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Gladstone High School
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Different Angle
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Gladstone / Oquawka High School Quick Facts
Year opened: 1948
Year closed: 1960
Consolicated to: Union School District – Biggsville
School nickname: the “Blackhawks”
School colors: Black & White
School Fight Song: unavailable
Athletics
The following is information regarding the successes of the Gladstone / Oquawka High School basketball team. Two District titles and two excellent records were acheived in what might have been their short time together. The successful seasons of the G.O.H.S. boys are listed below. We belive the school offered track and possibly baseball as well.
Gladstone / Oquawka HS Boys Basketball
The Gladstone / Oquawka boys were a real threat in the 1950s. Two DIstrict titles and two twenty-win seasons highlighted the short history fo the school. Their boy’s basketball success is listed below. Several sores involving the Blackhawks. participation in the IHSA State Tourney were located on a website titled “Illinois Postseason High School Basketball Scores.” These scores are listed below as well.
1948-49 Aledo Regional Tournament Coach’s name & record needed.
1st Rd lost to Aledo 47-33
New Boston beat Aledo in title game.
1949-50 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.
1950-51 Aledo Regional Tournament Coach’s name & record needed.
1st Rd Beat Roosevelt Military 53-46
Semi-Final lost to Aledo 69-50
Sherrard beat Aledo in title game
1951-52 Gladstone District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed.
Gladstone-Oquawka scores needed.
Bardolph beat Media in title game.
1952-53 Gladstone District Champions Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd Beat Media 64-51
Semi-Final Beat Bardolph 77-60
Title Game Beat Kirkwood 45-44
Macomb Regional Tournament
1st Rd lost to Roseville 62-48
Monmouth beat Roseville in title game.
1953-54 Gladstone District Champions Coach’s name & record needed
Early Round Scores Needed
Title Game Beat Stronghurst 55-53
Macomb Regional Tournament
1st Rd Beat Roseville 57-47
Semi-Final lost to Macomb 50-34
Monmouth beat Macomb in title game.
1954-55 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.
1955-56 Bardolph District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed.
1st Rd Beat Biggsville 58-50
Semi-Final lost to Bardolph 76-56
Stronghurst beat Bardolph in title game
1956-57 7 – 16 Gladstone District Tournament Coach Hal Olson
1st Rd lost to Biggsville 64-58
Bardolph beat Stronghurst in title game.
1957-58 20 – 8 Stronghurst District Runner-Up Coach Hal Olson
1st Rd Beat Media 75-32
Semi-Final Beat Stronghurst 75-41
Title Game lost to Bardolph 82-66
1958-59 27 – 3 Stronghurst District Runner-Up Coach Joe Reynolds
1st Rd Beat Media 61-38
Semi-Final Beat Stronghurst 67-66 (O/T)
Title Game lost to Roseville 62-55
1959-60 Stronghurst District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
**Semi-Final lost to Bardolph 69-55
Bardolph beat Stronghurst in title game.
**Final varsity boys basketball game for Gladstone-Oquawka High School.
Football
The better grid-iron teams of the 1950s are listed below, as researched by our good friend Tom Sikorski.
1952 6-2 Wilco Conference Champions Coach Gene Behnke
1954 6-2 Valley Conference Champions Coach Vern Chick
1955 3-3 2nd place (tie) Valley Conference
1956 3-4 Coach Marvin “Bud” Maynard
1957 4-4 3rd place Valley Conference Coach Marvin “Bud” Maynard
1958 4-3-1 Coach Bob Strickland
1959 4-4 Coach Bob Strickland
G-O last fielded a football team in 1959. Consolidated with Biggsville in 1960.
Athletes
Some of the better athletes of the 1950s included Larry Whitmore,Duane Brown, Lawrence Fulleton, Norman Dixon, Ray James, George Olson, Mike Lewis, Bob Schulz, Tom Phipps, Bill Graham, Bob Schulze, Marlin McCabe, Larry Yeoman, Greg Carlson, and Alvin Tee
Coaches of the 1950s included Mr. Vern Chick and Mr. Ziggie.
MEMORIES
From Roger Icenogle (Class of 1959):
“Glad to see your site. I attended G-O High School from the fall of 1955 until graduating in 1959. It was my pleasure to play on some of those very good basketball teams. I am very proud that our senior record of 27-3, a school record at the time, has never been equalled. Here are a few more basketball facts that I hope you can include in your online annals.
1956-1957 The football team was 3-4 with Coach Marvin (Bud) Maynard
The basketball team was 7-16 under Coach Hal Olson
1957-1958 Football 4-4 under Coach Maynard
Basketball was 20-8 under Coach Hal Olson, top scorer was senior Tom Phipps. This began a string of, I believe, seven consecutive 20+ win seasons for G-O and its successor, Union High School, made up of G-O and Biggsville High School. Both programs had had recent basketball success and the consolidation sustained the great run for several years,
1958-1959 Basketball 27-3 under Coach Joe Reynolds, who was elevated to the head spot after two years as frosh-soph mentor. Coach Reynolds had a great run of teams for about seven years. Our outstanding players were 6’4″ Bill Graham and 5’7″ Bob Schulze. Our three losses were to New Boston (an upset), Alwood (Alpha & Woodhull) and Roseville, who were both a little better than us. I still have the box scores from most of that season’s games. Bob Schulze hit a season high of 35 points against Biggsville High, a strong opponent.
The Valley Conference, of which we were members at this time, was made up of the following high schools: Gladstone-Oquawka, Stronghurst, Biggsville, Media, Kirkwood, Little York, Keithsburg, New Boston, and after 1957, Warren (rural area surrounding Monmouth). None of these schools still exist. G-O had probably the largest enrollment, around 125, while Media was the smallest with an enrollment of about 70. I believe all except New Boston & Keithsburg fielded football teams. In the early ’50s, G-O participated in 8-man football.
One other note: In my memory, no G-O players had notable college success, but one man deserves mention as arguably the best player of the school’s 12 year run: 6’6″ Marlin McCabe (Class of ’55) was an outstanding player who anchored at least one district championship team. Marlin played briefly for Western Illinois University.
Thanks again for maintaining this site. I have great memories of my high school basketball days. I later played at Eureka College and coached for 24 years.
Go Blackhawks!”
Need Your Help
We “hoofed” it to both towns and took photos of the schools, now we need your help in providing information on the two towns and their school districts. If you can provide this information please complete a School Submission Form or a Guest Commentary Form. You can e-mail us at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net or write us at the following address:
Illinois HS Glory Days
6439 N. Neva St.
Chicago, Il. 60631
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Gladstone Ball Park
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Batting Cage
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Gladstone High School
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Rear View
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