Athletics
The Bridgeport Bulldogs had some great athletes and athletic accomplishments in their time. Boys baseball, basketball, and track all had top finishes in IHSA history. School fight song, team records, and coach’s names are all items we are interested in sharing.
Basketball
The Bridgeport Bulldogs were a team to be reckoned with for many years. The basketball program won a total of three District titles (all when District tournaments were the real first round). They also won four Regioinal titles. The Bulldog’s best year was during the 1959-60 season. That year Bridgeport High nearly shocked the state by making it all the way to the State Championship game in the original one-class tournament. Coach Ray Estes charges had an overall record of 33 – 2, losing the championship game to Chicago Marshall, a team probably ten times their size!
Unfortunately this is all of the information we currently have on Bridgeport High’s basketball program. Team records and coach’s names of other great Bulldog teams are needed.
1921-22 Bridgeport District Champions Coach’s name & record needed.
1st Rd Beat Mt. Carmel 25-12
Semi-final – Score needed
Title Game beat Sumner 13 – 10
Mt. Vernon Sectional Tournament
1st Rd lost to Marion 58-26
Marion lost to Centralia in title game
Centralia won state championship
1923-24 IHSA District Champions Coach’s name & record needed
District Scores Needed
West Frankfort Sectional Tournament
. 1st Rd lost to Centralia 28-21
Centralia lost to Frankfort in title game
West Frankfort placed 4th in state tournament
1933-34 Bridgeport District Champions Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd Beat Browns 46-17
2nd Rd Beat Keensburg 30-18
Semi-final Beat Olney 33-16
Title Game Beat Lawrenceville 24-16
Salem Sectional Tournament
1st Rd lost to Salem 26-23
Centralia beat Mt. Vernon in title game
Centralia lost in Sweet 16 Round
1935-36 Bridgeport Regional Champions Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd Beat Allendale 39-22
Semi-final beat Palestine 27-23
Title Game Beat Olney 26-24
Mt. Carmel Sectional Tournament
1st Rd Beat Carmi 34-30
Semi-final lost to Zeigler 39-33
Zeigler beat Mt. Vernon in title game
Zeigler lost in Sweet 16 Round.
1959-60 33 – 2 IHSA State Tournament Runner-Up!! Coach Ray Estes
Bridgeport Regional Champions
1st Rd Beat Palestine 75-55
Semi-final Beat Hutsonville 89-76
Title Game Beat Oblong 46-35
BRIDGEPORT (46): Cunningham 18, Martin 9, Gray 8, Magee 6, Shuppert 3, Brown 2.
OBLONG (35): Matheny 13, Price 10, Schlosser 7, Douglas 3, Smith 2.
Olney Sectional Champions
Semi-final Beat Centralia 56-54
BRIDGEPORT (56): Cunningham 19, Gray 14, Brown 9, Magee 6, Martin 6, Shuppert 2.
CENTRALIA (54): Rapp 20, R. Coleman 13. K. Coleman 8, Stevenson 8, Garrett 5.
Title Game Beat Mt. Vernon 67-66 (O/T)
BRIDGEPORT (67): Gray 19, Magee 19, Cunningham 14, Martin 9, Brown 6.
MOUNT VERNON (66): Carrodine 19, Holtman 18, Hall 12, Heidenreich 10, Snyder 5, Clay 2.
Super-Sectional Champions
Beat Greenville 85 – 73
Elite 8 Winners
Beat Ottawa 61 – 55
Final Four Finalist
Beat West Frankfort 74 – 60
State Championship Game
Lost to Chicago Marshall 79 – 55
1960-61 Newton Regional Champions Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd Beat Newton 76-34
Semi-final Beat Lawrenceville 76-33
Title Game Beat Oblong 62-55
BRIDGEPORT (62): Cunningham 18, Andrews 14, Shuppert 12, Magee 12, Brown 4, Moffett 2.
OBLONG (55): Jennings 18, Dart 13, Matheny 10, Smith 8, Wall 6.
Bridgeport Sectional Runner-Up
Semi-final Beat Teutopolis 77-56
BRIDGEPORT (77): Cunningham 39, Andrews 19, Brown 9, Magee 8, Shuppert 2.
TEUTOPOLIS (56): Schumacher 23, Brumleve 19, Runde 10, Griffin 2, Gier 2.
Title Game lost to Centralia 51-49
CENTRALIA (51): Rapp 14, Garrett 11, Downey 10, H. Williams 9, Coleman 4, A. Williams 2, Meeks 1.
BRIDGEPORT (49): Andrews 13, Cunningham 11, Magee 10, Moffett 9, Brown 6.
