Fine Season Record: The Collins team has a season record of 11 wins and 4 defeats, and John Vasey has season record of 12 victories against 3 losses. The team loses Jack Kilgore, Ronnie Long, and Jerry Thornton by graduation. The team won the Sectional, District, and Sub-state Championships and for the first time in near thirty years gave C. H. S. a State Tournament entry.
(Insert 2005: Collins was State Champions in 1924. The tournament system was much different in 1924 - please refer to Collins School Biography of April and May 1924 further information. Collins' team also played in 1928 State Tournament, losing in an early round.)
Baseball 1955 Spring Season Summary: Collins won - Rhodes 15-0, Huxley 12-0, Maxwell 12-9, Mingo 10-1, Slater 3-2. Lost - East Des Moines 10-5, Clemons 10-7, Lincoln of Des Moines 13-3.
Sectional Tourney: Collins won - Shipley 13-2, Melbourne 11-2 for championship.
District Tourney: Collins won - Victor 9-2, Laurel 8-1 for championship.
Sub-State Tourney: Collins won - Slater 11-10, Geneva 4-3 for championship.
State Tourney: First round - Collins lost - Loras Academy of Dubuque 5-4.
Team members - Starting nine:John Vasey (56) (p); Jerry Nichol (56) (c); Jack Kilgore (55) (1b); Ronnie Long (55) (2b); Gene Fitzgerald (55) (3b); Jim Dodd (56) (ss); Ben Clark (57) (1f); Jerry Thornton (55) (cf); Larry Laird (56) (rf). Other team members: Bill Ballard (56) (of); David Fitzgerald (57) (if); Bob Rice (56) (of); Elliott Partridge (57) (of); Norlyn Smith (57) (c); Rex Morrison (56) (of); Pat Fitzgerald (58) (if); Darwin Luing (58) (of); George Keagle (56) (of); Jerry Dodd (59) (of); Jerry Huffman (57) (of); Lawrence Horn (59) (of). Coach - Louis Schrader.
May 26, 1955 Class Day - The Senior Program consisted of reading Class History (Jack); the Last Will and Testament (Gene); Prophesy (Jerry); Solo by Mauris; Song by the Trio (Sandra, Maris, and Mary). The girls acted a skit "Ladies of the Mop," and the boys did an original skit of "The Bony Stranger and Pronto." To conclude the program, Mary presented the teachers with certificates of award. The next event was Presentation of Awards to high school students. Valedictorian Award - Mary McGrane, Salutatorian Award - Maris Slauson, Close Second to Salutatorian - Janet Evans, Citizenship Award - Maris Slauson, Special Pins Awarded for Four Years Perfect Attendance - Max Bach and Ronnie Long, Danforth Foundation Award - Mary McGrane and Jack Kilgore, Agriculture Award - Gene Fitzgerald. Mr. Lawson presented Activity Medals - Maris Slauson, Sandra Long, Janet Evans, Jack Kilgore, Jerry Nichol, Gene Fitzgerald, Mary McGrane. Mr. Schrader presented letters to the athletic teams and awards to Janet Evans and Jack Kilgore as the outstanding senior athletes. Certificates of Award and Participation in Activities were awarded to everyone in high school.
This and That - The seniors very much enjoyed the Alumni Banquet and looked forward to the next one when they will be official members. We are proud of our baseball team, we think they are tops. "This is my last issue of the Optic. I say thanks to Army for his patience and to all my helpers on the paper staff. Also to Mrs. Jackson who checks the paper for errors. ~ Editor, Mary McGrane