Search Surnames

Collins School Chronological Biography
Part 7: Fall 1952–Spring 1956

Story Co. Home Page
Page 514 of 1013

The Annual Collins Alumni Association dinner - dance will be Friday evening, May 20, at 6:30 P.M. in the high school building.

Sub-state Baseball Tournament at Roland: First round/Semi-finals - Collins had a tough time in edging Slater 11-10. Collins went on a slugging spree, five of their nine hits for extra bases. Long, Dodd, and Thornton hit home runs and Vasey and Kilgore hit triples. Slater had the tying run on third base with nobody out in the last inning, but Vasey retired the side on three strikeouts. Nichol caught. Collins' scoring - four in the first inning, three in the third, three in the fourth and one in the seventh. Slater had scored two runs in the seventh inning in their comeback effort. Lineup: GeneFitzgerald (55) (3b) 1 hit; Ronnie Long (55) (2b) 1 hit; John Vasey (56) (p) 1 hit; Jack Kilgore (55) (1b) 1 hit; Jerry Nichol (56) (c) 1 hit; Larry Laird (56) (rf) 0 hits; Jim Dodd (56) (ss) 2 hits; Jerry Thornton (55) (cf) 2 hits; Ben Clark (57) (lf) 1 hit.

Finals - Coach Louis Schrader's Clippers topped Geneva 4-3 to win the Sub-State Championship. Collins' four runs all came in the sixth inning on doubles by Jim Dodd and Jerry Thornton, both connected with two out and strike 2 count on the batters and 2 men on base. Ronnie Long's double and single by John Vasey accounted for Collins' other hits. Vasey pitched seven innings. Runs - 3, hits - 4, strikeouts - 9, walks - 2. Nichol was the catcher. Winning the Sub-state advances the local boys to play in the State Tournament to be held in Cedar Rapids, beginning Saturday of this week.

Iowa High School Baseball State Tournament at Cedar Rapids: First round - The Collins high school baseball team was edged out by Loras Academy of Dubuque, 5-4. The Collins boys out hit their opponents and topped them in earned runs, their defeat in the thrilling contest coming as a result of five errors to one for Loras. John Vasey pitched seven innings. Runs - 5, hits - (?), strikeouts - 12, walks (?). Nichol caught. Loras, which had been favored to win the tournament, used two pitchers. (Loras has the largest enrollment of any school entered in the state tournament - nearly 1200, while Collins high school has enrollment of 62 - the smallest.) Collins scored one run in the fourth, two in the fifth and one in the seventh. Collins collected seven hits. Loras scored their winning run in the seventh inning. GeneFitzgerald (55) (3b) 1 hit; Ronnie Long (55) (2b) 1 hit; John Vasey (56) (p) 1 hit; Jack Kilgore (55) (1b) 2 hits; Jerry Nichol (56) (c) 0 hits; Jerry Thornton (55) (cf) 1 hit; Jim Dodd (56) (ss) 0 hits; Larry Laird (56) (rf) 0 hits; Ben Clark (57) (lf) 1 hit. Coach Schrader asked us to pass on his sincere thanks to the public for the loyal support given the team throughout the playing season and the tournaments. This support is appreciated by the boys as well as by their coach.

Congrats Baseball Team - About 43 autos journeyed to State Center to meet the baseball team as they returned from the State Tourney on Sunday Afternoon. The surprised, but happy boys, and Mr. Schrader rode the rest of the way home on the Legion Fire Truck. A police escort stopped traffic on Highway 30 at Colo so the caravan could safely stay together. The town park was the end of the trail. Mr. Schrader introduced the team, Chuck Kimberley paid complements on behalf of all, and "Curley" Carver, a member of the high school team that was state champs more than 30 years ago (1924) paid his tributes. Pop, pie, cake, and ice cream nicely finished the day.

Page 514 of 1013

© 2016–2024 Mark Christian
[Search Surnames] [Introduction] [Story Co. Home Page ]