Barney Holland – 1950
Marshfield
Graduate
Barney Holland was born in
Marshfield
on May 11, 1932. He attended
Harding
Grade School
,
Marshfield
Junior High School
and
Marshfield
graduating in 1950.
While attending
Marshfield
he was a three-year varsity basketball starter.
These teams won three district championships and went to three
state tournaments. Against
state competition the teams placed 3rd, 2nd and 4th,
compiling an overall record of 94 wins and 18 losses.
Barney earned All-District and All-State honors his junior and
senior years. He was the
first Pirate in history to score over 1000 point (1025) in his high
school career.
As a football player he was the
starting quarterback during his junior and senior years.
His senior year the team won the district championship and
reached the state semi-finals. The
Pirates lost at LaGrande in a hard fought game 7 to 6.
Barney was named All-District and All-State.
He played in the 1950 Shriner All-Star game.
Barney received a
football/basketball scholarship to the
University
of
Oregon
in 1950. At
Oregon
he was a two-year football letterman as quarterback.
His most notable achievement was leading the Ducks to a 13-6
victory over the highly ranked U.S.C. Trojans, passing for the winning
touchdown.
Basketball wise Barney was a three
year letterman, being named the team M.V.P. in 1954.
He was also named 1st team All-Northern Division and 2nd
team All-Coast. In addition
he set the U of O single game scoring record of 32 points.
The record stood for eight years.
In 2003 Barney was inducted into the
Ducks Hall of Fame for
football and basketball.
Upon his graduation from
Oregon
in 1954 he entered the Air Force and received his pilots wings in 1956.
In 1958 he started a high school
teaching/coaching career that lasted 32 years.
It included stops at
Lebanon
, North Eugene and
Aloha
High Schools
, plus two years as assistant basketball coach at
Oregon
.
Barney’s basketball teams won
three state championships and ten district championships.
He received numerous honors as a basketball coach including
“Oregon Basketball Coach of the Year” in 1966, 1976 1977 and 1989,
“The West Coast National Coach of the Year” in 1967 and
“McDonald’s Coach of the Year” in 1977.
Barney married Mary Jane Rud in 1955
and currently resides in
Beaverton
,
Oregon
. This December 23rd
Mary Jane and Barney will be celebrating their 49th wedding
anniversary. Their son David
is a also a basketball coach at
Aloha
High School
. Their daughter Sara
coached volleyball at
LaPine
High School
. There is a six year
old grandson Mack Fox, who Barney thoroughly enjoys coaching and playing
with.
Ron Robins
– 1951
Marshfield
Graduate.
Ron
Robins was born at home on January 10, 1934 in
McMinnville
,
Oregon
to Charles and Laura Robins. In
1939 they moved to
Silverton
,
Oregon
where he started the first grade at age 5.
Ron was in the third grade when his family moved to
Coos
Bay
.
Ron
started playing organized sports in Junior High School, where he played
softball, basketball, tennis and participated in track.
At
Marshfield
he played tennis his sophomore and junior years and earned two varsity
letters. In the summer of
1948 he won the State tournament (15 years and under), he took 4th
in the state High School tournament his junior year but did not play
tennis his senior year.
While
at MHS, Mr. Robins earned three varsity letters playing football for
Pete Susick. As a junior, he
was the only player to be selected unanimously for 1st team
District honors. His senior
year he served as a co-captain and was selected to play in the
Shriner’s All-Star football game.
Unfortunately, Ron was not able to play in the Shriner’s game
as he broke his collarbone in practice.
He
earned three letters in varsity basketball as a starter his sophomore,
junior and senior years and was captain during his senior year.
In 1949, was named as 1st team All-State and was told that he was
among the youngest players ever to gain All-State honors.
Ron’s junior year he was named to the 2nd team
All-State and his senior year was
again named to the 1st team All-State and also 1st
team by United Press. Bill
Borcher listed Ron as one of his “Top 10 Players” while he was coach
at
Marshfield
.
Ron
graduated from
Marshfield
High School
in 1951 and entered Oregon State College (University now), where he
earned a 4-year basketball scholarship playing under the famed
“Slats” Gill, coach. Ron
earned 4 letters at
Oregon
State
and was a starter his sophomore, junior and senior years and was captain
his senior year. He was
named to the 2nd team Northern Division Pacific Coast
Conference his junior year.
