1937 BARABOO…THE UNDEFEATED, UNTIED UNSCORED UPON THRUNDERCATS

I received a note from Kevin Webster who wrote requesting information on the 1937 Baraboo team that his father Charles W. Webster, Jr remembered.  Charles told his son Kevin that the team went undefeated, untied and unscored upon.  I didn’t know of this fact until Kevin’s message was checked.  He was correct.

Coach Milo Wilson greeted his charges in early September, getting them ready for a new season.  They had posted a 4-2-1 1936 record.  There was always hope for the football squad, but most years ended in a mixed bag of success.  1936 ended on a sour note as the team lost to Portage in their annual Armistice Day game 19-0.  Baraboo had played Portage every November 11^th since 1921, with a second additional early season game in 1922 and 1923 and had only posted a 5-13 record against their archrivals.

But before their first game Coach Wilson put his players through to consultive tough scrimmages on Monday and Tuesday prior to the opening.  On the previous Saturday Wisconsin High had lost 2-touchdowns to 1 vs. Madison West in a tuneup scrimmage and sportswriters were impressed with WiHi’s. performance. Wilson had wanted his boy's ready for the opener but came away VERY unhappy with the Monday and Tuesday team practices results as the reserves took it to the starters.  Things didn’t look good for the opener against Wisconsin High.  Changes in the line were made, and Baraboo was now ready for the bigger Wisconsin High squad.  Big plays were the hallmark against Wisconsin High especially by right halfback Par Steffler who ran 75-yards for one score and returned a kickoff for 80-yards for another in the 18-0 victory.  He also had a 65-yard run from scrimmage.

The next week it was a Friday afternoon game against Viroqua. The thirty players and the coaches jammed into cars for the away game.  A number of players planned on attending the Richland Center-Sparta game later that evening.  Again, there were tough scrimmages early in the week to prepare for what was expected to be a difficult opponent.  Viroqua had held the bigger Tomah team to a 0-0 score on the previous Friday.  Agaonst Viroqua left halfback/team captain Arthur Greenhaigh tossed a 25-yar pass to Steffler who then ran the final 25-yards for a 50-yard score.  He added a three-yard run and an extra point kick.  Other than the scoring stats and a game lineup that is all the offensive/defensive information that the Baraboo News Republic paper offered.

It was a tough battle in another away game verses Reedsburg, a 7-0 victory.  Baraboo played daylight games, but Reedsburg had lights, so it was a novelty, but the game proved to be costly for the Thundercat’s.  Starting halfback Arthur Greenhalgh was injured and lost for the rest of the season.  In the first quarter Greenhalgh was moved out to a flanker spot after the opening kickoff went out of bounds on his teams 35.  Quarterback James Welake handed the ball to Steffler who ran right, got a great block from Greenhalgh and sped 53-yards down the right sideline before being tackled.  Greenhalgh was injured on the play with a dislocated shoulder.  Three plays later Welske scored from the two and Steffler kicked the extra point. Even with some great passing by Welske the team failed to score the rest of the game. One long pass to Steffler ended on the Reedsburg one-yard line yet they couldn’t score.

October 15 brought a home match up with Sparta and the new left halfback was Russ Hall.  Coach Milo Wilson sort of took it easy on his charges as they worked mainly on passing drills.  The other replacement halfback was Howard Thoenig who scored three times on runs and a reception and Steffler kicked the lone extra point in the 19-0 win over Sparta.

The Tomah game was the final road game for the Thundercat’s, and they went into the event cocky and overconfident.  Tomah was ready for Baraboo, and they were held to another 7-0 victory.  The touchdown was created by backup quarterback Ted Deppe who threw the lone score to Russ Hall.  James Welske scored the extra point.

With the team being tied down by Tomah they determined to make a better offensive showing against Richland Center.  Things started slow for Baraboo but in the second quarter Steffler tossed a pass to Thoenig for a 50-yard touchdown. The extra point by Steffler was made. Ted Deppe scored from the one and Steffler converted again.  In the third junior fullback Gerald Haskins went in from the thirty-five on a brilliant run and in the fourth Steffler ran in from the five.  Wilson played many backups throughout the game, adding much needed experience.

Having lost to rival Portage in 1936 19-0, Baraboo wanted to make their annual Armistice Day game the topping to their splendid season.  In the second quarter, with the ball on Portages 27, Wilson called a trick play.  Haskins took a handoff, followed by a lateral to Welske who did the same to Steffler who ran down the right side for the touchdown.  In the third period Jim Welske intercepted a pass and returned it 55-yards for a score.  Steffer missed the second extra point attempt.  With five minutes left in the game and Portage stymied, Steffler ran 35-yuards for the final score and Paul Cloyd kicked the extra point for a final score of 19-0. 

While there were many long runs it was the offensive and defensive lines that really led the team’s efforts.  Not a high scoring squad (123 points) but it was the opportunistic character of Baraboo to succeed, and they did so as one of the 11 known undefeated, untied and unscored (Minimum of seven games played) all-time teams.  It was a tribute that the defense never allowed an opponent to venture inside the Baraboo 15-yard line.  Tomah would end the year second in the conference standings, Portage would finish sixth and the Baraboo Thunderbirds won their first ever South Central high school Conference title.  In scoring, Pat Steffler not only led the conference in scoring with 35 points (Five touchdowns and five extra points) and added three more in the non-conference opener against Wisconsin High. 

Milo Wilson came to Baraboo in 1935 from Lake Mills where he had produced a Rock Valley conference champion in 1934.  His 1935 Baraboo team placed second in the South Central and his 1936 team finished third.  Wilson graduated from the University of Wisconsin having lettered in football and earning a teaching degree.  He stayed at Baraboo until 1940 as a coach, teacher and athletic director when he took a coaching/teaching position at West Rockford High School.  He would coach varsity football, sophomore basketball and teach mathematics and physical education at that school.

THANKS TO KEVIN WEBSTER FOR THE LEAD ON THE STORY.