“Sad Day When We Lose A Man Like Rob Dean”

That succinct observation needs no embellishment. It comes from Dave Vetta, two-time All-Suburban running back at the Bay, a teammate of Rob Dean and a captain on the Whitefish Bay football team that came out of nowhere to win the 1971 Suburban Conference football championship. https://www.feerickfuneralhome.com/obituary/robert-dean Rob's passing has resulted in reverberating shock waves through … Continue reading “Sad Day When We Lose A Man Like Rob Dean” →

The Whitefish Bay 1948 Grade School Free Throw Tournament

The privileged few among us who had the skills, temperament, wits and coolness under pressure to win a trophy at the all-important annual Whitefish Bay Grade School Free Throw Tournament realize just how important it was as an accomplishment, cherished life-long, that steered us to prodigious success throughout our lives. Perhaps the most interesting tournament … Continue reading The Whitefish Bay 1948 Grade School Free Throw Tournament →

Memorial Day: Jack Hustis

Jack Hustis graduated from the Bay in 1942 and died prior to the second anniversary of his high school graduation. College was never in the immediate cards for most male and many female graduates in the Class of 1942. Jack grew up at 712 E. Henry Clay St. The house still exists between two apartment … Continue reading Memorial Day: Jack Hustis →

Tom Dakin Update

A classmate of Tom Dakin saw the 14.0 piece, let Tom know about it and Tom got in touch with me after reading it. That resulted in several email exchanges and phone calls. I'm grateful for Tom's time. And particularly, his amazing and brutal honesty when discussing the events in his athletic career and … Continue reading Tom Dakin Update →

Dave McDermott: Friendly, Intensely Focused Leader

Dave McDermott, a member of the Bays phenomenal class of 1963, is the most decorated distance runner in Whitefish Bay history. He was a key member of three State Champion and eight Suburban Conference Champion teams. He won two State individual titles and had three more top-5 finishes at State. He won seven individual Suburban … Continue reading Dave McDermott: Friendly, Intensely Focused Leader →

Joe Kiehm: “But All Fury Broke Loose”

The Bay had a lot of outstanding -- and criminally forgotten -- athletes in the Suburban Conference era. Joe Kiehm was in the Bays 13th graduating class in 1946 and was one of the Bays most accomplished athletes to that time. And it's not like there have been many, if any, Bay athletes better than … Continue reading Joe Kiehm: “But All Fury Broke Loose” →

So Just How Good Was Tom Dakin’s 14.0 In The 120 High Hurdles In 1962?

"The Class A and State Record is 14 Flat Set by Tom Dakin of Whitefish Bay in 1962." Anybody who attended the State Track Meet from 1965 to 1979 heard PA announcer Bill Cross blast out those memorable words in that unique, booming voice. Bill had been the Bays head track coach from 1958 to … Continue reading So Just How Good Was Tom Dakin’s 14.0 In The 120 High Hurdles In 1962? →

What’s Up With That 44.2 440 Relay In 1942?

Here are the Bay school records for relay events as they stood in 1967. So who are these ?? ? guys from 1942 and is it believable that they ran the 440 Relay in 44.2? After all, the great Bay sprinting teams of 1969 to 1971 ran 44.2, 44.1 and 44.1 when winning the event … Continue reading What’s Up With That 44.2 440 Relay In 1942? →

1946: Mothers Day

Shorewood and West Allis Central did some monopolizing, but not enough, apparently. The Bay, led by double-event champions Bob Brown, Fritz Forrer and Jim Mitchell, won six events and somehow found a way to win the Suburban Relays by 20 points. They did this despite missing sprinters Joe Kiehm, Jim Bremer and John Smith due … Continue reading 1946: Mothers Day →

The Bay 440 School Record Progression

In 1948 LeRoy Collins of Green Bay East became the first WIAA athlete to run the 440 in under 50 seconds at the State Meet, turning in a 49.5 at Camp Randall. The number of sub-50's run in the years directly after at any Wisconsin high school meet were few and far between. And no … Continue reading The Bay 440 School Record Progression →

Tom Callahan: The Great Ones Do It On The Day

At the State Track Meet nobody cares what you've done during the season or during your career. The only thing that matters is what you do on the day of the State Meet. Heading into his senior season in 1975, Tom Callahan had put together a solid career in the Pole Vault. In his first … Continue reading Tom Callahan: The Great Ones Do It On The Day →

1947: Howie Smith Bringin’ The Heat

I don't want to live in a world where polka dot shorts aren't in style.

1946: Bad News For The Rest Of The Suburban Conference

The Bay had Fritz Forrer and they didn't.

Brian Bergemann: A Reliable Boy

Brian Bergemann, class of 1962, is one of the great pole vaulters in state history. This is a difficult write-up. Since Brian was so over-the-top dominant, there simply isn't all that much that can be added to the record. As a sophomore in 1960, Brian was an understudy to senior Bob Pepper, one of the … Continue reading Brian Bergemann: A Reliable Boy →

Howie Zien: The 10 Letter Man

Howie Zien, class of 1967, was one of the great Bay athletes, a true Mount Rushmore type. He won an astounding 10 letters -- three football, three basketball and four track and field. His senior year was as good as it gets: team captain on Suburban Conference champion football, basketball and track teams. Howie’s well-deserved … Continue reading Howie Zien: The 10 Letter Man →