Crimson Eagles Blanked Milford in Opening Round of CIAC Class A Championship 60 Years Ago Today

Andrew Warde High School's well-balanced baseball team finished runnerup to Norwalk for the Fairfield County Interscholastic Conference baseball championship in 1961. However, the Crimson Eagles were victorious while Norwalk was eliminated in the opening round of the CIAC Class A championship tournament, Monday, June 12, 1961.

Coach Bob Jackson's Warde squad advanced to the tourney semi-finals with an impressive 2-0 victory over Milford's higher-rated Metropolitan Bridgeport Conference champions as Dick Bernard, who remained unbeaten since the baseball season opened, hurled a two-hit shutout to earn his ninth straight victory in a pitching duel with the Indians' Ricky Grich at Quigley Stadium in West Haven.

The Crimson Eagles, ranked seventh among the eight teams which qualified for the Class A title competition, backed Bernard with a nine-hit attack and tallied single runs in the fourth and sixth innings to defeat the third-ranked Milford team. It was the 17th victory in 21 games for the Fairfield squad, and just the fourth setback in 19 contests for Coach Ray Stoviak's Indians.

Outfielders Mike Siavrakas and Larry Gill connected for two hits each to lead Warde's attack against the veteran Grich, but it was rightfielder Tom Dardina and third baseman Frank Chimelewski who drove in the two runs for the Eagles with extra base hits in the June 12, 1961 contest.

It was a scoreless game until the fourth inning. Grich walked Gill with one out and when Chimelewski hit a grounder down the third base line, both runners were safe when the throw to second base for the attempted force out was too late. One out later, Dardina smacked a double down the left field line to score Gill with Warde's first run.

Tom Cody, Milford's rightfielder, made a fine catch of a long drive by Joe Magdon to open Warde's sxith inning, but Gill singled and Chimelewski bounced a triple off the fence in left-centerfield to bring home the Eagles' second run.

Both of Milford's hits off Bernard were bloop singles by third baseman Art Bungerford in the first and sixth innings. Although both hits were preceded by walks to Vic Nelson, the Indians were unable to capitalize. Warde's second baseman Hank Bahe made a poor throw following Hungarford's first single, but catcher Joe Vige threw out Nelson trying to advance to third base. In the sixth inning, both Nelson and Hungarford were picked off first base on throws by Vige and Bernard.

Paul

Andrew Warde High School Class of 1970 Plans 50-Year Reunion October 30 at Trumbull Marriott

Special thanks to Ken Shain and Ron Makar of the Andrew Warde High School Class of 1970 for contributing 10 issues of The Crimson Crier to our library archives. There are now 29 issues of The Crimson Crier school newspaper as pdf files available for viewing and reading. Please see the link in the left-hand margin.

Andrew Warde High School's Class of 1970 will hold its 50-year reunion Saturday, October 30, 2021, at the Trumbull Marriott.

That's the word from Ken Shain, who has been tasked with compiling a digital record of the Crimson Crier newspapers during his days at Warde.

The class reunion Web site is https://1970andrewwarde50th.com. 

Shain wrote, "We are currently using it to identify and locate all fellow 1970 graduates so that we may extend each an invitation to our get together. At some point, we plan to provide links to them on our website, but at present we are maintaining our focused use of the site. As we get closer to the event, we will increase its content."

Shain, a visitor to this blog, continued, "Hence I am in a position to offer you our first batch of freshly scanned Criers for archive with the small request that you help promote our event by putting a link to our web page on your site." 

The ten issues have been added to our Crimson Crier archives, bringing the total number of issues to 29. The issues are from 1968, 1969, and 1970. Please click the link at the left-hand side of this Web site to access the school newspapers.

Please click the image below to access the class Web site. We wish Ken, Ron, and the entire Andrew Warde High School Class of 1970 all the best as the 50-year reunion, originally scheduled for last year, is just seven months away.

Paul

Crimson Eagles Defeated Neighboring Bassick in State Basketball Playoffs 57 Years Ago Today

The Andrew Warde High School boys' basketball team defeated neighboring Bassick High School in the state playoffs on this date in 1964. Please click the image below and enlarge to read the story as it appeared in The Bridgeport Telegram the following day.

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Paul

Warde Boys' Cagers Trounced Ludlowe 58 Years Ago Today

The Andrew Warde High School boys' basketball team trounced arch-rival Roger Ludlowe, 87-62, at the winners' gym 58 years ago today, Tuesday, February 5, 1963. It was the second game between the spirited Fairfield rivals that season. Warde also won the first contest, 71-48.

There were several highlights in the game. Warde co-captain Pete Jankovsky equaled Joe Magdon's school scoring record of 34 points; the Crimson Eagles climbed into a tie for second place with New Canaan in the FCIAC Eastern Division; Coach Don Feeley's cagers gained a berth in the CIAC tournament; Warde chalked up its tenth straight home court triumph; and the Eagles defeated the Tigers for the eighth time in a row.

Jankovsky and co-captain Bob Ryan combined for 12 points as Warde spurted into a 17-8 lead after the first period. Joel Blaskey topped the Tigers with six points.

