Anamosa - A Reminiscence 1838 - 1988

of the eleven undefeated football teams in Iowa that
year. according to the 1925 Eureka. Anamosa‘s team
ranked high in second place. Her total points scored
were 257 to her opponents 26. After the second game
no team except Vinton was able to score on her.
The article also stated that they left a record for such
a small school unequaled in Iowa. By virtue of two
forfeits the year before. they were undefeated for the
1924-25 season.
Anamosa Powerhouse 1 93 7- 1 942
According to Dottie Cummins. expert on Anamosa
sports. from 1937 to 1942 the Anamosa Blue Raiders
football team had a 47-game unbeaten winning streak.
Jack McLees was the coach in 1937 when the Anamosa
team won the last three games. Wally Schwank
followed McLees as coach. Schwank stayed on for three
winning seasons. In 1939 led by the late Lawrence
"Spook" LaBarge. the Raiders scored 25 touchdowns
and averaged more than I0 yards per carry. Anamosa
outscored their opponents 313 to 6. The only points
given up were a 20 to 6 victory over Tipton.
At the start of the 1940 season. there were only nine
lettermen. two of which were regulars. Ralph Beardsley
and John Russell. The opening game that fall was to be
played against Lyons of Clinton. which were looking to
take game number 18 to accompany their 17-game
winning streak. Anamosa left the Clinton gridiron with
an 18-0 win.
Frank “Juke" Hohn was a freshman in 1940. He.
along with Howard "Shorty" Larson and John Russell.
combined to demonstrate their popular triple-lateral
play that year. Ralph Beardsley. was billed as “ the
finest prep in the state" when named for his first allstate
team. He was credited with almost 50 per cent of
the tackles. when playing defense. On offense. he
switched to fullback.
Schwank. after three unbeaten seasons. left Anamosa
and Fred Shadle. the new coach. brought with him a
new system. known as the single wing. The Raiders
The ‘Cowbell’ Tradition
From Anamosa Journal-Eureka. written by Gail Eschen
The Anamosa High School football game on Oct. 16.
I987. that pitted Anamosa against Monticello. marked
the 50th year of the cowbell. which is presented to the
winner of the Raider-Panther game each year. 1987's
game also happened to be Anamosa‘s Homecoming.
Don Robertson of Anamosa. has a scrapbook of articles
following the accomplishments of the Anamosa
team from that long ago. The story behind the cowbell is
also in the book. It states. "The Anamosa Rotary Club in
its effort to promote greater friendship and fellowship
between the athletic teams of Monticello and Anamosa
have secured a six-inch cowbell suitably painted and
identified to be presented to each year's winner of the
football struggle. Superintendent G.B. Kinser has
presented the bell to the high school and Anamosa will
have possession of it until the next game at which time it
will be presented to the 1938 winner. One side is painted
a blue color with the letter “A" in white. The other is
painted black with the letter “M" in maroon."
Currently. after retaining the cowbell for three years.
the Blue Raiders were forced to turn over possession in
1984 after suffering a 48-12 loss to the Panthers. The
bell remained in Monticello until 1987 when the Raiders
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finished up that year. I941. by scoring 195 points
against 30. with an unbeaten 38-game winning streak.
In 1942 the fall season opened with the Anamosa
boys ready for another formation brought along with a
new coach by the name of Stan Sosnouski. This coach
had a raft of imaginative ideas which were carried
through by the outstanding athletic ability of his
players. Hohn and Larson that year compiled the
enviable record of 93 completions in l 19 attempts.
Four of the lettermen had signed up for the military
service in 1943. which marked the end for the Anamosa
High School Raiders possibly winning the all-time prep
record of 52. set by Masillon. Ohio.
“Juke" died as the result of injuries suffered in an
auto accident south of Anamosa. after being discharged
from the army.
Anamosa‘s only non-victory in 1940 was a scoreless
tie with Monticello on Armistice Day where the two
teams not only battled with each other but the blizzard
conditions. which descended upon them on that wellremembered
day. Both sides were undefeated.
According to Dottie. The Cedar Rapids Gazette
estimated that 2000 fans stayed to watch the game
even though the blizzard conditions were so severe that
the action could not be seen.
Another memory of the game. according to Dottie.
the coaches sent someone to town at half time to buy
husking gloves for their players.
won the Cowbell Classic 13-3.
While reminiscing about that first game 50 years ago.
Mr. Robertson said. “I think what's more important
about that first game is not that it was the start of the
cowbell. but that it was the start of Anamosa‘s five year
winning streak. which went from I937 to 1942." With a
win over West Liberty the week before. it was 47 games
before the Raiders again tasted defeat. Wins for
Anamosa included 20 games in which the opponent
never scored a touchdown.
Don also remembers another interesting tidbit from
that first Cowbell Classic game. “l used to live in Monticello.
I attended grades five through eight there. and
one of my boyhood friends was Loyal Ritmer. Well. it
happened that in that first cowbell game against Monticello.
Loyal and I were opposing quarterbacks."
Anamosa retained possession of the bell after that first
game by blanking the Panthers 20-0.
At that year's homecoming game. Don. who was captain
of the Anamosa team. had the honor of crowning
the homecoming queen. Dorothy Gassen. at the dance
on Friday night after the game.