Fred Lynch’s f/8 and Be There blog in The Southeast Missourian featured a Frony photo of Central High School’s legendary coach Lou Muegge with his 1954 state champ basketball team behind him.
It was accompanied by a March 24, 1954, story about Muegge moving from the athletic field to teaching. If you’re too young to know who Lou Muegge Field was named after, this will tell you. If you are old enough to have been part of his era, then this will bring back memories.
Character Builder
When I was at the new Central High School last fall, I saw that his famed Character Builder was immortalized in the trophy case.
To be honest, I’m glad to see that it was retired. I think there are better ways to motivate students and build character than beating them.
The most winning team in Washington State had an interesting training and character building regimen Each August, they rode their bikes from Seattle to Port Angeles, over 60 miles and set up camp in Olympic National Park. The next day they rode from sea level to one mile above sea level, and back down to camp. The third day, they rode back to Seattle. They were responsible for getting their own water, fixing their own flats, cooking their own dinner, and most importantly helping each other finish the three days. Anyone who failed to finish was off the team. Talk about team building. When the season began they could outlast any other team, were stronger, and had an unselfish team ethic. They usually won the state championship.
That coach understood character building.
I didn’t find my picture on the Central High site or on the web. Can you find it.
You’re right. You’re not on here yet. Give me some clues: when were you in high school? Where did you live? Do you do anything special, good or bad, that caused you to fly above the radar?
My goal has always been to short ordinary folks doing ordinary things. I wanted to focus on people whose name generally appeared in print when they were born, got married, died and – maybe – got a speeding ticket.
Maybe you escaped my notice in the 1961-1967 period when I was shooting in Cape?
Regarding Coach Lou Muegge. Seventy six years ago (1940)
I was in his PE class. It was a night mare for a 14 year old who was introvertive and non-athletic. Muegge
would line us up for his inspection and for no reason, as he passed me,with clenched fist he hit me in the stomach with such force, I fell to the ground,unable to get my breath. Muegge was a consummate bully and also a
coward. I’ve carried a white-hot hatred for for him all
these years and a profound disappointment with myself
for not having the initiative to report his abuse.