Atlanta High School “Redwings”

Atlanta High School

Home of the Redwings 1909 – 1972

The History of the Atlanta “Redwings”

The city of Atlanta is located on Interstate 55 approximately 10 miles northeast of Lincoln. Originally, the town was named Xenia and then Hamilton, only to find other towns in Illinois with those names. It eventually was named Atlanta, after Atlanta, Georgia. The town was a stop in the road for the old US Route 66, and many tourists continue to make a stop here today. The town’s population currently sits at 1,650.

The Atlanta school district was established in the 1800s. Richard Savage tells us the following about the original Atlanta High School building:

“From the History of Logan County by Lawrence B. Stringer, Pioneer Publishing Company of Chicago, the original High School in Atlanta was built in 1870. This was the building destroyed by fire in 1908.”

Photos of the building before and after the fire are shown below. “Left click” on either photo for a larger view.

Atlanta High School Building After Fire 1908

Submitted by Richard Savage

Atlanta High School Building 1870 – 1908

Submitted by Richard Savage

The high school building pictured at the top of this page (circa 1940s) was built in 1909 on the corner of Vine and Sixth Streets after a fire in the summer of 1908 destroyed the original building. The school was the focal point of the community for nearly 70 years and holds a special place in the hearts of those who walked her halls. Dave Kindred, class of 1959, and a member of Atlanta’s only regional championship basketball team, fondly says, “I loved that place … I can still hear the polished wooden floors squeaking.”

In 1972 the towns of Atlanta, Armington, Danvers, Minier, Hopedale, Waynesville, Stanford, and McLean consolidated their school districts to form the Olympia School District. The high school for Olympia is located near Stanford.

The Atlanta High School building no longer stands. After being deactivated in 1972 the building was used as the grade school until it was demolished in 1980. The gymnasium that housed the Redwings’ teams for parts of five decades was kept intact and attached to the new Atlanta Grade School building, which in 2004 was transformed into Olympia South Grade School.

Atlanta High School “Quick Facts”

Year High School Opened: 1800s

Year High School Closed: 1972

Year H.S. Building Demolished: 1980

Team Nickname: the “Redwings”

School Colors: Red & White

School Fight Song: Loyal to You A.C.H.S.

(Taken from the personalized scrapbook of Lynn Hieronymus, 1950.)

(Click the Play Button below “ATHLETICS” below and to the left and sing along!!)

We’re loyal to you A.C.H.S.

We’re red and white, A.C.H.S.

We’ll back you to stand

‘Gainst the best in the land

For we know you have sand, A.C.H.S.

Rah! Rah!

So crack out the ball, A.C.H.S.

We’re backing you all, A.C.H.S.

Our team is our fame protector:

On! Boys for we expect a

Victory from you A.C.H.S.!

Che-he, cha-ha, cha-ha-ha-ha,

Atlanta, Atlanta,

Rah, Rah, RAH!

Fling out that dear old flag of

Red and White,

Lead on your sons and daughters

Fighting for you

Like men of old, on giants.

Placing reliance, shouting defiance

Oskee-wow-wow———

Amid the broad green plains that nourish our land,

For honest Labor and for Learning we stand.

And unto thee we pledge our heart and our hand,

Dear Alma Mater, Atlanta High!

ATHLETICS

BOYS BASKETBALLThe boys’ basketball team was the staple sport of Atlanta High School. One of the highlights of the school’s basketball history was the Redwings of 1958-59. The team is held in high esteem decades later by townfolk for a season that brought a touch of “Hoosiers” to the heart of small-school basketball in Illinois. The team won the school’s only Regional Championship that year and in the process defeated their big neighbors from the south, Lincoln High School.

After reeling off 29 straight wins, the ’58-’59 Redwings completed their season with an incredible 29 wins and 1 loss. In the Regional Championship game the Atlanta boys beat the mighty Lincoln Railsplitters 84 – 80, ending Lincoln’s 10-year reign as Regional Champs. The Redwings toed the line, making good on 32 of 39 attempts from the charity stripe; Lincoln made just 12 free pitches. Atlanta was led by its two senior all-conference players Larry Rodgers (23 points) and Marvin Hulva (21). Junior Wayne Turner added 15 points, junior John Quiram 14 and senior Dave Kindred had 11.