Oregon
State
was the Pacific Coast Champion in 1955, his senior year and the team was
ranked 8th in the nation.
“Slats” Gill listed Mr. Robins as 2nd on his all
time two-handed set shooter and as a scorer from mid-court or long shot.
Coach “Slats” listed Ron as tied for 3rd as best
clutch player. (“Slats”
coached at
Oregon
State
for 36 years.)
In
1956 he graduated from
Oregon
State
with a Business Administration degree and two years in ROTC.
Ron was inducted into the Air Force as a commissioned 2nd
Lt. After induction in
San Antonio
,
Texas
, his first assignment was basic flight training in
Hondo
,
Texas
. After 6 months he was
assigned to multi-engine training at Reese Air Force Base in
Lubbock
,
Texas
. On a trip to
Dallas
to see the NCAA basketball tournament in 1957 Ron met his future wife,
Helen who was a Braniff Airways hostess. The two were married 9 months
later, after Ron finished B-47 Strategic Air Command training in
Wichita
,
Kansas
.
After
completing his three years duty in the Air Force, and being honorably
discharged, Ron and Helen moved back to the Northwest.
In 1962, Ron joined the sales staff at Boise Cascade Corporation
in
Seattle
and his daughter Lori was born that year.
In 1963 he was transferred to
Boise
,
ID
where he has lived every since. 1966
son Phil was born and in 1972 he left Boise Cascade to start a career in
Real Estate and eventually had a Real Estate Brokerage in
Boise
until retirement in 1997.
Ron
has two grandsons, Travis and Dillon who live in Seattle with their
parents Lori & Paul Heist and his
son Phil lives in Fort Collins, Co.
Ron & Helen enjoy traveling and their favorite place to visit
is
Cannon Beach
,
Oregon
.
Eldon
L. “Spike” Hillstrom
1953 MHS Graduate
Spike went to
Harding
Grade School
, Marshfield Junior High, and
Marshfield
High School
.
Played
football under Pete Susick. Sophomore
year played in State Championship game against Grant HS and named 3rd
team
All
State
. Junior Year played
fullback and linebacker, Pirates won district and lost to
Grants Pass
in quarterfinals.
Grants Pass
won that year. Senior year
was All-District, All-State and All American: Wigwam Wise Men of
America. Selected to play in
Shrine Game.
Spike Played
basketball at
Marshfield Jr.
High School
under Bruce Hoffine. Played
basketball under Bill Borcher 1950-51 and Hoffine 1952-53.
Played in the state tournament all 4 years.
The team won state championship in 1953 (senior year).
Lost only three games in four years in the state tournament.
Lettered all four years and was All District junior and senior
years. Listed on Bill
Borcher’s “Top 10 Players of MHS”.
Spike accepted
a football scholarship to
University
of
Oregon
and played guard and linebacker. Was
named All Northern Division Junior and Senior Years.
Graduated 1957 with a Bachelor of Science degree in secondary
education.
Career &
Family
1957
– 1958 Grants Pass Freshman Football (Mel Ingram Varsity Coach):
taught Geography.
1958
– 1959 North Salem High School Offensive Line coach:
Assist. basketball coach: taught
US History and Government.
1959
– 1960 Appointed Head Football coach after 3rd game due to
illness of Head Coach Mel Fox Played for State Championship; lost to
David Douglas
1960-1961
Record of 7-2 Lost coin-flip for play-offs (only year to miss)
1961
- 1962 Won District, lost to
Beaverton
in the quarterfinals
1962
– 1963 Won District, lost to
Medford
in the quarterfinals
1963
– 1964 Won District, tied Grant in the State Championship 7-7.
Assistant coach Shrine Game 1963, Head coach Shrine Game 1964
(first coach to have been a previous player in the Shrine Game).
1965
- 1976 Accepted position as offensive line coach
United
State
Air
Force
Academy
(Ben Martin Head Coach), Sugar Bowl 1971, Recruited for AFA in
Oregon
, Northern, CA.,
Washington
and
Idaho
. Set up numerous football
clinics in these areas.
