Little Arlington vs. Elgin: I was 12 years old in March of 1949 when a friend's mother drove several of us to Woodstock to watch Elgin play Arlington in the regional on a stage that was the school's gym. I was a high school basketball fan even then, and the big news in Arlington Heights all week was that Arlington head coach Gene Bell had kicked off his only size, a 6-foot-5 center, for get-ting caught smoking by the football coach at a local restaurant. So Bell had to send his team with nobody bigger than 5-10 against mighty and No. 1 Elgin and its 6-7 Bob Peterson and 6-5 Bob Survant. Arlington, trailing by 6 after three periods, closed to within 1 point at 48-47 with a minute left on a basket by Gordon Busse. Elgin put on a stall, but Busse stole the ball and passed to Lloyd Meyer (long-time Arlington Heights American Le-gion baseball coach). Meyer hesitated and then shot with the ball bouncing high off the back of the rim. Elgin got the rebound and killed the clock. I have always kidded Meyer, a great hustler and defensive player but certainly not the greatest shooter on that team, about being the one to take that last shot. "Why you, Lloyd, of all people?" He can only laugh now.
-Bob Frisk,
Daily Herald Managing Editor/Sports
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Baugh and Henderson: I've been going to Elgin High basketball games for the past 14 years. The two biggest memories that come to mind are:
The Field House was packed. Everybody went crazy. Elgin wins in dramatic fashion, 60-58.
I love Elgin High basketball. I want to wish Elgin congratulations for 100 years of high school basket-ball. I look forward to this year tournament and 100 more exciting years. Elgin High basketball - you've got to love it.
-Kevin Heffron, Elgin
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Boys and girls are great: I have so many memories from Elgin High basketball I can't choose just one. These are two of my favorites. At one game Melissa Parker and Kim Pompa decided to dump water all over coach Turek. I was little, and I was afraid they would get a technical. Luckily, it was the end of the game so they didn't. The second one is when the girls went down state. I had such a great time cheering them on. I got to have my picture taken with Parker on the floor of Redbird Arena. There is only one word to describe the basketball at Elgin High over the last 100 years, both boys and girls, that word is Awesome with a capital "A.''
-Sarah Shannon,
sixth grade, age 12
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Special nights: I remember having Elgin High basketball season tickets during most of the '70s, which were the years that my two children attended Elgin High and even for years after because we enjoyed seeing Elgin High play. They were very exciting games.
We sat on the parents' side, and our children sat with their friends on the other. We especially liked going when they played my husband's and my alma mater - East Aurora.
We usually went with another couple who have been our friends for years. We made a whole night of it going early to the fresh/soph game and then going out to eat after the games.
- Ruth
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Scalper's delight: My best memory: A tie - scalping tickets to big games to adults when I was a just a junior in 1975... and it was in 1974 during a game at EHS when a reserve guard named Tom Michel made the first and most unbelievable "no-look" pass I had ever seen. It was to Keith Howard, who scored. Michel's head never moved, and it was a bullet. The crowd gasped twice as long for that pass than they did for the ensuing basket.
Worst memory? The Regional championship game in 1975 against Larkin. Elgin was picked prior to the tourney as a dark horse to win it all by the Sun-Times. I remember exactly where I sat and still look at that area every time I go to that gym and get sick thinking about it. It taught me that on any given day you can lose and in sports to take nothing for granted.
-John Prigge
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Great seats: The thing I remember most was going to games at the old Elgin High gym. We would have to get there early to stand in line for the balcony tickets since all others were split season tickets. My friend and I would run down to Friedricksons' grocery store, a.k.a. Marlboro Corner, and load up with potato chips and other junk foods. I think we had to be in line some-where between 4:30 and 5 so we could be the first in the door and get the front-row balcony seats. We didn't care how cold it was.
The atmosphere was intense every night. The whole community was there to watch. Little did I know.
-Mark Sharf
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Ches, Jim and more: I could document enough memories that would require their own page. Whether they are worth printing is another story. I think my first memories of the Ma-roons was the season that they lost to Marshall at McGaw Hall. I re-member being upset with my par-ents because they would not take me to the game. Elgin lost, but the memories really take off from there.
Most of those memories center around the old gym at Gifford and DuPage streets. My father argu-ably had the best seat in the gym. It was located at the east end of the gym directly beneath the basket. That was the basket that was sup-ported by the balcony. God forbid when anyone other than Elgin would shoot free throws because the balcony would shake so bad the basket followed suit.
From time to time, I got to sit with my dad or would sit on the floor between his legs.
The game that stands out the most was Feb. 23, 1964, when Elgin hosted Willowbrook High, which came rated No. 1 in Illinois. Well, the Maroons blew them back to Villa Park by pounding them 82-66. The place was SRO. I cannot ever re-member that place being that loud. As I remember it, Elgin led from start to finish. It was a physical game. There were a total of 75 free throws attempted. Elgin finished with 4 players in double figures.
That same season, my uncle played for St. Edward's Phil Kirk and Chuck Hundley use to tease me how ter-rible St. Edward was and that if they played them it would be no contest. Well, they called it. They played in the regional semi-finals at Larkin and the Maroons won big, 82-47. It was the only game I can remember cheering against Elgin. It was hard to watch my uncle play his last game.
The next season, Elgin's first game was a rematch against Wil-lowbrook. Elgin did not fare as well this time, losing 80-61. Also that season were the first two games versus Larkin. The Royals won them both by 4 points. It was af-ter the second loss that I under-stood the meaning of the word ri-valry.
I remember always wanting to play for coach Chesbrough. But, when it came time to choose my high school, I followed my friends to St. Edward's. I do not regret my decision. St. Edward's is a great school. But there is a part of me that still wishes that I could have played for Ches.
I have been fortunate to have spent the last nine years as coach Harrington's assistant. It is not the same as getting to play for Ches, but it is a close second. I have been part of some very good teams during the last nine years, but it will take one hell of a team to ac-complish what our team did that finished 30-2 two seasons ago.
There are so many great memories about Elgin Basketball. What I have shared with you is just a small sampling of my memories as an Elgin High fan.
GO YOU MAROONS!
-Mike Termini