The Crimson Eagles scored 21 points in the second quarter to take a commanding 38-25 halftime cushion. The second-quarter onslaught was led by Ryan (six points), Rusty Helgren (five), Jankovsky (four), Hank Gellert (four), and Wayne Gower (two), each having a hand in the scoring. Blaskey was the top scorer on offense for the Tigers with eight points, but he was limited to only two points in the second half.

Feeley's fast-breaking charges erupted for 45 points in the second half , netting 21 in the third period as Ryan hit for nine and Jankovsky added six. Ludlowe fought back gamely with 16 points, including six each by George Martin and Gary Klahr, but the Tigers trailed, 59-41, prior to the final eight-minute session.

The fourth quarter was all Jankovsky, as the senior tallied 16 points to equal the high mark established by Magdon in 1959 against Stamford Catholic.

Overall, Warde converted 21 of 27 foul shots, compared to 12 of 17 for Ludlowe.

The Crimson Eagles also won the junior varsity tilt, 46-44, as Jim Bodnar paced the winners with 19 points and Ray DeCormier tallied 18 for the Tigers.

Paul

Warde Posted Third Straight Shutout 61 Years Ago Today During Undefeated Gridiron Campaign

Andrew Warde High School's defense-minded Crimson Eagles ran their unbeaten, unscored upon victory streak to three games 61 years ago today --- Saturday, October 3, 1959 --- by downing previously-unbeaten Norwalk, 12-0, before an estimated 2,500 spectators at the Warde field.

Coach Fern Tetreau's charges scored early in both the first and fourth quarters, while stopping Norwalk inches short of the goal line and later at the Eagles' 13 yard marker. The Green Wave was only able to move inside the Warde 30-yard line just four times during the contest.

Norwalk received the opening kickoff and, after advancing to its 27, was forced to punt to the Warde 47. On the Eagles' first play from scrimmage, halfback Larry Gill dashed 29 yards around his right end to the visitors' 24 yard line. Al Bennett ran to the 19 yard line, before Gill scampered around the left end for five more yards to the Norwalk 14.

Jack Flanagan burst through center for a one-yard gain and a Warde first down. Quarterback Howie Ratner handed off to Gill once again, and he ran to the four yard line on a delay. Flanagan added two more yards for a first down at the Green Wave two yard line before Ratner plunged oacross the goal line for the first score of the game.

Norwalk's Lee Johnson, however, stopped Gill shy of the goal line on the attempted two-point conversion, holding Warde to a 6-0 advantage.

A few minutes later, Norwalk tackle Jim Ciminello recovered a quick kick by Warde's Gill that was blocked on the Warde 25. Norwalk reeled off two first downs and had the ball on the Eagles' three yard line with first down and goal-to-go as the first quarter came to a close.

Jerry Fishman opened the second stanza with a one yard gain to the two yard line. However, halfback Everett Jess fumbled as he went through the line, and the loose football rolled to the goal line where Warde's right end Walter Ruby recovered it. Norwalk never again advanced inside the hosts 10 yard line.

The winners threatened again with four minutes left in the first half, but an offside penalty nullified a 14-yard touchdown dash by Flanagan. After the stellar Warde defense limited Norwalk to just seven yards rushing in the second quarter and only four yards in the third quarter, the Eagles' Walter Beck recovered another Green Wave fumble at the Norwalk 18-yard line. Flanagan scampered six yards to the Norwalk 12 as the third quarter ended.

On the first play of the fourth quarter, Larry Gill sidestepped three would-be tacklers and followed good blocking by Ratner and Beck to dash 13 yards to paydirt for Warde's second touchdown. Norwalk stopped Flanagan's rush for the attempted two points as Warde assumed a 12-0 cushion.

Norwalk's Fishman played an outstanding game as he carried the ball 14 times for 64 yards and kicked a booming 60-yard punt.

Paul

Senior Hat From 1967 Displayed "Spirit Pins"

How many of you are old enough to remember 'Senior Hats?' This writer is a 1976 graduate of Andrew Warde High School, so I'm not familiar with them. However, one of the regular contributors to the Guest Book wrote, "Anyone remember collecting the different spirit pins, buttons, and badges each week during football season in the late 60s and 70s?"

The writer continued, "Warde students and faculty (collected pins) with the name of the opponent for the upcoming Saturday football game. There used to be 'Senior Hats' for sale, usually before the first football pep rally. Seniors would decorate their hats with the buttons and pins collected during their years at Warde.

"On the day of the first pep rally, seniors were allowed to wear the 'Senior Hats' to classes throughout the day. The school-wide pep rallies usually took place during the last period of the day. If the weather was clear, then the rally took place on the patio in front of the cafeteria. Otherwise, the rally moved into the gym. After the football team and coaches were introduced, each class would compete in a cheer contest with the loudest class being declared the winner."

Believe it or not, I found a 'Senior Hat' from 1967 at a Fairfield Warde High School flea market. The crimson hat has the embroidered letters AW and numbers 67 along with the spirit pins. This is quite a find, and it's one of my favorite Andrew Warde High School collectibles. Take a look. 

Paul