Greetings from a still-cold and
still-white Cambridge
The Popcorn Lady, Dorothy Rich Madison class of 1934, collected and
preserved much CHS memorabilia. Upon her death in 2007, I came into
possession of many items. These items are all the more precious since much
of the history of CHS's classes and sports teams was lost in the 1947
school fire.
From the Dorothy Rich collection come the following two newspaper stories
from the early 1930’s.
Enjoy,
Ken Gottry, class of 1968
Police Halt Riot over Basketball at Hoosick
Falls
Cambridge Coach Beaten and Many Spectators Hurt in Melee Resulting from
Ill Feeling in Game.
Police last night subdued a riot in Wood Memorial School basketball court,
Hoosick Falls, as enthusiasts of that village and Cambridge clashed in
fistic combat after the Cambridge High School coach had attached a Hoosick
Falls high school player during the annual game between the schools. A
badly pummeled coach and black eyes and bloody noses on spectators were
the result.
Emil Petri, Cambridge High School mentor, ran out on the court during the
game and struck Walter A. Robson, Jr., Hoosick Falls center, son of the
Rensselaer County Home-Work Relief Chairman, in the face. As he did, the
crowd surged out on the floor and fell upon Petri who was cut about the
face and bruised about the body. Several other personal fights between
rooters occurred.
The melee occurred as the game was about to close and the last few minutes
of play went on under a police guard which had responded to a riot call.
W. Leon Hutt, Hoosick Falls superintendent of schools, ended the fight by
telling the crowd “I have promised the visiting team and their coach
protection. I ask you to co-operate in seeing that my promise is made
good.”
Ill feeling between the teams was evident earlier in the game with Robson
claiming Flanigan [Ben Flanigan ’34 ??], the Cambridge center, was
continually fouling him. Finally he was allowed a free shot and was
walking toward Flanigan on the side lines when Petri jumped toward Robson
and felled him.
When play was resumed after the fight, Robson and Flanigan had been sent
to the showers and Petri sat on the bench, his head swathed in bandages as
a result of the pummeling he received.
Note: Mike Barrato '62 who taught at HFCS for
many years says he's heard many HF old-timers talk about "the fight"
Riot Breaks Up School Contest in Cambridge
Cambridge, Sept 30 – With a heavy casually list on both sides, the
football game between the Cambridge and Bennington High Schools ended in a
near-riot this afternoon when Coach Harold Williams of Bennington took his
men off the field in protest against the failure of Referee Leo Cantwell
of Cambridge [see bio below] to penalize the home team for rough play.
The spectators, comprising one of the largest crowds ever assembled for a
game on the Cambridge field, poured onto the field when the game ended,
arguing with the officials and with one another. One argument developed
into a fist fight, in which police intervened.
Bennington was leading by 14 to 7 when Coach Williams withdrew his men,
three minutes before the end of the last quarter. As a result of the
withdrawal the game was forfeited to Cambridge, 1 to 0. Students of both
schools voiced threats to sever athletic relations between Bennington and
Cambridge High School following the break-up of the game.
The play which precipitated Coach Williams’ action was by McMara,
Bennington quarterback, who made a wide end run and was tackled by Harmon
[John Harmon ’33 ??], Cambridge fullback. McMara was injured, suffering
possible broken ribs. Williams ran onto the field, demanding that the
Cambridge team be penalized, as his team had been set back 15 yards for a
similar play a few minutes before. The referee refused to penalize the
Cambridge team.
Several players were injured as the result of rough tactics by both sides.
Those most seriously injured were Wilson of Bennington, broken knee;
Harrington of Bennington, broken ribs; and McHugh of Cambridge [can’t find
him in any CHS class list]. The extent of McHugh’s injuries had not been
determined last night.
Bio of Leo Cantwell. Leo graduated from CHS in
the class of 1921. He’s the brother of Charlie Cantwell, Cambridge
police chief in the 1950’s and uncle of Ed Cantwell, class of 1958.
Leo went to Notre Dame and graduated in 1926. He went on to become a
noted history teacher and football coach at Lake Placid HS.
At Notre Dame Leo learned football from one of the greats, Knute
Rockne. At one point in his career, his Lake Placid squads compiled a
streak of 25 victories in a row. He was voted high school coach of the
year by the New York Touchdown Club.
Leo passed on during the summer of 1957. The entire varsity football
team came down from Lake Placid to Cambridge to attend the funeral.
Cambridge-Stillwater Basketball Fight in
early 1960’s???
I recall a story of a highly-touted Stillwater basketball team coming into
the CCS gym (now the auditorium) in the early 1960’s expecting to rout a
heavily under-manned Cambridge team. Instead, in a very physical game, CCS
prevailed. Then Stillwater went to the girls’ locker room and “trashed
it”.
Does this ring a bell with anyone? Got any details, dates, or news
clippings?
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