Centralia lost to Collinsville 66-64 in Sweet 16 Round
Collinsville won State Championship
1961-62 Olney Regional Champions Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd Beat Palestine 72-45
Semi-final Beat Oblong 70-46
Title Game Beat Olney 73-44
BRIDGEPORT (73): Cunningham 25, Laughlin 14, Moffett 11, Smith 9, Doss 9, Bradford 3, Cardinal 2.
OLNEY (44): Pottorff 13, Stanley 12, Hane 7, Michael 6, Wright 4, Koertge 2.
Harrisburg Sectional Tournament
Semi-final lost to McLeansboro 84-46
MCLEANSBORO (84): Ji. Burns 36, Jo. Burns 14, Sturm 11, Webb 10, Ingram 7, Ater 2, Boyer 2, Brockett 2.
BRIDGEPORT (46): Cunningham 23, Doss 9, Smith 8, Bradford 2, Cardinal 2, Dennis 1, Laughlin 1.
McLeansboro placed 4th in State Tournament
1972-73 Robinson Class ‘A’ Regional Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd Beat St. Francisville 62-59
*Semi-final lost to Robinson 85-53
Robinson lost to Lawrenceville in title game
Lawrenceville lost in Sectional
*Final game for Bridgeport High School, became known as Red Hill High School in the summer of 1973,
*The Bulldogs were a regular participant in the annual Shelbyville High School Tournament. There best result and information on one of the best players ever at Bridgeport are listed below.
1962 – 2nd place
Individual marks
Most Pts. Game Steve Cunningham 44 (Tied for 1st), 1962
Most FG Game Steve Cunningham 17, 1962
Most Pts. Tourney (three games) Steve Cunningham 99, 1962
Cunningham would go on to become the varsity girls basketball coach at Bridgeport (Red Hill).
Track & Field
The BHS thinclads had some great success as well. A second place finish in 1923 followed by a seventh place finish in 1924 highlighted the team success of the Bulldogs. In addtion 13 individual medals were earned by 10 different athletes. Included in these were State Champs L. Molosh and M. Seed!
1920-21 Individual Medalist
? Fiscus 880 Yard Run 2ND Place
1922-23B Team Finished SECOND in IHSA State Meet Competition!!
Individual Medalists
L. Malosh High Jump STATE CHAMPION!!
M. Seed Pole Vault STATE CHAMPION!!
L. Diver 440 Yard Dash 2ND Place
A. Hart Shot Put 4TH Place
Final Team Standings
1) White Hall 20 1/5
2) BRIDGEPORT HIGH SCHOOL 15 ½
3) Hinsdale (Twp.) 15
4) Carlinville 12
5) Havana 11
1923-24B Team Finished SEVENTH in IHSA State Meet Competition!!
Individual Medalists
L. Diver 440 Yard Dash 2ND Place
A. Hart Shot Put 2ND Place
Discus 5TH Place
? Pugh 120 Yard Hurdles 4TH Place
? Seither Pole Vault 4TH Place
Final Team Standings
1) Girard 20
2) Chesterfield 16
2) White Hall 16
4) Carlinville 15
5) Gridley 13
5) Hinsdale (Twp.) 13
7) Wheaton (H.S.) 12
7) BRIDGEPORT HIGH SCHOOL 12
1924-25B Individual Medalist
? Kemper High Jump 5TH Place
1927-28 Individual Medalist
? Lake Javelin 2ND Place
1937-38 Team Won District Championship
1938-39 Individual Medalist
? Smith 120 Yard Hurdles 2ND Place
1948-49 Team Won District Championship
Baseball
Coach Ray Estes proved to be a talented coach in charge of a very talented group of athletes. The kids of 1959-60 followed up their trip to the basketball finals with a trip to the Elite 8 in baseball as well! The boys won the school’s only Regional and Sectional championships in baseball but lost to eventual State Runner-up Waukegan in the Quarter-Final match-up.
1959-60 9 – 3 ELITE 8 Finalists!! Coach Ray Estes
Regional Champions
Sectional Champions
Elite 8 Finalists
Lost to Waukegan 11 – 1
Waukegan was State Runner-up
Boys Golf
One linkster earned a top-five individual finish for Bridgeport High. Lyle Gilliatt earned a 5TH Place finish in the 1943 State Golf Competition!!
1943 Individual Medalist
Lyle Gilliatt 5TH Place
Need your Assistance
If you have ANY further information about Bridgeport High School and its historic past, please send it to us via e-mail. Athletic accomplishments, as well as overall high school information is being sought. Photos and information can be sent to us at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net. You can also write to us at:
Illinois HS Glory Days
6439 N. Neva St.
Chicago, Il. 60631
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