Think about this, 155 points in 64 minutes. Armington had tried to slow down the Runnin ‘Redwings to no avail in the Regional opener, a game won by Atlanta 71-39. The Redwings faced sickness and injuries to key personnel in the Sectionals, where they lost for the first time to Jacksonville. Jacksonville would lose to Springfield, who went on to win the one-class state championship. See the team photo and list of players above.

School Spirit!

Imagine standing or sitting on the stage, decorated with the big red “A”, overlooking the gym at half court as your favorite players like Gordie Hamblin, Jim Ash, Terry Rich, Weldon “Cork” Cheek, Dave Kindred, and Larry Rogers ran the court, making the hometown fans wild with excitement. It must have been a great atmosphere to play and cheer in. Each Redwing wore his red Atlanta letter jacket with pride!!

There were other great teams at Atlanta with the best listed below.

Boys Basketball

Several scores involving Atlanta High School in the IHSA State Tourney were located on a website titled “Illinois High School Postseason Basketball Scores”, these scores are listed below as well.

1920-21 Fairbury District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd Beat Melvin 28-17

2nd Rd lost to Fairbury 13-10

Fairbury beat Saunemin in title game

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1921-22 Bloomington District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd lost to Bloomington 40-19

Bloomington beat Stanford in title game

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1922-23 – 1931-32 Postseason scores, records, and coaches’ names needed.

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1932-33 Lincoln District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd lost to Lincoln 36-5

Mt. Pulaski beat McLean in title game

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1933-34 Lincoln District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd Beat Waynesville 66-20

2nd Rd Beat Hartsburg 36-31

Semi-final lost to Mt. Pulaski 32-17

Mt. Pulaski beat Lincoln in title game

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1934-35 Lincoln District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd Beat Middletown 35-28

Semi-final lost to Mt. Pulaski 27-8

Mt. Pulaski beat Hartsburg in title game

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1935-36 New Holland District Runner-Up Coach’s name & record needed

Semi-final Beat Shirley Ben Funk 33-25

Title Game lost to Latham 40-24

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1936-37 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.

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1937-38 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.

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1938-39 Lincoln Regional Tournament Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd lost to Mt. Pulaski 38-18

Mt. Pulaski beat Lincoln in title game

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1939-40 Lincoln Regional Tournament Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd lost to Mt. Pulaski 24-18

Lincoln beat Latham in title game

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1940-41 Lincoln Regional Tournament Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd lost to Elkhart 33-21

Lincoln beat Elkhart in title game

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1941-42 Lincoln Regional Tournament Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd Beat Hartsburg 28-24

Semi-final lost to Lincoln 38-25

Lincoln beat Mt. Pulaski in title game

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1942-43 Lincoln Regional Tournament Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd Beat McLean 39-35

Semi-final lost to Mt. Pulaski 35-26

Lincoln beat Mt. Pulaski in title game

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1943-44 Lincoln Regional Tournament Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd lost to Elkhart 31-30

Lincoln beat Springfield in title game

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1944-45 Lincoln Regional Tournament Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd Beat New Holland 34-29

Semi-final lost to Springfield Lanphier 44-28

Lincoln beat Lanphier in title game

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1945-46 Logan County Champions Coach Phil McCullough

Lincoln Regional Runner-Up

1st Rd Beat Middletown 51-30

Semi-final Beat Lincoln 55-39

Title Game lost to Mt. Pulaski 41-28

Coach Phil McCullough

Atlanta Redwings 1945-46

Members of the 1945-46 Atlanta High School Redwings (above) are:

(front row, from left) Wayne “Stooge” Polley, Dick Gilbert, Weldon “Cork” Cheek, Harold “Tee” Brooks, Dick Schmidt; (second row) Jack Brandt, Chet Hout, Jim Ash, Eddie Bevard; (back row) Orville “Speed” Compton and coach Phil McCullough.

