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Hi Bill,

I got thinking about some guys I remembered who were great football players back in the day that played for Gloucester High School (GHS) and Gloucester Catholic High School (GCHS) many moons ago. I was a GHS fan starting around 1937.

My brother was in the band, and my brother Bob, and grandson David, both played football for GHS. I was a bench warmer, or tackling dummy, and darn good at it. 

I don't know how many people are still alive that will remember these names but who knows there has to be someone out there besides myself that recalls what great players they were. Some were my schoolmates and some were my sports heroes.

Starting with Bill Yerkes playing for the New York Shipyard Football team at Fairview in 1940.

Otis Smith

Bob Eppleman, and Bob Weiss, I will never forget.

Wiggy Lincoln, my first football hero for Gloucester High School.

Snorky Florich for Gloucester Catholic High School.

Harry Mackin for GHS and Muhlenberg College; let's go Mules!

Frank Wesigerber for GHS and Muhlenberg (I think).

Carl Shoenborn for GCHS and Gettysburg. All Penn College guard (1st team)

Everybody knows Johnny Powell (GHS) and Joe Murphy (GCHS) at Lenoir Rhen; Little All-American, Honorable Mention; eventually he was the Rams football coach, and later a coach at the University of Penn.

GHS AND MEMORIAL AA

Bob Chew. Lineman

Edgar Chew, Lineman, later coach

Steve Shimkus, Quarterback, later coach

Silent Smith, my favorite

Yebbers Coyle

Andy Kowalski (never saw him play), Yellow Jackets, Gloucester City's first pro-football player

Do you remember the Gloucester City Mustang basketball team beating the Philadelphia Eagles basketball team at the Mary Costello gym?  Eagles quarterback Sonny Jurgensen played in that game along with Chuck Bednarkik, with a broken wrist. He laughed when players started to brawl. It almost turned into a riot.

Bob Weichman, Rudy Weichman, and George Reider were some of the players for the Mustangs. 

Eddie Danson, Cold Springs caretaker (1930 until 1940?). Lined the field, cut the grass, etc. 

Many more Cold Springs Sports Heroes whose names escaped this old brain. Hope you enjoyed my memories.

Otis Smith,

a longtime resident of Gloucester City, NJ