London Mills High School “Lions”

We are sure that London Mills offered Basketball as a sport. Did they offer other sports? They might have not won any IHSA hardware, but we are sure there were many successful seasons over the years.

Patrick Kinn sent us the athletics pagefrom the 1923 London Mills High School yearbook titled “The Tale-Tell”.  The book tells us that the boys of 1923 had some tough obstacles to overcome.  The school at that time had no indoor gym, so an outdoor court was their only source of practice time.  The team finished their season at 1 – 8 (their lone win against Ellisville).  The segment goes onto to say that the “players took their defeats in a sportsmanlike manner and never gave up until the final whistle.”  Players for this team included Keith Richards, Craig Benson (mgr.), Wendell Owens, Russell Mishler, Leonard Moshier, and Harrison Welch (capt.)

Boys Basketball

The Lions competed in boys basketball for certain. They played in the annual IHSA State District tournaments. Scores from these games as located on a website titled “Illinois High School Postseason Basketball Scores” are copied below.

1921-22                 Canton District Tournament                Coach’s Name & Record Needed.

1st Rd lost to Blandinsville 19-15.

Canton beat Glasford in title game.

  —–  

1930-31                 Canton District Tournament                 Coach’s Name & Record Needed.

1st Rd lost to Smithfield 31-7

Farmington beat Canton in title game.

  —–  

1931-32                  Canton District Tournament                 Coach’s Name & Record Needed.

1st Rd Beat Ipava 13-9

2nd Rd lost to Adair 29-15

Canton beat Cuba in title game.

  —–  

1932-33                   Canton District Tournament                 Coach’s Name & Record Needed.

1st Rd Beat Ellisville 23-19

2nd Rd lost to Lewistown 28-5

Canton beat Cuba in title game.

  —–  

1933-34                    Elmwood District Tournament              Coach’s Name & Record Needed.

1st Rd Beat Brimfield by forfeit.

2nd Rd lost to Dunlap 34-24

Peoria Central beat Farmington in title game.

  —–  

1934-35                    Canton District Tournament                  Coach’s Name & Record Needed.

1st Rd Beat Bryant 23-18

2nd Rd lost to Fairview 24-20

Canton beat Fairview in title game.

  —–  

1935-36                     London Mills District Tournament        Coach’s Name & Record Needed.

1st Rd score needed.

Fairview beat Table Grove in title game.

  —–  

1936-37                      Canton District Runner-Up                 Coach’s Name & Record Needed.

1st Rd Beat Bryant 25-8

Semi-Final Beat Ipava 27-23

Title Game Lost to Vermont 28-20

  —–  

1937-38                      Cuba District Tournament                    Coach’s Name & Record Needed.

1st Rd Beat Adair 31-11

Semi-Final lost to Fairview 36-26

Fairview beat Ipava in title game.

  —–  

1938-39                      Prairie City District Tournament           Coach’s Name & Record Needed.

1st Rd Beat Ellisville 31-12

Semi-Final and Title Game Scores Needed.

  —–  

1939-40                      Postseason Scores, Record, and Coach’s Name Needed.

  —–  

1940-41                      Prairie City District Tournament         Coach’s Name & Record Needed.

1st Rd lost to Yates City 22-21

Ipava Beat Fairview in title game.

  —– 

1941-42                      Postseason Scores, Record, and Coach’s Name Needed.

  —–  

1942-43                      Fairview District Tournament               Coach’s Name & Record Needed.

1st Rd lost to Prairie City 42-22

Prairie City beat Fairview in title game.

  —–  

1943-44                       Postseason Scores, Record, and Coach’s Name Needed.

   —–

1944-45                       London Mills District Tournament    Coach’s Name & Record Needed.

Semi-Final lost to Brimfield 44-27

Brimfield beat Fairview in title game. 

  —–  

1945-46                        Fairview District Tournament            Coach’s Name & Record Needed.

1st Rd Beat Yates City 55-42

Semi-Final lost to Fairview (Score needed).

Brimfield beat Fairview in title game.

  —–  

1946-47                        Postseason Scores, Record, and Coach’s Name Needed.

  —–  

1947-48                        London Mills District Runner-Up         Coach’s Name & Record Needed.

1st Rd Beat Maquon 58-35

Semi-Final Beat Brimfield 52-30

*Title Game lost to Fairview 26-24

*Final boys basketball game for the London Mills “Lions.”

  —–  

Baseball

The baseball team of 1922-23 faired a little better then the boys did in basketball.  The team finished with a record of 2 – 2, both wins coming over nearby Maquon.  Members of the team included Keller, Harden, Mishler, Welch, Cook, Owens, Morey, K. Shreves, White, Benson, and Moshier.

Memories

The following information and memories are provided to us by Gene Primm:

“I am not really familiar with this school except for the fact that my roommate at Bradley, during my freshman year, had a brother in law who graduated from this high school.  His name was Roy Grieve, and he finished 4th in the 120 high hurdles and 2nd in the 200 low hurdles at the 1946 IHSA State Track Meet.  He went on to become one of the best hurdlers in the Midwest while attending Bradley University and was even selected by the old AAU to travel to Africa as a ASA team member on one of the summer track series from the late 40’s early 50’s era.  Since I was a shot-putter at Bradley, and shared a love for track with Roy, we became friends until his death several years ago.”

Thanks Gene!

From the “Tell-Tale” LMHS yearbook of 1923 by G. Blakeslee:

“A Stretch of Spoon River”

“I think that this place I am going to describe is one of the prettiest scenes I ever saw.  It is about one-half mile stretch of Spoon River, prettiest in the summer time, some evening just after sun-down.

When I go down to the water’s edge, jump into the canoe and with one swift sweep of the oars, go sailing out into the middle of the river, I look toward the farther end of this stretch and my heart thrills.  The water is as clear as crystal.

I look down and see a thin veil of clouds, which makes me feel like I am going to fall any minute down, down, through space ’till I reach the feathery clouds, far below.  A slight noise causes me to look toward the banks, and there were two gray squirrels playing around on the fresh green grass,  which comes down to the water’s edge.  Then they jump up into a hard maple opposite me as I float slowly down the river and are lost in the dark green leaves.

On the opposite side of the stream there is a towering cotton-wood, the giant of the country, with its leaves quivering in the cool summer breeze.  Tired from a hard day’s work, I lie down at the bottom of the boat and view the clouds above me.  Toward the west they are golden, then red and purple and above me they are a mixture between red and white, and farther east they are pure white.

All at once this scene is shut off by a large elm, whose large green spreading branches reach almost across the river.  As I pass out into an open space again, I see a solitary crow winging its way lazily toward the east and his resting place.  Far in the distance I hear some boy calling the cows home.  In another direction I can faintly hear some hogs squealing for their supper.

All at once I am aroused from this peaceful scene by my mother’s voice, a quarter of a mile up the river, calling me for supper.  I turn the canoe and row slowly up the river, while no sound is heard but the splashing of my oars.  I eat my supper and go to bed to have a good nights sleep.”

A scene that probably hasn’t changed in all these many years!

Seeking Your Assistance

If you have ANY further information about London Mills High School, please share it with us.  Photos and information can be e-mailed to us at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net.  You can write to us via real mail at:

Illinois HS Glory Days
6439 N. Neva St.
Chicago, Il.    60631