1946-47 Lincoln Regional Tournament Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd lost to Mt. Pulaski 46-21

Mt. Pulaski beat Lincoln in title game

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1947-48 Lincoln Regional Tournament Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd lost to New Holland 54-36

Hartsburg-Eden beat Lincoln in title game

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1948-49 Lincoln Regional Tournament Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd lost to Springfield Feitshans 55-35

Mt. Pulaski beat Lincoln in title game

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1949-50 Lincoln Regional Tournament Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd lost to Lincoln 43-19

Lincoln beat Hopedale in title game

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1950-51 Williamsville Regional Tourney Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd lost to Mt. Pulaski 71-34

Lincoln beat Springfield in title game

Lincoln lost in Elite 8 Round

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1951-52 Lincoln Regional Tournament Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd lost to Riverton 64-57

Lincoln beat Hopedale in title game

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1952-53 Lincoln Regional Tournament Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd lost to Buffalo Tri-City 61-58

Lincoln beat Tri-City in title game

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1953-54 Williamsville Regional Tourney Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd lost to Lincoln 63-47

Lincoln beat Hartsburg-Emden in title game

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1954-55 15 – 11 Lincoln Regional Tournament Coach Eldridge “Doc” Kinsey

1st Rd lost to Springfield Cathedral 61-52

Lincoln beat Cathedral in title game

Lincoln lost in Elite 8 Round

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1955-56 22 – 5 Williamsville Regional Tourney Coach Eldridge “Doc” Kinsey

1st Rd Beat Buffalo Tri-City 84-58

Semi-final lost to Mt. Pulaski 70-57

Lincoln beat Mt. Pulaski in title game

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1956-57 22 – 5 Armington District Runner-Up Coach Eldridge “Doc” Kinsey

Semi-final Beat Armington 86-50

Title Game lost to Hartsburg-Emden 60-58

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1957-58 21 – 6 Williamsville Regional Tourney Coach Eldridge “Doc”Kinsey

1st Rd Beat McLean 73-52

Semi-final lost to Lincoln 63-58

Lincoln beat Mt. Pulaski in title game

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1958-59 29 – 1 Lincoln Regional Champions Coach Eldridge “Doc” Kinsey

1st Rd Beat Armington 71-39

Semi-final Beat Riverton 69-67

Title Game Beat Lincoln 84-80

ATLANTA (84): Hulva 23, Rogers 21, Turner 15, Quiram 14, Kindred 11

LINCOLN (80): Dutz 21, Goebel 20, Wall 19, Brackney 11, Engle 8, Dehner 1

Springfield Sectional Tournament

Semi-final lost to Jacksonville 73-48

JACKSONVILLE (73): Keller 20, Bone 16, Hudson 15, Norwill 10, Allison 6, Bourn 4, Trier 2.

ATLANTA (48): Kindred 17, Quiram 13, Hulva 9, Rogers 5, Behens 2, Patterson 2.

Springfield beat Jacksonville in title game

Springfield won State Championship!

The Greatest Atlanta Redwings Basketball Team – 1958-59

Coach Eldridge “Doc” Kinsey

1959 Regional Champs with the plaque

Credit: Bloomington Pantagrph

1959-60 19 – 9 Lincoln Regional Tournament Coach Eldricge “Doc” Kinsey

1st Rd Beat Armington 60-48

Semi-final lost to Lincoln 64-39

Lincoln beat Riverton in title game

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1960-61 Lincoln Regional Tournament Coach Eldridge “Doc” Kinsey

1st Rd lost to Williamsville 65-61

Lincoln beat McLean-Waynesville in title game

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1961-62 9 – 12 Lincoln Regional Tournament Coach Gary Craigmiles

1st Rd lost to Lincoln 87-63

Lincoln beat Williamsville in title game

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1962-63 11 – 13 Lincoln Regional Tournament Coach Eldridge “Doc” Kinsey

1st Rd lost to McLean-Waynesville 82-58

Lincoln beat Williamsville in title game

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1963-64 13 – 12 Mt. Pulaski Regional Tournament Coach Eldridge “Doc” Kinsey

