Win, or Else

By Jim Andersen

This story begins in August of 1959 in the small rural town of Foxville located somewhere in the Midwest. Football practice was about to begin for Foxville High School. Back then Friday night high school football games were the biggest events in town during the fall of the year. There were no state championships or playoffs so winning the conference championship was the highest prize possible. This book chronicles the Foxes quest for the elusive conference championship. As you read the book you will probably experience a range of emotions. You will feel like laughing, crying, being sad, mad, happy, glad and surprised. It is written by a former high school football coach. It is a fictional story based on real experiences during the author’s years of coaching.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jim Andersen
• Release date: Jan 8, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310202018

Jim Andersen

William (Bill) Andersen was born in 1920 in Racine, Wisconsin. After high school he went into the Army and spent time during World War II in Guam. After the service he married his wife, Vena, and enrolled at the University of Wisconsin La Crosse. He earned his degrees in history and secondary education. He was on the football team while he was in college.After college, in 1950, Bill moved to Kankakee, Illinois and taught high school social studies there for five years. In 1955 he moved to Burlington, Wisconsin where he taught history, speech, journalism and a few other subjects. He also coached the sophomore football and basketball teams.In 1963 he moved to Racine, Wisconsin and taught at Racine Park High School until he retired in 1985. While at Park he did not coach any sports but he was the PA announcer for most of the high school’s sports teams.Bill passed away in 2011 at the age of 90.This book was originally written about 1963. He tried unsuccessfully to get it published back then. Since his passing the original manuscript has been digitized and made available for all to read online. I hope you enjoy it. It is too good a story to let die so as a memorial to him I am trying to keep it alive for others to enjoy.Dad included himself in the book as Mr. Williams, the “B” team coach, and me as Jimmy Andersen, the manager. I actually was an assistant manager for the “B” team when I was in sixth and seventh grade.

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Win, or Else

Published by Jim Andersen at Smashwords

Copyright 2014 Jim Andersen

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

Thank you for downloading this ebook. You are welcome to share it with your friends.

This book may be reproduced, copied and distributed for non-commercial purposes, provided the book remains in its complete original form.

WIN, OR ELSE

A Season of High School Football

ORIGINAL STORY BY

William H. Andersen

Updated by

James W. Andersen

PREFACE

William (Bill) Andersen was born in 1920 in Racine, Wisconsin. After high school he went into the Army and spent time during World War II in Guam. After the service he married his wife, Vena, and enrolled at the University of Wisconsin La Crosse. He earned his degrees in history and secondary education. He was on the football team while he was in college.

After college, in 1950, Bill moved to Kankakee, Illinois and taught high school social studies there for five years. In 1955 he moved to Burlington, Wisconsin where he taught history, speech, journalism and a few other subjects. He also coached the sophomore football and basketball teams.

In 1963 he moved to Racine, Wisconsin and taught at Racine Park High School until he retired in 1985. While at Park he did not coach any sports but he was the PA announcer for most of the high school’s sports teams.

Bill passed away in 2011 at the age of 90.

This book was originally written about 1963. He tried unsuccessfully to get it published back then. Since his passing the original manuscript has been digitized and made available for all to read online. I hope you enjoy it. It is too good a story to let die so as a memorial to him I am trying to keep it alive for others to enjoy.

Dad included himself in the book as Mr. Williams, the B team coach, and me as Jimmy Andersen, the manager. I actually was an assistant manager for the B team when I was in sixth and seventh grade.

Special thanks go to mom for typing the original manuscript on her Royal manual typewriter in the days before correction fluid.

Comments are welcome. E-mail them to: [e-mail]

I miss you dad.

Your son,

Jim

INTRODUCTION

This story begins in August of 1959 in the small rural town of Foxville located somewhere in the Midwest. Football practice was about to begin for Foxville High School. Back then Friday night high school football games were the biggest events in town during the fall of the year. There were no state championships or playoffs so winning the conference championship was the highest prize possible.