In
1976 Spike started a new career in the restaurant business.
After 25 years, he sold the business to his son.
Spike’s wife is Sherry (Thaxton, MHS 1953), is a professional
artist and they have been married 49 years.
Together they raised Kellie, a buyer for boutique, Michael, a
teacher and football coach at Air Academy HS and Jeffrey, owner of The
Mission Inn Restaurant. Spike
is retired and lives in
Colorado Springs
,
CO
.
John
Johnson – MHS Graduate 1955
Born in
Webster
City
,
Iowa
in 1937.
Was a 3 sport
athlete all four years of high school from 1952-1955.
Played Football for Pete Susick and was a 3 year letterman.
Played halfback on State Co-Champion Team of 1954.
Named 1st team All-State and 2nd team
All-American.
Played
starting guard in basketball and was coached by Bruce Hoffine.
Was coached by Walt McClure in track and was a four year
letterman. At the county
meet John was champion in the 100 yard dash all four years of high
school. Was 4th place at State meet in 100 and 220 as a
junior. District Champ in
100 yard dash and 2nd in 220 as a senior.
An injury prevented him from participating in the state meet.
Attended U of
O on full ride football/academic scholarship, but career ending knee
injury during Shrine Game practices prevented college athletic
participation.
John married
his sweetheart (then & now) Rosalie Gilfillan in 1957.
Graduated U of O in 1959 and returned to Coos Bay to begin his
career as an educator and started his family of four terrific sons.
John taught all subjects of math at Marshfield for 33 years.
He coached athletics at MHS for 42 years.
Coached as a 3 sport assistant alongside Susick, Hoffine and
McClure in football, basketball & track for 17 consecutive years
1965-1981.
In football he
was the head coach from 1980-1988 (four years in the state playoffs).
Was assistant coach during the state 2nd place team of
1969 and was assistant coach during the 1992 state championship team and
1994 state runner up team. John
retired from teaching in 1992 but continued coaching and currently helps
his son Marty with the successful program at Sheldon High School.
He coached
basketball for 24 years at Marshfield.
John was the boys’ head coach for four years and in the state
tournament 2 of those 4 years. “District
Coach of Year” in 1978. Head
Girls Basketball coach for three years.
Worked as assistant coach with Bruce Hoffine for 15 years with 3
state tournament teams in 1968, 70 and 71.
John coached
track for over 20 years primarily in the sprints and jumps.
To this day he still volunteers at Marshfield’s home track meet
as the head judge in the long jump at Pete Susick Stadium.
John also tutor’s math to home school and college students and
recently helped with 5th grade students at Coburg Elementary.
Michelle Menkens
– 1974 Marshfield Graduate
1961-1970 – Age Group swimming
starting at age 5.
1970-1971 – Joined the Tacoma Swim Club under Dick Hannula.
Participated in my first Sr. Nationals in
Huston, Tx.
1971-1973 – Our family moved to Hot Springs, Arkansas and did not
swim.
1973-1974 – Returned to Coos Bay, Oregon.
Swam for Marshfield High School.
State
Champion in the 50 Free, 2nd in the 100 Free.
Qualified for Sr. Nationals
6th place in Junior Nationals.
Also graduation from Marshfield.
1974-1978 – University of Oregon.
Collegiate National Champion in the 50 Free in 1975.
Qualified for
Nationals every year. Ten
time All-American Voted Oregon’s Athlete of the Year in the Spring of
1975.
Graduated in 1978 with bachelor’s degree in Physical Education.
1978-1980 – Substitute taught and coached Cottage Grove School
District. One year contract
at Albany
High
School. Coached boys and
girls swimming.
1980 -Moved
to Tacoma, Wa. And started working for Weyerhaeuser Company in wood
products.
1993
- Inducted into the University of
Oregon Hall of Fame.
Present – Working for Huttig Building Products as a product manager
for all panel Sales. Responsible
for
five
different locations, 25 million in sales.
Michelle has two boys Aaron 17 and Charlie 11.
The
1947 Marshfield State Championship Basketball Team
Head Coach:
Bill Borcher – Born
in Minnesota 1919, Graduated North Bend High School 1937.