1st Rd lost to Lincoln 87-63

Lincoln beat Williamsville in title game

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1964-65 15 – 9 Hartsburg District Tournament Coach Eldridge “Doc” Kinsey

1st Rd lost to New Holland-Middletown 54-47

New Holland-Middletown beat Beason in title game

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1965-66 11 – 15 Postseason scores needed. Coach Tom Stewart

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1966-67 10 – 15 Hartsburg District Tournament Coach Dave Lapson

1st Rd lost to Beason 74-66

Elkhart beat Armingtonin title game

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1967-68 9 – 15 Hartsburg District Tournament Coach Dave Lapson

1st Rd lost to New Holland-Middletown 63-59 (O/T)

Armington beat Beason in title game

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1968-69 3 – 19 Hartsburg-Emden District Tourney Coach Duane Carder

1st Rd lost to McLean 71-67

Hartsburg-Emden beat Elkhart in title game

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1969-70 8 – 16 Beason District Tournament Coach Rick Bristow

1st Rd Beat New Holland-Middletown 69-58

Semi-final lost to Elkhart 96-63

Elkhart beat Williamsville in title game

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1970-71 16 – 10 Hartsburg District Champions Coach Rick Bristow

Semi-final Beat New Holland-Middletown 71-57

Title Game Beat Hartsburg-Emden 58-34

Mt. Pulaski Regional Tournament

1st Rd lost to Maroa-Forsythe 75-65 (3 O/Ts)

Lincoln beat Clinton in title game

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1971-72 8 – 16 Leroy Class ‘A’ Regional Tourney Coach Rick Bristow

1st Rd Beat Downs Tri-Valley 62-55

**Semi-final lost to Heyworth 65-41

Farmer-City beat Heyworth in title game

**Final game for the Atlanta High School Redwings. Consolidated to Stanford Olympia High School in the summer of 1972.

In a December 19, 1946 game against McLean, the Redwings attempted 53 free-throw shots, the most in school history.The number 53 comes into play once again as the point total of one of Atlanta’s best players in the early-to-mid 1960s, Lance Rogers. In a December 15, 1964 game against Wapella, Rogers scored 53 points with 27 of them coming in the first quarter. That’s the highest individual point total achieved in a game by any Redwing player.

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Boys Baseball

The boys baseball teams also had many successful seasons. The best of these seasons included the 1963-64 and 1965-66 seasons. The season records of these teams is not listed nor is the coach, however according to the IHSA web site (www.ihsa.org) these two teams earned Regional Championships.

1963-64 N.R.A. Regional Champions Coaches names unavailable

1965-66 N.R.A. Regional Champions

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Track and Field

Out of the many great athletes who walked the halls of Atlanta High School the following Redwings faired the best in Track and Field, all placing in the Illinois High School Association State Track Meet. Earl Mountjoy was responsible for the 1907 Atlanta team’s 4th Place finish at the State Meet. Jack Freeston obviously sticks out in the early 1930s as the premier weight man in the state. He led the AHS thinclads to a 5th place finish in 1933 and a 6th place finish in the 1934 state track meet!

1902 2/3 Mile Relay Team 2nd Place

Team Members Included:

Everett Pumpelly, Will Dowdy,

Ed Gebhardt, and Ed Schindler

Team lost only to Chicago South Division HS

1905 Martin Dowdy Standing Broad Jump 3rd Place

1906 Martin Dowdy High Jump 3rd Place

1907 Team Placed FOURTH (4th) at the State Track Meet

Individual Medalist

Earl Mountjoy 440 Yard Dash STATE CHAMPION

Earl Mountjoy Hammer Throw 2nd Place

1907 Final Team Standings – State Track Meet

1.) Oak Park-River Forest – 18

2.) Chicago University – 14.5

3.) Chicago Englewood – 10

4.) ATLANTA – 8

5.) Chicago Lakeview – 6

Champaign – 6

7.) Chicago North Div. – 5.5

8.) Chicago Phillips – 5

Normal, Greenefield, Joliet,

McKinley, Moline

1912 Huber Hammer Throw 3rd Place

1932 Jack Freeston Shot Put 3rd Place

Jack Freeston Discus 5th Place

1933 Team Placed FIFTH (5th) at the State Track Meet

Individual Medalist

Jack Freeston Shot Put STATE CHAMPION

Jack Freeston Discus STATE CHAMPION

1933 Final Team Standings – State Track Meet

1.) Rockford – 18

2.) Maywood Proviso – 16.5

3.) Oak Park-R. F. – 12

4.) Glen Ellyn – 10.5

5.) ATLANTA – 10

Centralia – 10

Tuscola – 10

8.) Chicago Hyde Park – 9

9.) Galesburg – 8.5

Winnetka New Trier – 8.5

1934 Team Finished Sixth (6th) in the State Track Meet

Individual Medalist

Jack Freeston Shot Put STATE CHAMPION

Jack Freeston Discus 2nd Place

1934 Final Team Standings – State Track Meet

1.) Winnetka New Trier – 19

2.) Sterling – 15

Rockford – 15

4.) Chicago Englewood – 10.5

5.) Centralia – 9.5

6.) ATLANTA – 9

Kankakee (Sr.) – 9

8.) Carrier Mills – 7

Chicago Tilden – 7

10.) Evanston – 6.5

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Girls Bowling

Atlanta deactivated in the tail end of the time when Girls Athletics were starting to form in high schools in Illinois. Atlanta did compete in pre-Title IX “Postal Tournaments”. In the Bowling tournaments, schools with participating teams tried to get the best bowling scores they could muster and the results were mailed (hence “postal”) to the IHSA and the winner was determined by which team had the highest overall team score (similar to the more common Basketball postal tournaments). Atlanta’s team placed second in this tournament in 1968.

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Boys Baseball

The Redwings had some excellent baseball teams over the years. no player may have been more successful than Lee Dunham, AHS Class of 1920. Court Michelson provided the following information about Lee Dunham.

“Lee Dunham – a 1920 grad who played briefly as a 1st baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1926. His minor league career was 1925-1932. In 1925, he batted .334 for the Binghamton Triplets of the Class B NY-Penn League, .308 for the Springfield Senators (Class B Three-I League) in 1928 and .323 for the Tampa Smokers (Class B Southeastern League) in 1930.”

Court Michelson provided a photo and some great yearbook pages from a 1919 Redwing yearbook. These images are available at the bottom of this page.

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Great Coaches

Two men left an outstanding legacy on Atlanta High School athletics, Phil McCullough (pictured below) and Eldridge “Doc” Kinsey.

Lynn Hieronymus, AHS class of 1950, writing in a 1981 memoir, eight years before Hieronymus’ passing, noted McCullough’s “emphasis of discipline and in using one’s head.”

In Kinsey’s first six seasons at the school (1954 – 1960) his basketball teams compiled a cumulative record of 129 – 37! Kinsey came back after a brief rest to coach basketball for three more seasons winning 40 more ball games. He had school spirit, always known for wearing his famous red bow tie. Kinsey’s overall record at Atlanta was an awesome 169 – 71.

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Famous Alumni

Dave Kindred, a player on the 1959 Regional Championship team, loved basketball and all sports in general. In fact he loved them so much he continued his sports mentality and made a career out of it. Dave Kindred is a nationally reknown columnist for “The Sporting News” after stints at three of the country’s foremost newspapers. He has authored seven books, including a dual biography of Muhammad Ali and Howard Cosell. Through all his many travels, Kindred keeps a part of AHS close to his heart. Upon returning home in 2004, he found the doors to the gym open. He walked in, took a seat on the top row of the four-row bleachers and sat there for nearly a half hour. The memories flowed for sure.

Special thanks to:

Ruth Ann Hieronymus, Atlanta librarian, for her research.

Norma Adams Price and Paul A. Adams for their pictures and history in their outstanding book, “More Momentous Happenings in Atlanta, Ill. – 1876-2003”.

All the great Redwings players and coaches who made all these special moments happen.

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Seeking Further information

If you have further information you would like to share regarding Atlanta High School please submit a School Submission Form or Guest Commentary Form. You may also write us at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net or via postal mail at:

Illinois HS Glory Days

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