The high school consisted of only three grades, grades ten through twelve. They had three football teams: the varsity, the junior varsity and the sophomore (B team). If you played a lot on the varsity you were awarded a letter which was a big F emblem in Foxville’s case that the letter winners wore proudly on their letter jacket. The jacket was in the school colors and had leather sleeves.

In those days the quarterbacks called their own plays. Most of the starters played on both offense and defense. Smoking and drinking was not allowed for high school athletes and they were expected to follow the curfew times if they wanted to be out for sports.

This book was originally written by my dad, William (Bill) Andersen, about 1964. It is based on his experience playing college football at the University of Wisconsin La Crosse and coaching the B team at Burlington, Wisconsin high school from 1955 to 1962. I remember some of the incidences in this book but I can’t vouch for all of them actually happening.

As you read the book you will probably experience a range of emotions. You will feel like laughing, crying, being sad, mad, happy, glad and surprised. While you are reading make note of the many life lessons that can be seen in this story.

If you are not that into football you can skip some of the football details and still enjoy a great story.

Win, or Else

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 High Hopes

Chapter 2 I’ll Tell ‘em, Coach

Chapter 3 A Late Addition

Chapter 4 Half A Win

Chapter 5 Rebuilding

Chapter 6 Surprises In Store

Chapter 7 Another Surprise

Chapter 8 Put Out The Fire

Chapter 9 Homecoming

Chapter 10 A Difficult Lesson

Chapter 11 Win, or Else

Chapter 12 Most Valuable

CHAPTER 1

HIGH HOPES

Foxville was anxiously looking forward to football time. Of course, this feeling was an annual occurrence in the small industrial town in the Fox River Valley. This year, however, was going to be different from past years. This was to be their year.

The Foxes had not won the conference championship for fourteen seasons. Some of these had been long years for the football team and their fans. The loyal followers of the team were anxious to tell anyone that this year the team had a good chance to win the Southern Valley – Little Eight Conference Championship.

There were many reasons for their confidence. Last year the team won five and lost only two league games. This record had been achieved with eight juniors playing regularly on the team. All eight were returning to play again this year and were naturally expected to do even better than they had done before.

The center of attention was bound to be on the Brown twins, Tim and Tom. They had been outstanding the previous year.

Tom played quarterback, a position he had filled well for the past two years. He broke into the lineup two years ago and played it all of last season. For a sophomore, he did well, but the season had been a dismal failure. Not only had the team lost every game, but they had been unable to score even one touchdown the whole season. The experience gained by the young quarterback was about the only good part of that season.

Tom’s experience last year helped him improve a lot. As a signal caller he demonstrated a fine ability to know what plays would work, and when to call them. He passed well, ran the ball when needed, was a better than average punter, and operated the team well. Some fans felt that Tom was one of the best high school quarterbacks in the state.

Tim Brown was Tom’s identical twin, which meant double trouble for opposing teams. They each carried about 185 pounds on well built bodies six feet two inches tall. They had short light hair. The girls of the school thought they were very handsome. Most of the boys envied their strong bodies which were kept in top form by participating in baseball, basketball and football.

From his position at left-halfback, Tim had become the top scorer on the team with seven touchdowns in his junior year. He was the best running back in the memory of many of the fans. When he went around end on a running play, it was almost certain that he would gain some yardage. Tom liked passing to Tim, and the brother combination connected often in games for long gains.

Although Tim was the better punter of the two, Tom kicked more often than Tim. He had learned to kick on the run. He started toward the sideline and booted the ball for a very effective quick-kick. In addition, Tom was a good field-goal kicker. With Tim holding the ball, he had successfully kicked ten of fourteen attempts last year.

The Brown twins were a good reason for the Foxville fans to view the approaching season with eager anticipation. They had both been selected on the league coaches’ all-conference team last year. The loyal boosters could see no reason why they should not be even better this year.

Most of the attention was centered on the twins, but no one forgot that six other regulars from last year’s team were returning too.

Bob Smith, called Smitty by his teammates, was returning to his position at right halfback. The coach never felt that he had reached his potential even though he had been a good back. In practice drills he was very good. He ran faster than anyone else on the team, and those who watched him were certain that he could be a great football player.