Graduate of U of O, US Navy 1942-46,
Marshfield Head Basketball Coach 1946-51.
Founded Oregon Jazz Band Coos Bay 1947, Head Men’s Basketball
Coach University of Oregon 1951-56.
Personnel Director of US Plywood Corp Roseburg 1956-62, received
Education Degree U of O 1964. Associate
Dean American River College Sacramento 1964-1983, founded the Sacramento
Jubilee Festival 1972. Retired
to Coos Bay 1983, died 2003.
Assistant
Coach: Pete Susick
– 1946-1978 Head Football
coach at MHS. 235 wins, 69
losses & 18 ties. 1955
& 1956 State Titles, 1954 Co-Champs, 2 state runner-ups and 13
playoff teams. 1947-64
Assistant Basketball Coach at MHS, State Champs 1947 & 1953, state
runner-ups 1959, ’60, ’62. Awards
include ’54 Lion’s Club “Citizen of the Year”, ‘55 “Hayward
Champion of Champions”, ’56 Oregon Sportswriter & Broadcaster at
Hayward Banquet of Champions, ’68 “High School Coach of Year” by
Oregon Journal, ’70 Coos Bay Lion’s 25 years of Outstanding Service
to Youth of Community, ’73 “Football Coach of the Year” for 8th
District in United States for coaching record, honors and contributions
to the sport, ’79 “Bill Hayward Banquet Merit Award, ’85 Susick
Stadium named in his honor, ’94 State of Oregon Hall of Fame inductee,
Winningest Oregon High School Coach in History, 2000 North Bend Hall
Sports Hall of Fame Inductee, ’51, ’53, ’56, ’69 Shrine Head
Football Coach , ’48 Shrine Assistant Football Coach, 2004 Marshfield
Sports Hall of Fame Inductee. Pete
lives in North Bend, OR with his wife Marcella.
Players:
Bill Anderson
- 1948 MHS Graduate, Linfield
College 4 years, 1952 graduate, bachelor’s degree in Business
Administration. Married
Nona Neilson from Helena, Montana in 1952.
Two sons, Greg, married lives in Seattle, & Rick married
lives in San Diego, Two grandchildren.
Joined The World in 1952, 1961 joined Capital Press an
agricultural weekly in Salem. 1965 became the advertising manager and
1972 Printing department. Retired
from Capital Press in 1992. Lives
in Arizona from Nov – April and returns to Salem for the summer.
Marv Flitcroft
- 1947 MHS Graduate.
Played Basketball 4 years. Team
place 1st, 2nd & 3rd , Played
football, senior year was selected to the Shrine team.
Attended Linfield college, played football, named All-Conference
End his senior year, graduated 1953.
Married Patricia Gaines, 1952.
Two sons, Steve and Scott. Served
in US Army in Korea, Coached 1 year at Linfield College, while
completing Master’s Degree. 1956
began teaching & coaching at Dayton HS.
1959 accepted teaching & coaching position at Franklin High
School. Athletic Director,
Vice Principal, 7 years at Cleveland High School, Coached Little League,
Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Cleveland High School gives the
“Marv Flitcorft Award” to a graduating senior each year, retired in
1987. In 1991 Portland
Public Schools named Marv (posthumously) to the “PIL Hall of Fame”.
Chosen that year were: Mark Cotton, Hal Ellmers, A.C. Green, June
Jones & Marv Flitcroft. Marv
died of cancer in 1989.
Richard Moen
– 1947 MHS Graduate.
Went to work at CB Lumber. 1949
Decked on Tug, Empire Tug Co. 1950
drafted US Army basic training Camp Polk, LA. 1951 Hokido, Japan then to
Korea a forward observer, 155 Howitzer Battery.
1952 decked for Knutson Tow Boats.
1955 boat operator for Knutson Tow Boats.
1990 Retired and have enjoyed the last 14 years.
Richard Mobley –
1947 MHS Graduate.
U of O 1947 & 48, played football. Also
played in 1953 & 54 with service time in between.
The 1948 team went to the Cotton Bowl and in Jan. 1949 team was
inducted into the State of Oregon Sports Hall of Fame.
