bob White, Bill East, Russ “DAWG” Doughty, John Sachse, and so many more. I’ll be spending a lot of time going thru your Archives.