Teachers may not know much about football, but in Smitty’s case they were convinced that the boy would never become great. His mental ability was short of what it takes to become a great star.

He is a nice kid, one of them explained to the coach, but he just doesn’t think well.

The line had promise of being a strong asset for the team. Counted among the regulars on the team last year and returning for another year of competition were a guard, two tackles, and two ends.

Wayne Cain was the guard counted on to do a lot of the blocking. His specialty was pulling out of the line and leading the blocks for Tom Brown on his right end runs. He was only five feet, nine inches tall and probably weighed no more than 150 pounds in his football equipment. His speed and blocking ability were second only to his knack for tackling hard and low.

Wayne came from a farm east of town and from a large, poor family. None of the players lived near him nor were they very friendly to him. After practice he usually walked the three miles to his home alone carrying his schoolbooks, which kept him plenty busy after chores were done.

Football was high on the list of important things in the life of the little guard. While he loved to play the game, he thought of it mainly as a means to an end. Through the game he could build himself up physically, and prove that though small in size – he could still play the big boy’s game on their own terms. His B squad coach had given him a slogan which he had never forgotten. It isn’t the size of the dog which counts in a fight as much as the size of the fight in the dog.

Cain had a reputation as a book-worm among the students of his class. He enjoyed learning as much as he enjoyed football. His ambition was to be a doctor. This may have been unrealistic in relation to his ability, but it was consistent with his personality. He wanted to be the best, and the best vocation he could think of was that of a medical doctor.

The two tackles would probably be the largest in the league again this year. Jerry Small stood six feet three inches and weighed 255 pounds without his uniform on. Once his schoolmates had called him fatty, but this had given way to Tiny which was more appropriate. Tiny was not fat, he was just big. He had arms and legs twice the size of most boys his age.

No one dared to call him fatty any more. No one did, with the possible exception of Ken Whisk, the other tackle. Ken looked down on his teammates from his six foot five inch height. He played center on the basketball team after football season was over, but in the autumn he enjoyed using his 235 pounds to open holes in the opponent’s line or tackle their runners.

Whisk was not only big but he was also rough. Moreover, he was strong-willed. Often he teased his friends by doing things they did not like and then dared them to make him shut up. On the field he was all seriousness about the game. All of his teammates were glad he was on their team, rather than having to play against him.

The seniors who played end were Augie Bent and Jay Roberts. Jay was a tall, quiet, serious boy who did his job as it should be done. He had played right end on offense and defense. The left end was also a tall boy but was as talkative as Jay was quiet.

Augie announced, when he first reported for football at Foxville, Your worries are over, Coach. I’m going to be your new quarterback. After a tryout at that position, he was moved to the end position, where he had remained; a good pass catcher and fair blocker.

Several other seniors had won letters but had not played regularly last year, nor were they expected to win starting positions from the juniors this year.

Football practice would begin officially on August 29, which was one full week before school began. Conference rules prohibited any official practice before that date; but that did not prevent the fellows from holding unofficial practices.

Cain had called most of the prospective players on the phone and told them to get out for the practices. They began working out about three times a week early in August. They did not work on plays but did some exercises, running and played touch football.

Coach Andrews knew the practice sessions were being held, but did not attend. One evening his curiosity became too strong. He yielded to his desire to see how they were doing. When he drove his car into the parking lot near the field he saw the boys doing calisthenics with Wayne in front of them, calling instructions, and leading them. It was then he decided to make Cain the team captain.

Bob Andrews was looking forward to his first season as varsity coach. He had come to the school as an English teacher five years ago. His coaching duties had been as an assistant football coach and coach of the junior varsity basketball team. After last season the former football coach was forced to retire because of his health. This gave Mr. Andrews the opportunity to be the head coach, a chance which he accepted with great enthusiasm.

Andrews had been an athlete for as long as he could remember. He played three sports during his high school days. In college he had been on the football team but never made the first team. He would tell anyone who would listen that his college teammates called him Judge because he spent so much time on the bench.

Assisting Mr. Andrews in his first year as head coach was Russell