The team was inducted into the U of O Sports Hall of Fame 1993.
Worked for Pacific Adhesives Co. glues & sealants, and in
1967 H.B. Fuller Co (plywood mills).
I had two children with my first wife before divorcing and now am
married to Bertie who has four children.
We travel in our motor home, play golf and reside in Tigard, Or.
Ron Runge
- 1948 Marshfield Graduate 1953
graduated from Oregon State University - Chemical Engineering.
Spent two years in Army Chemical Corp testing Radiological,
Chemical and Biological weapons in the dessert.
1956 went to work for Union Oil in Los Angeles main work was
construction, computer installation and programming.
1966 the San Francisco refinery, 1975 Beaumont, Texas head of
operations in a 125, 000 barrel a day refinery. 1978
Chicago, Ill. as manager of 150, 000 barrel a day refinery.
1981 was promoted to vice president of refining for the Eastern
United States outside Chicago, Ill. 1986 moved back to Los Angeles until
retirement in 1992. Retired,
plays golf, cruises, and resides with wife Joann in Seal Beach, Ca.
Has 5 blue-eyed, blonde girls and 2 granddaughters and five
grandsons.
Bob Montgomery
– 1948 Graduate, Went to
Oregon Tech on a basketball scholarship was captain 2 years.
Received a degree in sanitation engineering, Did landscaping
& logging work after college. Worked
at Coos Country Club 8 yrs. as the Superintendent of grounds keeping.
Worked in hardwood business owning gift shops and sold Myrtlewood
and other hardwood items over seas.
Carved the big whale on Ocean Blvd by Bracelin & Yeager.
Had 3 children Bobby, George & Luann with first wife Dorothy.
Is currently living in Coos Bay/Empire area with wife Marilyn.
Don Bruce – 1948
Marshfield Graduate, went to University of South Dakota on a basketball
scholarship. Married Helen
Erickson in 1951, 5 children and 7 grandchildren.
He taught and coached several years in Redfield, S. Dakota, owned
and operated a sporting good store for 15 years in Sioux Falls, SD.
Moved to Portland, Oregon to be a stockbroker 4 years, moved back
to Redfield and owned the Prairie Lounge until his death.
Helen said, Don loved his family, hunting & fishing and his
dog Brandy. Don died in a
car accident in 1994.
Ken Hunt
– 1947 Marshfield Graduate,
Went to U of O and played basketball.
Named All Northern Division and was captain of team at U of O.
He coached basketball one year with Bill Borcher at U of O, 1
year at Cottage Grove and 2 years at North Salem.
Moved to California and started in the Real Estate Business,
retired in 1990. He met his
wife Joan at the U of O and they had 4 children and 5 grandchildren.
Ken lived in Woodside, California for 25 years until his death in
2002.
Dan Fox
– 1948 Marshfield Graduate, joined the Navy worked for US Steel, Farm
Management, consulting, wife Mary Jane, 4 Children and 5 grandchildren,
retired, plays golf, resides in Redding, California.
Kay Norris –
1948 Marshfield Graduate, joined the Navy 22 years, retired Lt.
Commander, taught high school 7 years, retired, lays golf, resides in
North Kingstown, Rhode Island.
Bill O’Neal
– 1947 Marshfield Graduate,
went to Southern College, bachelor of Science in 1951.
Teacher and coach at Bandon 1951-52, US Army 1952-54.
Was basketball coach and teacher at Springfield High School
1954-1961. Master’s in
Education in 1962 at U of O. Principal
at Springfield JR High 1961-63 and Principal at Springfield High School
from 1964-1986. Bill married
Phyllis Zenger 1952, they have 4 children and 8 grandchildren.
They currently reside in Springfield, Or.
Doran Wright
– 1948 Marshfield Graduate,
went to Oregon Tech on a basketball scholarship.
Came home and worked in sawmills and as a diesel mechanic.
Married Wilma Gibson 1951, had 3 children, Reggie, Gary &
Don. 1970 became the
Operations Manager at Oregon Chip Facility and retired in 1998 and
bought his the boat he’d dreamed of.
Doran and Wilma have 5 wonderful grandchildren.
Doran died in 1999 of pancreatic cancer.
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