Livingston (population 825) is located in southeastern Illinois about 40 miles northwest of East St. Louis. Livingston is nestled in the northeastern corner of Madison County. Interstate Highway 55 is the main roadway to and from Livingston. The Union Pacific Railroad runs through town as well.
Livingston was established in 1905 as a coal mining town. Livingston grew quickly at first but leveled off to its current population by the 1970s. More can be read about the town on its official website www.livingstonillinois.com .
A wood building was erected in 1907 for school purposes, and it was enlarged in 1912. High school education began in Livingston in 1917, and its first graduate was a young lady named Jennie Bert. A newer brick building was built in 1918, and a newer building was built in 1927 – and still stands on the south edge of town. The 1927 building served high school students for nearly 75 years, and was built on an old baseball diamond. It’s art deco-like gymnasium was built in 1949, and before it was built, the gymnasium was located in the basement.
It was in the early 2000s that Livingston began serious consolidation talks with its nearby neighbor, Staunton. The effort became a reality in 2004 when Livingston High School graduated its last senior class and was absolved into the Staunton School District.
The fate of the Livingston High School building is a happy one. The building is now utilized as an antique mall.
Livingston High School Quick Facts
Year opened: 1917
Year closed: 2004
Consolidated to: Staunton School District
Livingston HS team nickname: the “Eagles”
Livingston HS team colors: Purple & Gold
School Fight Song: unavailable
Livingston High School Gymnasium Monogram
Photo Courtesy of Douglas Combs
Athletics
The Eagles competed in baseball, basketball, football (briefly) and track. The Lady Eagles competed in basketball, volleyball, and track. According to the IHSA website (www.ihsa.org) the Eagle basketball program was the pride and joy of the town. School team colors, fight song, team records, and coach’s names are all being sought.
To view an excellent account of seasons of interest in basketball, baseball, and football, check out this web address provided to us by Jim Matesa. Includes photos of some great Eagle teams as well as information on the former Livingston Grade School teams:
The Livingston Eagles of the hardwood court were a force to reckoned with in the 1940s through the 1970s. Ten District titles and six Regional titles were won in the years between 1938-39 and 1976-77!! Unfortunately this is the current extent of the information we have available on the program. Team records and coach’s names are being sought.
The current gymnasium was built in 1949, and before that, basketball games were held in the school’s basement gymnasium. In the 1920s, admission was reported to be 35 cents for adults and 20 cents for children.
An article found in the 1947 Greenville High School yearbook had this to say about the Livingston HS boys beating Greenville in the championship of the 1947 Regional:
“Friday night was the thrill game of the tourney, a see-saw battle in which neither team led by more than five points. Moving into a 10-8 first quarter lead, hopes ran high among local fans, and the half saw us still holding a two-point lead, 17-15. Schmollinger kept up his torrid pace in the third, but Livingston was beginning to click. In the final frame, Livingston caught up for the first time and with two quick lay-in shots sewed up the game, 37-32. However, no one will say the Flyers didn’t do their best. It was just one good team losing to another.”
Submitted by Mark Jurenga
Several scores from games involving Livingston High School in the IHSA State Tournament were located on a website titled “Illinois Postseason Basketball Scores.” These scores are listed below.
1921-22 Hillsboro District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd score needed (win)
2nd Rd lost to Coffeen 22-11
Coffeen lost to Witt in semi-final
Witt lost to Greenville in title game
1922-23 through 1927-28 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.
1928-29Edwardsville District (2nd Place) Coach’s name & record needed
Semifinal- Livingston 14 Collinsville 13
Title game score needed
1929-30 through 1932-33 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed
1933-34 Gillespie District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd Beat Modesto 25-9
2nd Rd lost to Staunton 21-15
Staunton lost to Litchfield in title game
1934-35 Wood River District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd Beat Modesto 25-9
2nd Rd lost to Granite City 33-26
Granite City beat Alton for title
1935-36 Litchfield Regional Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd lost to Litchfield 34-26
Litchfield lost to Staunton in title game
1936-37 Litchfield District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd Beat Raymond 42-20
Semi-final lost to Hillsboro 33-26
Benld beat Hillsboro in title game
1937-38 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.
