Verdi High School - Part I
Southwestern Minnesota, 18 miles north of Pipestone, on the border with South Dakota; on #75
Years Represented: 1921-1935
Verdi High School was started in 1919-1920. The first girls basketball team began in 1921-1922.
Information about the 1922, 1927, 1928 and 1930 teams was provided by Lois Ankeny, St. James. Players names are identified where known.
1922 team photo: left to right - Lily Loges, Helena Rudebusch, Hilda Klinker, Louisa Rudebusch, Erna Voeltz, Miss Elliot, coach. Hilda Klinker is balancing the ball on the soles of her shoes.
1927 team - Front: unknown, Delma Reynolds, Josephine Wagner, unknown. Back: Lillian Gust, unknown, unknown.
1928 team - Front: unknown, Lillian Gust, Delma Reynolds, Josephine Wagner. Back: unknown, unknown.
1930 - Front: unknown, Lillian Gust, unknown, unknown. Back: Delma Reynolds, unknown, name may be Bethel Dial.
The coach was also the superintendent of the school. His name phonetically spelled may be Mr. Feakes.
The book, Daughters of the Game, contains a brief team profile of Verdi, 1933-1935. The team was coached by Erling Johnson, Anoka, would later serve as Superintendent of Schools for District 11 and the Commissioner of Education for the State of Minnesota.
Mr. Johnson said that the girls played a two-court game. He said, "I enjoyed coaching the Verdi girls basketball team in the mid-1930s. The girls' team was very popular in the community and, in my opinion, was just as good as the boys."
Teams played included Russel, Lynd, Lake Benton, Balleton, Hendricks and Ivanhoe.
Information about the 1922, 1927, 1928 and 1930 teams was provided by Lois Ankeny, St. James. Players names are identified where known.
1922 team photo: left to right - Lily Loges, Helena Rudebusch, Hilda Klinker, Louisa Rudebusch, Erna Voeltz, Miss Elliot, coach. Hilda Klinker is balancing the ball on the soles of her shoes.
1927 team - Front: unknown, Delma Reynolds, Josephine Wagner, unknown. Back: Lillian Gust, unknown, unknown.
1928 team - Front: unknown, Lillian Gust, Delma Reynolds, Josephine Wagner. Back: unknown, unknown.
1930 - Front: unknown, Lillian Gust, unknown, unknown. Back: Delma Reynolds, unknown, name may be Bethel Dial.
The coach was also the superintendent of the school. His name phonetically spelled may be Mr. Feakes.
The book, Daughters of the Game, contains a brief team profile of Verdi, 1933-1935. The team was coached by Erling Johnson, Anoka, would later serve as Superintendent of Schools for District 11 and the Commissioner of Education for the State of Minnesota.
Mr. Johnson said that the girls played a two-court game. He said, "I enjoyed coaching the Verdi girls basketball team in the mid-1930s. The girls' team was very popular in the community and, in my opinion, was just as good as the boys."
Teams played included Russel, Lynd, Lake Benton, Balleton, Hendricks and Ivanhoe.
Verdi 1922
Verdi 1927
Verdi 1928