1938-39 IHSA District Champions Coach’s name & record needed
District Scores Needed
Gillespie Regional Tournament
1st Rd Beat Staunton 20-11
Semi-final lost to Litchfield 36-31
Litchfield Beat Gillespie in title game
1939-40 IHSA Regional Champions Coach’s name & record needed
1968-69 Mt. Olive District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd lost to Highland St. Paul 60-57
St. Paul lost to Worden in title game
1969-70 Livingston District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd Beat Witt 73-36
Semi-final lost to Worden 93-42
Worden beat Mt. Olive in title game
1970-71 Worden District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd lost to Highland St. Paul 76-67
St. Paul beat Worden in title game
1971-72 Greenville Class ‘A’ Regional Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd lost to Trenton Wesclin 66-62
Wesclin lost to Troy Triad in semi-final
Triad lost to St. Paul in title game
1972-73 Postseason scores & record needed Coach Dave Lamore
1973-74 Postseason scores & record needed Coach Dave Lamore
1974-75 Postseason scores & record needed Coach Dave Lamore
1975-76 Postseason scores & record needed Coach Dave Lamore
1976-77 24 – 5 IHSA Class ‘A’ Regional Champs Coach Dave Lamore
Regional Scores Needed
Vandalia Sectional Tournament
Semi-final Beat Vandalia 66-63
Title Game lost to Madison 70-65
Madison won state championship!
From Jim Matesa (Class of 1977):
“I have some info on the Livingston Eagles Basketball teams of the late ’70’s of which I am proud to have been a part of. Dave Lamore was the coach from the ’73-74 season to the “76-77 season. The 76-77 season finished with a record of 24-5. They won a regional championship, and lost in the Vandalia Sectional title game to Madison 70-65. A lot of the old-timers in this area still remember that title game and still say it was one of the best high school games they ever saw. Earlier in the season the Eagles had beaten Madison at home [78-72]. Madison only lost 3 games the entire season and steamrolled through the rest of the post season to a State championship. Starting five for Livingston were seniors Todd Brooke, Tom Salter, John Schuette, Jim Matesa and sophomore Ray Robertson. Senior Louie Wray was the sixth man.”
1977-78 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.
1978-79 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.
1979-80 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.
1980-81 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.
1981-82 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.
1982-83 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.
1983-84 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.
1984-85 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.
1985-86 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.
1986-87 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.
1987-88 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.
1988-89 Postseason scores & record needed Coach Ron Hampton
Livingston HS Eagles of 1988-89
From 1989 Staunton Regional Tournament Program – Submitted by Mark Jurenga
1989-90 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.
1990-91 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.
1991-92 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.
1992-93 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.
1993-94 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.
1994-95 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.
1995-96 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.
1996-97 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.
1997-98 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.
1999-00 Postseason scores & record Coach Doug Zehr
2000-01 Postseason scores & record Coach Doug Zehr
2001-02 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.
2002-03 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.
2003-04 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed
Livingston Versus Collinsville as researeched by Mark Jurenga:
*Collinsville is #2 in IHSA history in wins with 1,939 after the 2006-2007 season.
11 meetings
Collinsville won series 8-3
Post-season: Collinsville won series 4-2
Boys Baseball
Two District Championship teams and a long-term coach were the hi-lites found on the Livingston Eagle baseball program. The coach was Coach Jim Augustine who was the helm from 1968-69 through the 1992-93 school year. Unfortunately the team records for these years are not available.
1948-49 District Champions
1949-50 District Champions
1968-69 through 1992-93 Coach Jim Augustine
Great Baseball Alum
Michael DalPazzo (senior at SIUE in 2007), graduated from Livingston High in 2003. Mike was a 3-year starter at SIUE (soph season cut short by injury).
AT Livingston High
4-year starter in baseball and basketball
3 time MVP in basketball at Livingston.
Senior Legion baseball accomplishments. (DalPazzo played for Highland)
2000 American Senior Legion District 22 Player of the Year.
2000, 2001, 2002 District 22 All-Star
Girls Volleyball
The Lady Eagle netters did not win any IHSA hardware, however they are listed on the IHSA website from 1979-80 through 1987-88. The coach’s names of these
teams are listed below.
1979-80 Coach Ron Hampton
1980-85 Coach Mike Baumer
1985-87 Coach Gail Scheller
1987-88 Coach Brenda Smith
Need Your Assistance
If you have any information on the history of Livingston High School, especially a photo of the high school building, please write to us via e-mail at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net. You can also write to us via real mail at:
